author
Benj. N. (Benjamin Nicholas) Martin
1816–1883
A 19th-century clergyman, teacher, and anthologist, he is best remembered for gathering American writing into an accessible literary reader at a time when the nation was still defining its voice. His work bridged religion, philosophy, and education, giving students a broad introduction to major American authors.
1 Audiobook
Choice Specimens of American Literature, and Literary Reader Being Selections from the Chief American Writers
by Benj. N. (Benjamin Nicholas) Martin
About the author
Born in Mount Holly, New Jersey, on October 20, 1816, Benjamin Nicholas Martin graduated from Yale College in 1837 and then entered the theological seminary at New Haven. Contemporary records describe him as a minister as well as a scholar, and later accounts connect him with teaching and academic work in New York.
Martin wrote and edited works meant to educate a wide readership. His best-known book, Choice Specimens of American Literature, and Literary Reader (1875), collected selections from leading American writers for students and general readers, showing his interest in making literature approachable and useful in the classroom.
He died in Manhattan on December 26, 1883. Some biographical details survive only in scattered references, but the overall picture is clear: he belonged to that 19th-century generation of writer-editors who helped shape American literary study by bringing important texts together for new readers.