author
Cornelius Mathews
1817–1889
A lively voice in 19th-century American letters, this New York writer helped champion the idea that the United States should have a literature of its own. He worked across fiction, drama, essays, and editing, and was a visible part of the Young America literary circle.
2 Audiobooks
The Indian Fairy Book: From the Original Legends
by Cornelius Mathews
Chanticleer A Thanksgiving Story of the Peabody Family
by Cornelius Mathews
About the author
Born in Port Chester, New York, in 1817, Cornelius Mathews became an author, editor, and public literary figure during a time when American writers were trying to define a national culture. He is especially remembered for his role in the Young America movement, a circle that pushed for a more confident, distinctly American literature.
Mathews wrote in several forms, including novels, sketches, plays, poems, and essays. Among the works associated with him are The Motley Book, Big Abel and the Little Manhattan, and Wakondah; he was also active as an editor and literary advocate. His career connected him with many of the major literary conversations of his day, including debates about copyright and the future of American publishing.
Although he is not as widely read now as some of his contemporaries, Mathews remains an interesting figure for listeners curious about the energy and ambition of early American literary life. His work captures a moment when writers were experimenting boldly and asking what an American voice on the page could sound like.