Andrew Herbert Dakers was born November 9, 1887 in the picturesque Hampstead section of London. His love affair with all that is British -- language, literature, and lore -- began at an early age. While still in his thirties, he completed Robert Burns: His Life and Genius, which garnered enthusiastic reviews. This was followed two years later, in 1925, by Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658), and again in 1931 by The Tragic Queen: A Study of Mary Queen of Scots. In the years that followed, Dakers established his own publishing agency. Andrew Dakers Limited-located within shouting distance of the renowned British Museum on Great Russell Street-rolled out numerous titles, though Dakers himself only authored a select few. These were typically brief and close to his own heart, such as The Big Ben Minute, written during the bleak days of World War II. Andrew Dakers continued to write and publish well into his seventies. He passed away October 13, 1966 in the seaside village of Worthing, in Sussex.