Nicholas Hagger was born in 1939 and read English Literature at Oxford. He lectured at universities in Iraq, Japan (where he was a professor) and Libya in the 1960s. He wrote for The Times and taught in London. He acquired four schools and set up the Oak-Tree Group of Schools. He bought Otley Hall and for seven years ran it as a historic house. He is the author of 55 books. He lives in Essex and now devotes the greater part of his life to writing. See Life for further details.