Lawrence James was a founder member of York University and then took a research degree at Merton College, Oxford. After a distinguished teaching career he became a full-time writer in 1985 and has emerged as one of the outstanding narrative historians of his generation. His books include Crimea: The War with Russia in Contemporary Photographs, The Savage Wars: British Campaigns in Africa 1870-1920, Mutiny: Mutinies in British and Commonwealth Forces 1797-1956 and Imperial Rearguard: The Last Wars of Empire.
Lawrence James edited the Daily Telegraph British Empire supplement (1997) and was the consultant to the Daily Mail British Empire supplement (2001). He regularly appears on television and writes for the Daily Mail, Times and Literary Review.