June 1 marks the 150th anniversary of the death of Victorian novelist Charles Lever (1806-1872). Lever was born into a middle-class Anglo-Irish family. He began writing to supplement his income while training to become a physician. He quickly found success writing rollicking tales of Ireland and of military life, drawing on his childhood in Dublin …
This week marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scottish novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott, born in Edinburgh on August 15, 1771. Scott was one of the most popular English language authors of 19th century, whose work was frequently reprinted in both Great Britain and the USA. His Romantic poetry and historical novels …
100 years ago today, Jack London, American author and activist, died at age 40 in California. London is best known for his tales of the Klondike Gold Rush, including the novel The Call of the Wild and the oft-anthologized short story “To Build a Fire.” He was a prolific writer who wrote nearly two dozen …
2016 kicks off a four-year commemoration of the life and works of siblings Charlotte (1816-1855), Branwell (1817-1848), Emily (1818-1848) and Anne Brontë (1820-1849). During the month of May, Special Collections will exhibit first editions of the Brontë sisters’ poems and novels. The exhibit will also examine how the Brontë family was memorialized in the 19th …
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times….” (Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities) “There was no possibility of taking a walk that day.” (Bronte, Jane Eyre) “It is a truth universally acknowledged….” (Austen, Pride & Prejudice) Great 19th century British novels provide some of the best opening …
Today we celebrate the birth of beloved (and prolific!) Victorian author Anthony Trollope, 200 years ago. Trollope wrote over 60 books during his lifetime, including 47 novels, as well as numerous short stories, an autobiography, and even a few plays. Trollope’s professional career was with the General Post Office. His early novels were written while …
January’s selection for the Victorian Book of the Month series is inspired by the cold and snowy weather here in Provo, or at least the desire to escape it: A Winter Pilgrimage by H. Rider Haggard. Haggard is most famous for his adventure novels of Africa, like King Solomon’s Mines and She (which provided escapist fare for …