Howard Peth was born in 1930 in Chicago, Illinois, where he grew upexcept for two carefree years spent in Fort Worth, Texas. He's lived his adult life in Southern California. With degrees from both UCLA and USC, he spent forty-two enjoyable years in the stimulating arena of the classroom, thirty-one of them at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California, serving also as department chairman.

Retiring recently to the San Diego area, Mr. Peth now spends much of his time writing and presenting screen-illustrated lectures. He and Diane, his wife of forty-seven years, have three grown children and six grandchildren.