author
David Murray
1830–1905
An American educator and writer who played an important role in shaping modern education in Meiji-era Japan, he brought a teacher’s eye and a traveler’s curiosity to his books. His writing opens a lively window onto Japan at a moment of rapid change.
1 Audiobook
Japan
by David Murray
About the author
Born in Bovina, New York, in 1830, David Murray built his career as a teacher and scholar before becoming widely known for his work in Japan. He studied at Union College, later served at Albany Academy, and went on to teach mathematics, astronomy, and related subjects at Rutgers College.
In 1873, during Japan’s Meiji period, Murray was invited by the Japanese government to help advise on educational reform. He became an important foreign adviser to the Ministry of Education, and his work connected American academic ideas with Japan’s fast-moving efforts to build a modern national school system.
Murray also wrote about Japan for English-language readers, including The Story of Japan, drawing on what he had seen firsthand. He died in 1905, and he is still remembered both as an educator and as a thoughtful interpreter of Japan for readers abroad.