author
Emily Hahn
1905–1997
A fearless traveler and sharp-eyed writer, she turned an unconventional life into dozens of books and a long career in journalism. Her work brought far-off places, unusual people, and her own bold adventures vividly onto the page.
2 Audiobooks
Beginners Luck
by Emily Hahn
About the author
Born in St. Louis in 1905, Emily Hahn became the first woman to earn a degree in mining engineering from the University of Wisconsin. She went on to build a remarkably varied writing life as a journalist, travel writer, biographer, and novelist.
Hahn wrote more than 50 books and contributed to The New Yorker for decades. Her work often drew on her travels in places including Africa and China, and readers were especially drawn to her lively, curious way of turning real experience into memorable stories.
She was known for living as boldly as she wrote, and that independent spirit runs through both her journalism and her memoir-like nonfiction. Emily Hahn died in 1997, but her writing still stands out for its wit, range, and sense of adventure.