David Barrie’s first book, Sextant, was shortlisted for the Mountbatten Literary Award. His second, Incredible Journeys (Supernavigators in North America) was The Sunday Times Nature Book of the Year and won the Gold Nautilus Book Award. A version of Supernavigators adapted for young people will be published in April 2025.

David studied experimental psychology and philosophy at Oxford University, where he first became interested in the study of animal behaviour.

Having joined the British Diplomatic Service, he served at the British Embassy in Dublin and was later involved in the negotiations that led to the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985.

After leaving government service he worked for many years in the arts - first as co-director of the UK-wide Japan Festival 1991, and then as director of the visual arts charity, the Art Fund.

David is an experienced sailor and navigator. He has worked as a deckhand onboard ship and has made many long passages under sail, starting with the trans-Atlantic voyage that inspired the writing of Sextant.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation and the Linnean Society of London, and was awarded a CBE in 2010.

David was a series consultant for the National Geographic mini-series, Incredible Animal Journeys (2023) and is now working on his first novel.

The great-great-nephew of the playwright, J. M. Barrie, David is married with two daughters and lives in London.