Ellis Parker Butler

Born in Muscatine, Iowa, in 1869, Ellis Parker Butler built a long writing career out of sharp observation, light satire, and a gift for turning ordinary situations into comic chaos. Before becoming widely known as an author, he worked in business and advertising, experience that fed the practical, small-town flavor found in much of his fiction.

His breakthrough came with "Pigs Is Pigs," a humorous story about bureaucratic confusion that became famous on both page and stage. Butler went on to publish a huge body of work across magazines and books, writing short stories, novels, verse, and essays for a broad popular audience.

He died in 1937, but his best-known work still captures the playful energy that made him such a successful magazine-era storyteller. Readers who enjoy classic American humor, lively characters, and clever premises will find an author who knew exactly how to keep a story moving.