Nicholas Klar is the self proclaimed "World's worst author", although he may possibly be only the third or fourth worst (depending on which critic you read). "Least successful" may be a more appropriate term.

He is a peripatetic teacher, historian and writer originally from Adelaide, Australia - but it's highly unlikely anyone actually remembers him there.

He has lived in five different countries (all with varying GDP, democratic practices and personal grooming regimes), studied in Australia and the U.S., and has travelled widely throughout Asia and the Pacific. His most recent incarnation is as a Humanities teacher in international schools in Asia.

Apart from the above, his only other real claims to recent fame are that he once was, 1) the only person in the whole of Shanghai without a mobile phone, and 2) apparently the only non-beer drinking Australian in the whole of East Asia.

‘My Mother is a Tractor’, released in late 2005, is his first full-length book. He has also had several short stories, travelogues, articles and essays published previously in various media such as The Japan Times, Shanghai Daily, Fukuoka-Now, Asia! and Voyage - likely for more out of pity than anything else.

When previously resident in Japan he was a regular contributor to the JET Journal, Niigata JOHO and other magazines. Additionally he was editor / webmaster of the now badly ageing Joetsu goodo Travel Guide plus the very popular travel portal - Welcome to Myoko!

Since departing Shanghai after six long years he is now officially listed as, "Lost somewhere between a hot spring in Kyushu and a hawker stall in S-E Asia." However, more recent blogger opinion ascribes to the theory that he has been forcibly placed on the New York Times "Author Relocation Program".

His ambition is world peace, plus to be very rich without ever having to actually work for it. And maybe also to never hear the words "Hey...let’s climb Mount Fuji!" again.

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"The only thing worse is Vogon poetry" - Dave D. Davidson, Village Virus