author

A. E. (Alfred Edwin) Johnson

b. 1879

Best remembered for early 20th-century books on art, illustration, and performance, this British writer also translated and retold classic stories for general readers. His work ranges from studies of popular illustrators to editions of "Carmen" and collections such as "Old-Time Stories."

2 Audiobooks

Frank Reynolds, R.I.

Frank Reynolds, R.I.

by A. E. (Alfred Edwin) Johnson

The Russian Ballet

The Russian Ballet

by A. E. (Alfred Edwin) Johnson

About the author

Alfred Edwin Johnson, usually published as A. E. Johnson, was a British author born in 1879. Public-domain library records connect him with a varied body of work that includes retellings, translations, and books on artists and the performing arts.

His books show a strong interest in visual culture. Among the works reliably linked to him are studies of illustrators such as John Hassall, R.I. and W. Heath Robinson, as well as The Russian Ballet. He is also credited as the translator of an illustrated edition of Prosper Mérimée’s Carmen.

Biographical details about Johnson appear to be scarce in the sources available here, so a full life story is hard to confirm. What does come through clearly is the range of his interests: he wrote for readers curious about art, storytelling, and the lively popular culture of his time.