Edward Brooke-Hitching is the author of The Madman's Library, The Sky Atlas, The Golden Atlas The Phantom Atlas and Fox Tossing, Octopus Wrestling And Other Forgotten Sports, an award-winning documentary director, and writer for the BBC's QI. The son of an antiquarian book dealer, he graduated from the University of Exeter with a distinction in filmmaking before entering independent documentary production. He lives in a dusty heap of old maps and books in London.