James Cumes is the author of a dozen books on economics, history, government and human behaviour, including The Human Mirror: The Narcissistic Imperative in Human Behaviour, and his intriguing novel, Uncle Rupert: The Man Who Threw Money Over Back Fences. Two earlier novels, Haverleigh and Operation Equaliser, have been published, Operation Equaliser in both German and English.

James graduated in Arts (Queensland) and Diplomatic Studies (Canberra) and is a Doctor of Philosophy (London). After soldiering in Papua and Dutch New Guinea in World War Two and diplomatic posts in Paris, Geneva, London, Bonn and Berlin, he was, among other appointments, Ambassador to the European Union and several individual European countries, High Commissioner in West Africa, Permanent Representative to the United Nations and UNIDO in Vienna, and Governor on the Board of the International Atomic Energy Agency. He has represented Australia at many international gatherings around the world.

With his Austrian wife, Heide Schulte von Bäuminghaus, and their teenage daughter, Kim, he moves between homes in Australia, Austria, Monaco and the South of France.