David C. Knight

Born in Glens Falls, New York, in 1925, David C. Knight grew up into the kind of writer who could turn science into an adventure. He graduated from Union College, served as a World War II veteran, and also studied at the Sorbonne in Paris before moving into publishing.

Knight worked in industrial electronics and later became a science editor in a New York publishing house. That background helped shape the clear, practical style of his books, many of which introduced young readers to subjects like acoustics, deserts, comets, the atmosphere, and the lives of major scientists.

Alongside his nonfiction, he wrote fiction as well, including science fiction and collections connected with ghostly or uncanny themes. He died in 1984, but his books still reflect a gift for making scientific curiosity feel welcoming and fun.