Bernard Cornwell

Bernard Cornwell was born in 1944 in London and grew up in Essex. He worked at the BBC as a producer on the program "Nationwide" and as the head of the current affairs department in Northern Ireland. In 1979, he moved to America, where he still resides with his wife. Since then, he has dedicated himself to writing, as he humorously notes it was the only profession he could pursue without needing a green card! He has authored a series of historical novels set during the Napoleonic Wars, featuring the character Richard Sharpe, which have brought him fame: they have sold over four million copies in nine languages and have been adapted into a television series with thousands of devoted viewers. Cornwell is beloved by his readers; at one point, he even guided a group of them around the Waterloo battlefield. This connection with his audience is perhaps one reason he is considered the most successful author in England for the publishing house Harper Collins. Cornwell is also the author of the "King Arthur Trilogy." In 2006, he was awarded the title of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to literature.