William Boyd was born in Ghana. He was brought up there and in Nigeria. He was educated at the universities of Nice, Glasgow and Oxford. He is the author of seven previous novels and the recipient of many awards including the Whitbread First Novel, the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and the Sunday Express Book of the Year Award. An Ice-Cream War was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. He is married and lives in Chelsea, London.