author
Charles Boardman Hawes
1889–1923
Drawn to ships, storms, and old seafaring legends, this American writer turned careful research into vivid adventure stories for young readers. His best-known book, The Dark Frigate, won the Newbery Medal after his death and helped secure his place in classic children's literature.
3 Audiobooks
The Great Quest A romance of 1826, wherein are recorded the experiences of Josiah Woods of Topham, and of those others with whom he sailed for Cuba and the Gulf of Guinea
by Charles Boardman Hawes
The Mutineers A Tale of Old Days at Sea and of Adventures in the Far East as Benjamin Lathrop Set It Down Some Sixty Years Ago
by Charles Boardman Hawes
The Dark Frigate
by Charles Boardman Hawes
About the author
Born in Clifton Springs, New York, on January 24, 1889, and raised in Bangor, Maine, he became known for sea stories that mixed excitement with a strong sense of historical detail. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1911, where he studied the classics and developed as a writer.
He taught at several schools, including Roxbury School in Connecticut, before turning more fully to writing. His books include The Great Quest, The Dark Frigate, and The Mutineers, works remembered for their energy, atmosphere, and love of maritime adventure.
His career was brief: he died suddenly on July 16, 1923, at only 34 years old, and only two of his five books had appeared during his lifetime. Even so, his reputation endured, and The Dark Frigate received the 1924 Newbery Medal, making him the first American-born author to win the award.