Gavin Souter AO was born in Sydney. He joined The Sydney Morning Herald as a journalist in 1947 and worked there for 40 years, serving as a correspondent in New York and London and later as an Assistant Editor. He is the author of twelve works of non-fiction, including New Guinea (1963); A Peculiar People (1968), which won the Foundation of Australian Literary Studies award; Lion & Kangaroo (1976), which won the Colin Roderick Award; Company of Heralds (1981), which also won the Foundation for Australian Literary Studies award; and Heralds and Angels (1992), which won the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award. In 1960, Gavin won the W.G. Walkley Award for Australian Journalism; in 1988 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), and raised to Officer level (AO) in 1995; and in 2001 he was awarded the Centenary Medal. He lives in Sydney.