Man, John: - John Man is a historian and travel writer with a special interest in Mongolia. His Gobi: Tracking the Desert was the first book on the subject in English since the 1920s. He is also the author of Atlas of the Year 1000, Alpha Beta, on the roots of the Roman alphabet, and The Gutenberg Revolution, on the origins and impact of printing. His most recent books include The Terracotta Army, Genghis Khan: Life, Death, and Resurrection and Attila: The Barbarian King Who Challenged Rome.