Fred Nadis is the author of two books that explore the strange side of American popular culture. "Wonder Shows: Performing Science, Magic, and Religion in America" discloses the history of "mystic vaudeville" acts such as mind-reading and hypnotism as well as "gee whiz" science displays at world's fairs by evangelists and big business. His latest book, "The Man from Mars: Ray Palmer's Amazing Journey," a 2014 Locus Award Finalist in nonfiction, is a biography of the controversial science fiction editor, Ray Palmer, an early promoter of the flying saucer craze, since immortalized as the alter ego of the comic book superhero "The Atom." Nadis grew up in suburban Chicago and now lives in California. He has a Ph.D. in American studies from the University of Texas at Austin. Please also visit his webpage: www.frednadis.comAuthor portrait by Kate Connell.