author
David De Forest Burrell
1876–1950
Best remembered for warm, faith-shaped stories such as The Hermit's Christmas and The Gift: An Idyll of Bethlehem, this early 20th-century writer also turned to biography and religious reflection. His work blends gentle storytelling with a pastor's eye for character, kindness, and spiritual struggle.
1 Audiobook
The hermit's Christmas
by David De Forest Burrell
About the author
Born in Chicago in 1876, David De Forest Burrell was an American author whose published work ranged from fiction and Christmas stories to religious writing and biography. Library and public-domain book records connect him with titles including The Hermit's Christmas, The Gift: An Idyll of Bethlehem, Belligerent Peter, Letters from the Dominie, and How They Came to Bethlehem.
Burrell also wrote David James Burrell: A Biography in 1929, a life of the well-known Presbyterian minister David James Burrell, who was his father. That mix of storytelling and devotional interest helps explain the tone of his books: approachable, moral, and often centered on belief, everyday people, and moments of grace.
He died in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1950. A clear, verified portrait image could not be confirmed from the sources reviewed, so no profile image is included here.