Nigel Messenger

I have spent a lifetime working in Hospitality in the Hotel Industry. I started writing 7 years ago after a visit to Palestine to investigate a biblical battle which took place 3000 years ago at Michmash. The battle is recorded in the Old Testament: 1 Samuel 13/14. In 1918 the British Army marched to the same place facing the Turks, copying the Bible tactics and won the subsequent battle.

I often think it’s amazing when we can learn from history from so long ago and yet some of our leaders don't learn lessons from the week before!

I carried out research and wrote my first book, “The Miracle of Michmash” (now being self published as “The Michmash Miracles”) I visited Israel/Palestine several times before, having cycled the length and breadth of Israel and Jordan twice.

My interest intensified and I have since written a follow up, “Megiddo The Battles for Armageddon”. My third book “From Eden to Babylon” is loosely based on my relatives' adventures in WW1 in Mesopotamia and India. My fourth book, “Doctors at War” is also loosely based on the adventures of the other side of my family in Malta and Salonika in WW1, the London Blitz, Bletchley and the battle of Kohima in India.

In June 2024, I finished a book about the Middle Ages. I have always been fascinated with this time in English history and the Crusades. This is once again a work of historical fiction and involves a disabled English boy who travels on the Second Crusade and after capture, forms an extraordinary lifelong friendship with Saladin.

This new book is called Opus Magnum and is now published.

I live in Cheltenham with my family and run a consultancy business.

My 3 passions are: family, cricket and history. I believe that we must learn about our history to be able to plan for the future. We can’t undo what has happened, however much we might disagree with it, but we can learn from it and try not to make the same mistakes twice