Christopher Nicholson has lived all his 61 years in
KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. He practiced as a human rights lawyer, assisting victims of apartheid, before majority rule was won in 1994. His efforts were recognized with two awards and he was appointed a high court judge in 1995. He has published two books: Permanent Removal: Who Killed
the Cradock Four? and Papwa Sewgolum: From Pariah to Legend. Both were nominated for the Alan Paton prize for non-fiction.

He is married with two daughters and a grandson.