Bernard Cornwell Books in Order

Bernard Cornwell OBE is an English author of historical novels, best known for his long-running series about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe and the Saxon Stories featuring Uhtred of Bebbanburg. Born in London in 1944 during World War II, his father was a Canadian airman and his mother served in Britain's Women's Auxiliary Air Force. Cornwell was adopted by a family in Essex who belonged to a religious sect called the Peculiar People. After attending Monkton Combe School in Somerset, he read history at University College London between 1963 and 1966. He attempted to enlist in the British armed services multiple times but was rejected due to myopia. After working as a teacher, Cornwell joined BBC Television where he worked for ten years, eventually becoming head of current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland. While working in Belfast, he met Judy, a visiting American, and fell in love. Unable to obtain a work permit in the United States, he decided to earn a living by writing—a job that did not require government permission. His career began in 1981 with Sharpe's Eagle, and he has since published more than 60 novels, selling over 30 million books worldwide. Cornwell was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2006 for services to literature and television production. After his adoptive father died, he changed his surname by deed poll from Wiggins to Cornwell, his birth mother's maiden name.

All Bernard Cornwell Book Series

Author portrait

Bernard Cornwell

Born: 1944

Bernard Cornwell OBE is an English author of historical novels, best known for his long-running series about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe and the Saxon Stories featuring Uhtred of Bebbanburg. Born in London in 1944 during World War II, his father was a Canadian airman and his mother served in Britain's Women's Auxiliary Air Force. Cornwell was adopted by a family in Essex who belonged to a religious sect called the Peculiar People. After attending Monkton Combe School in Somerset, he read history at University College London between 1963 and 1966. He attempted to enlist in the British armed services multiple times but was rejected due to myopia. After working as a teacher, Cornwell joined BBC Television where he worked for ten years, eventually becoming head of current affairs at BBC Northern Ireland. While working in Belfast, he met Judy, a visiting American, and fell in love. Unable to obtain a work permit in the United States, he decided to earn a living by writing—a job that did not require government permission. His career began in 1981 with Sharpe's Eagle, and he has since published more than 60 novels, selling over 30 million books worldwide. Cornwell was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2006 for services to literature and television production. After his adoptive father died, he changed his surname by deed poll from Wiggins to Cornwell, his birth mother's maiden name.

Series by This Author