author
Duffield Osborne
1858–1917
A Brooklyn-born writer who moved easily between historical romance, fantasy, and early speculative fiction, his books often pair scholarly interests with a strong sense of adventure. He also brought a classicist’s eye to his work as an editor and translator.
1 Audiobook
The Lion's Brood
by Duffield Osborne
About the author
Born in Brooklyn, New York, on June 20, 1858, Duffield Osborne studied at the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, Columbia University, and Columbia Law School. Although trained in law, he became better known as a writer, editor, and translator with a wide range of interests.
Osborne wrote novels and stories that crossed genres with ease. His books include The Spell of Ashtaroth, The Robe of Nessus, The Secret of the Crater, and The Lion's Brood, showing his attraction to history, legend, and imaginative fiction. He also worked on classical texts, including editions connected with Livy and Macaulay, which helps explain the learned background behind much of his storytelling.
He died in New York on November 20, 1917. Today, he is remembered as one of those versatile late-19th- and early-20th-century authors whose work blended literary curiosity, historical learning, and a taste for the uncanny.