At a very young age, Philip Asdell immigrated with his parents to New Zealand and later the United States. He served in the US Navy during World War II and later gained a BA in mathematics and commerce and an MBA from Cornell University after which he worked for several marketing research and pharmeceutical firms. Before producing The Bony Bulletin, Asdell edited and published The Thorndyke File, a journal for enthusiasts of R. Austin Freeman and his scientific detective, Dr. John Thorndyke.
