author
Charles S. (Charles Sumner) Olcott
1864–1935
A literary traveler and biographer with a love of places shaped by famous writers, he wrote warmly about George Eliot, Sir Walter Scott, and the pleasures of photography on the road. He is also remembered for a substantial two-volume life of President William McKinley.
2 Audiobooks
The Lure of the Camera
by Charles S. (Charles Sumner) Olcott
The Country of Sir Walter Scott
by Charles S. (Charles Sumner) Olcott
About the author
Born in Terre Haute, Indiana, in 1864, Charles Sumner Olcott was an American nonfiction writer who studied at DePauw University and later worked in publishing. Sources also describe him as having served as general manager of the private library of Houghton Mifflin, a role that fits well with his deep interest in books, authors, and literary history.
Olcott's writing often brought readers closer to the worlds behind well-known authors. His books include George Eliot: Scenes and People in Her Novels, The Country of Sir Walter Scott, and The Lure of the Camera, a travel-centered work illustrated with his own photographs. His best-known historical work is The Life of William McKinley, a two-volume biography published in 1916.
He died in 1935. Though not a household name today, his books still appeal to readers who enjoy literary journeys, early twentieth-century travel writing, and biographies written with a clear affection for their subjects.