Charles Joseph Finger

Born in Willesden, England, on December 25, 1869, Charles Joseph Finger was educated at King's College London and spent his early adult years traveling widely, including time in South America and later in Texas. Before focusing on writing, he worked in a variety of roles and was also deeply involved in music.

Finger eventually settled in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where his literary career flourished. He wrote novels, nonfiction, autobiography, and especially books for younger readers, often drawing on history, folklore, and the places he had known firsthand.

He is remembered most for Tales from Silver Lands (1924), a collection of stories from Central and South America that won the 1925 Newbery Medal. Alongside his writing, he taught piano and directed the San Angelo Conservatory of Music in Texas, reflecting the mix of storytelling and musicianship that shaped his life and work.