Stephen Moss was born in Newport, South Wales, and studied modern history at Balliol College, Oxford. He has spent most of his career as a writer and editor at the Guardian, based in London. His books include The Rookie: An Odyssey through Chess (and Life); Wisden Anthology 1978-2006: Cricket's Age of Revolution; and Pass Notes, a collection of the best of the Guardian's long-running column of that name.