Letters from Arabia is an in-depth account of life and language in the Middle East, redolent with the fragrance of spice and the esoteric magnificence of ancient architecture and philosophy, an indulgent dive into the history and culture of the Arab lands.

After a childhood spent in Egypt and Jordan, Stephen joined the Royal Navy and specialised as a hydrographic surveyor. He served in Antarctica, the Middle East, and the Far East, the Caribbean and European waters. He saw action in two wars and commanded two ships and a specialist naval school before retiring after thirty-five years¿ service, the last ten of which were based in Arabia.
Stephen subsequently returned to Oman for six years to manage a private company for a member of the Omani royal family before joining a Paris-based international organisation concerned with standards for the safety of marine navigation, towards the end of which he was appointed as visiting professor to the Navigation Institute of Jimei University, Xiamen, China. Stephen now lives in West Sussex, where he is a school governor and chair of a local charity.