Richard Woodman is a prolific author of historical fiction, and was born in London in 1944. He became an indentured midshipman in cargo liners at the age of sixteen and has sailed ...view moreRichard Woodman is a prolific author of historical fiction, and was born in London in 1944. He became an indentured midshipman in cargo liners at the age of sixteen and has sailed in a variety of ships, serving from apprentice to captain. In 1978 he won the Marine Society's Harmer Award. This experience gives his naval fiction a rich authenticity, and spurred him to write over forty historical novels, as well as a series on the history of the British Merchant Navy, alongside many other non-fiction historical books.view less