BIOGRAPHY

Anna Melville-James was born in London in 1973. She was educated at Latymer School, the University of Plymouth (art foundation) and St Edmund's College, Cambridge, where she read Archaeology and Anthropology.

Her Finals dissertation "The Modern and Medieval Anorexic" was awarded a First, and she plans to expand on her initial research with a PhD in due course.

She became a full-time journalist in 1998, spending three happy freelancing years learning the ropes - with some inspirational, and lovely, journalists- at the Independent on Sunday.

In 2000 she decided to concentrate on travel journalism as a specialism, branching out to contribute regularly to publications including the Mail on Sunday, Sunday Telegraph, Independent on Sunday and The Guardian.

She was also part of the initial editorial start-up team of two for Associated Newspapers' travel website, www.thisistravel.co.uk.

Currently, she is expanding her portfolio of general features, and has a particular interest in anthropology, popular psychology, relationships, communication, metaphysics, health and personal development.

Quirky life stats include a magnificent 5hrs, 26 minute London Marathon time in 2001 (Liz McColgan, eat your heart out!), a three-year modelling stint in her teens with Elite Premier, being in an advert for Superdrug in 1996, shown nationwide (which I sincerely hope no one reading this ever sees!) and a lapsed MENSA membership.