Mark Kurlansky is an American journalist and author known for his extensive works of both fiction and nonfiction.

His book Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World (1997) was an international bestseller, translated into more than fifteen languages. This book, along with others, reflects his interest in the history of food and its impact on cultures.

In 2006, he published Nonviolence: Twenty-five Lessons From the History of a Dangerous Idea, which won the nonfiction category of the 2007 Dayton Literary Peace Prize.