Atlantic Narratives: Modern Short Stories; Second Series

An early 20th-century fiction writer who published under a pen name, she contributed stories to magazines such as The Atlantic and left behind a small body of work that still surfaces in public-domain collections today.

Kathleen Carman

1875–1959

An early 20th-century short-story writer whose work appeared in The Atlantic, she is remembered today largely through a single surviving published story, "The Debt." Though little biographical detail is widely documented, her writing still offers a glimpse of magazine fiction from its era.

Cornelia A. P. (Cornelia Atwood Pratt) Comer

1865–1929

A sharp magazine and newspaper writer who moved through New York, St. Paul, and Seattle newsrooms, she also wrote fiction that ranged from thoughtful stories to an early science-fiction mystery. Her work carries the brisk intelligence of someone who knew both the literary world and the daily press.

Mazo De la Roche

1879–1961

Best known for the hugely popular Jalna novels, this Canadian writer built a sprawling family saga that captivated readers for decades. Her stories mix old-house atmosphere, strong personalities, and the pleasures of watching generations collide.

A prolific American writer for children and magazines, she was known for warm, lively stories that often centered on girls, families, and everyday adventures. Her books found a wide audience in the early 1900s and still carry the charm of that era.

An American diplomat, businessman, and novelist, he moved between public service and literary work with unusual ease. His career took him from U.S. consular posts in Europe to books and stories that still surface in classic-literature collections.

Rebecca Hooper Eastman

1877–1937

A novelist, short-story writer, journalist, and suffrage activist, she moved easily between politics and popular storytelling. She is best remembered for The Big Little Person: A Romance (1917), later adapted into a silent film.

William Addleman Ganoe

1881–1966

A soldier-scholar with a lifelong interest in military history, this author wrote clear, wide-ranging books that helped generations of readers understand the U.S. Army and the people who shaped it. His work blends firsthand military experience with a storyteller’s sense of sweep and detail.

Remembered for the short story "The Way of Life," this early 20th-century writer published in The Atlantic and moved in reform-minded circles of her time. The surviving record is slim, but her work still surfaces through public-domain archives and audiobook collections.

Best known for vivid nonfiction about work, industry, and life at sea, this early 20th-century American writer turned firsthand experience into lively books for general readers. His subjects ranged from coal mines and rail travel to naval service and the people who helped build modern America.

A little-known early 20th-century magazine writer, remembered today for short fiction that appeared in major American periodicals. The surviving record is sparse, which gives the work an air of discovery for modern listeners.

An early 20th-century writer with a strong interest in immigration, language, and California history, she published both fiction and nonfiction that reflect the social questions of her time.

A late-19th- and early-20th-century American writer, she published fiction in major magazines and left behind a small body of work that still feels vivid and readable today.

Edith Ronald Mirrielees

1878–1962

A pioneering Stanford teacher of creative writing, she helped shape generations of young writers, including John Steinbeck. She also wrote practical guides to storytelling and books about Stanford’s history.

Margaret Prescott Montague

1878–1955

Known for stories rooted in Appalachian life, this American writer brought West Virginia mountain communities to the page with warmth, conflict, and a sharp eye for character. She also earned recognition beyond regional fiction, including an O. Henry Award.

Edward Morlae

A firsthand World War I memoir brings readers into the French Foreign Legion through the eyes of an American volunteer. Best known for A Soldier of the Legion, this early 20th-century writer offers a vivid, close-up account of trench warfare and legion life.

Meredith Nicholson

1866–1947

A bestselling Indiana novelist of the early 1900s, he mixed romance, mystery, and a strong sense of place in stories that helped define the state's literary moment. He later stepped into public life as a diplomat and legislator, giving his career an unusual second act.

Kathleen Thompson Norris

1880–1966

A hugely popular American novelist and newspaper columnist, she wrote stories that spoke to everyday family life and moral choices. For decades, her books and magazine fiction reached a vast audience, making her one of the best-known women writers of her time.

An early 20th-century American writer and journalist, she moved easily between literary retellings, short fiction, and even science fiction. Her work shows a gift for making big ideas and classic stories feel inviting to everyday readers.

Best known for warm, sharply observed fiction set in the American South, this early 20th-century writer turned her teaching experience into stories full of humor, character, and everyday life.

Elsie Singmaster

1879–1958

Best known for vivid stories rooted in Pennsylvania Dutch country, this prolific American writer brought small-town lives, family ties, and regional history to a wide audience. Her work ranged from novels and short stories to books for younger readers, with a Newbery Honor among her distinctions.

Charles Haskins Townsend

1859–1944

A leading American zoologist and naturalist, he helped shape public interest in marine life through decades of work at the New York Aquarium. His career also included major expeditions and early fisheries research that brought him into close contact with ocean life around the world.

A Chicago writer with a sharp eye for everyday lives, she moved easily between fiction, poetry, criticism, and social commentary. Her work grew out of the reform-minded literary world around Hull House and helped capture the spirit of early 20th-century Chicago.