author
Edward Howard
d. 1841
A sailor-turned-novelist, he brought the rough humor and danger of life at sea into early Victorian fiction. His best-known books, including Rattlin the Reefer and Sir Henry Morgan, helped make him a notable voice in nautical adventure writing.
1 Audiobook
Rattlin the Reefer
by Edward Howard
About the author
Born in Reading and baptized in 1793, Edward Howard served in the Royal Navy before turning to journalism and fiction. That firsthand experience at sea shaped the vivid maritime settings and characters in his writing, and it also connected him with fellow naval writer Frederick Marryat.
Howard later worked in magazine publishing, including roles linked to The Metropolitan Magazine and New Monthly Magazine. He is best remembered for novels such as Rattlin the Reefer and Sir Henry Morgan, works praised for their lively storytelling and strong seafaring atmosphere.
He died suddenly on December 30, 1841. Though he is not widely known today, his sea fiction has remained of interest to readers of early nineteenth-century adventure literature.