The author was born in South Africa in 1954 and experienced the modern history of his country firsthand. He has variously been a traffic officer, technical nutrition advisor, salesman, and shopkeep...view moreThe author was born in South Africa in 1954 and experienced the modern history of his country firsthand. He has variously been a traffic officer, technical nutrition advisor, salesman, and shopkeeper. An avid rock and blues fan, he has a large collection of both genres. He ascribes his interest in history to a schoolteacher in Johannesburg who taught the subject as a historical novel, bringing the characters to life. He came across the history of the Viking invasion of Ireland by chance in a book on mediaeval history. He is married and lives in Stilfontein, a small mining town in the gold belt of North West Province in South Africa. He has never been outside Africa.view less