Bevis Hillier has devoted more than twenty-five years to writing Betjeman's life, a task entrusted to him by the poet himself. Like Betjeman he was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford. Later he joined the Times, became editor of The Connoisseur and a columnist on the Los Angeles Times, as well as writing for many other papers and journals. He edited Betjeman's 'Uncollected Poems' 'now included in 'Collected Poems", compiled 'John Betjeman: A Life in Pictures' and is the author of 'Young Betjeman'. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the Royal Society of Literature. He lives in Hampshire.