Charles Joseph Finger

Born in Willesden, England, on December 25, 1869, Charles Joseph Finger later became a British-born American writer, musician, and editor. Reliable reference sources agree that he is best remembered for Tales from Silver Lands (1924), the collection of Latin American tales that won the 1925 Newbery Medal.

Before settling into literary life, he had a notably restless career. Biographical sources describe years of travel and varied work, and Arkansas reference material places him in Fayetteville, where he wrote prolifically and was later involved with the Federal Writers' Project. His autobiography, Seven Horizons (1930), reflects that wide-ranging life.

Finger wrote for both children and adults, but his reputation has lasted most strongly through his retellings of traditional stories and his adventure writing. He died in 1941, leaving behind a body of work shaped by travel, music, and a clear gift for making faraway places feel immediate to readers.