author
Alice B. (Alice Bradley) Haven
1827–1863
A popular 19th-century American writer and editor, she published lively stories, sketches, and children’s pieces under several names, including Alice B. Neal, Alice B. Haven, and "Cousin Alice." Her career was brief, but she became known for warm, accessible writing and for helping shape literary life in Philadelphia and beyond.
1 Audiobook
"All's not Gold that Glitters;" or, The Young Californian
by Alice B. (Alice Bradley) Haven
About the author
Born Emily Bradley in Hudson, New York, on September 13, 1827, she lost her father very young and was later raised in part by her uncle, the scholar and clergyman J. Newton Brown. As a schoolgirl she began sending sketches to newspapers and magazines, using pen names such as Alice G. Lee before the name Alice became permanently attached to her work.
In 1846 she married Joseph C. Neal, editor of the Philadelphia Saturday Gazette. After his death, she continued writing and also took on editorial work, building a reputation as a productive author of fiction, sketches, and juvenile literature. In 1853 she married Samuel L. Haven and continued to publish as Alice B. Haven, while readers also knew her as "Cousin Alice" and Clara Cushman.
Her books include The Widow Bedott Papers and other works that blend humor, sentiment, and sharp observation of everyday life. She died in Mamaroneck, New York, on August 23, 1863, but her writing remains a vivid example of the many voices that shaped American popular literature in the mid-180th century.