author
Edward FitzGerald
1809–1883
Best known for bringing the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám into English, he turned a loose, musical adaptation of Persian verse into one of the Victorian era’s most loved books. Quiet and independent by nature, he spent much of his life away from literary fame, writing letters, reading widely, and living in the English countryside.
3 Audiobooks
Letters of Edward FitzGerald, in Two Volumes. Vol. 2
by Edward FitzGerald
Letters of Edward FitzGerald, in Two Volumes. Vol. 1
by Edward FitzGerald
Letters of Edward FitzGerald to Fanny Kemble (1871-1883)
by Edward FitzGerald
About the author
Born in Suffolk on March 31, 1809, Edward FitzGerald was an English writer and translator who studied at Trinity College, Cambridge. He was part of a well-off family and never had to earn his living by writing, which gave him the freedom to follow his own tastes and habits.
FitzGerald is remembered above all for his version of the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, first published in 1859. Rather than aiming for a strict line-by-line translation, he reshaped Persian quatrains into English poems with a distinctive voice of their own, and the book gradually grew into a classic.
He also wrote prose works, translated Spanish drama, and became known for his lively letters. Although he kept a fairly secluded life and avoided literary bustle, his writing left a lasting mark, especially through the Rubáiyát, which helped introduce many English-language readers to Persian poetry.