Central Annapurna Himal, Nagarkot, Nepal
Robert White-Harvey’s Biography
Throughout my various careers I have written features, columns and short stories for newspapers and magazines from Washington to Jerusalem and Singapore. Until the newspaper melt-down, I specialized in longer features for Focus/Perspective/Weekender sections of national dailies in several countries. I have also written for academic and business trade journals. More recently I have focused on my magazine column and features on Asian travel, as well as blogs and photography. Now I have turned to novels.
My professional careers have included: Barrister & Solicitor (Canada), banking (trusts), journalism (Singapore), and urban planning. I have toiled as a labourer one kilometre closer to hell in the world’s largest underground copper mine. I also served as an oiler on ships of the Queen’s Harbour Master. Other occupations have included: map-maker, bus driver, marine environment researcher, photographer and a host of other pursuits.
Since graduating law school, I have published newspaper features, legal writing and academic articles. My legal work has been cited by appellate courts, while several of the academic pieces have been used by universities, museums, banks, labour unions and government ministries around the world. Two Royal Commissions have included my research and writing on Aboriginal land claims in their reports.
More recently, travel writing has taken me to every continent, and to more than 60 additional countries. I've interviewed presidents, Nobel laureates and concentration camp survivors. I freely draw on my travel experiences and diverse careers to colour my story-telling. My stories may recount well-behaved rats in Bali, menacing snakes in Marrakesh, Leopard Seals baring their teeth in Antarctica, or charming feral cats in the cafes of Jerusalem. Most importantly, I write about people, and I try to figure out what makes them tick. I love to travel, and I never want to stop exploring.
For further details and stories, please check out an interview I gave in London a few years back.