David Harris has written in the genres of fiction, history, travel, biography, travel and textbooks. He has written fiction for young adults and scripts for children's television programmes and documentaries. Harris has also been a journalist and historian who has had over 300 pieces published in Australian and international newspapers and journals. On his website his describes his work in his author profile (2003): 'My books include fiction for adults and young readers, history, travel, biography, business and cultural relations, travel, texts for secondary and tertiary students, cultural studies and editing of an anthology.' His wife, Christine Harris (q.v.), is also a writer.
Harris has been a teacher and has given numerous workshops on writing and literacy around Australia. He has won several writing fellowships and awards, including a Visiting Fellowship in History at University of New England, and the Virgiliana Medal at the Italian Encyclopedic Institute.
Harris was a runner-up in the 1994 Christina Stead Award for his 1993 biography of Patti Walkuski, No Bed of Roses : Memoirs of a Madam. He has also had published travel writing about China (Black Horse Odyssey, 1991).