Oswald Herbert Best (March 25, 1894 – July 1980) was a British-American author of children's literature and science fiction.
Early and personal life
Best was born on March 25, 1894. He married fellow author Allena Champlin, better known by her pen name Erick Berry. He held bachelor's degrees in arts and laws from Queens' College, Cambridge.
Career
Best published a number of books between the 1930s and '60s. Many of his works were for children, and illustrated by Berry. One of these was perhaps his most lauded work, Garram the Hunter: A Boy of the Hill Tribes, published in 1930. It won a Newbery Honor in 1931. He also wrote at least one work of science fiction, 1940's The Twenty-Fifth Hour.
Outside of his writing career, he fought in World War I and spent time working for the British Civil Service in Nigeria as an administrative officer. His experiences in Africa were significant influences on some of his works. He was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Death
Best died in July 1980, at the age of 86.
Bibliography
Garram the Hunter: A Boy of the Hill Tribes: 1930
Flag of the Desert: 1936
Tal of the Four Tribes: 1938
The Twenty-Fifth Hour: 1940
Gunsmith's Boy: 1942
Young'Un: 1944
Border Iron: 1945
Whistle, Daughter, Whistle: 1947
The Long Portage: A Story of Ticonderoga and Lord Howe: 1948
Not Without Danger: A Story of the Colony of Jamaica in Revolutionary Days: 1951
Watergate: A Story of the Irish on the Erie Canal: 1951
Ranger's Ransom: 1953
The Columbus Cannon: 1954
Diane: 1954
The Sea Warriors: 1959
The Webfoot Warriors: The story of UDT, U.S. Navy's Underwater Demolition Team: 1962 Underwater Warriors: Story of the American Frogmen: 1967