Nick Higham

Writer and former BBC journalist Nick Higham gives an illustrated talk on his new book about a group of British mavericks who set out on an almost impossible task in the chaotic Caspian Sea at the end of World War I.

Higham introduces a list of characters including expedition leader Lionel Dunsterville, Scottish aristocrat Ranald MacDonell, who smuggled roubles for the war effort, soldier Edward Noel, who was held hostage for 65 days in terrible conditions, Toby Rawlinson, a brilliant inventor, and spy Reginald Teague-Jones. Their task was to block the advancing Turks, hold back the Bolsheviks, prevent a Turkish-inspired Jihad in India, and secure an oil route. Higham says the result was a story of boldness and intrigue in a forgotten corner of the war where rules were made to be broken.

Higham spent 30 years at the BBC including hosting Meet the Author on the news channel. He is a regular interviewer for Oxford Literary Festival.