F. Berkeley (Frank Berkeley) Smith

Frank Berkeley Smith was an American illustrator, architect, and author active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Delaware Art Museum identifies him as the son of painter Francis Hopkinson Smith, and notes that he studied architecture at Columbia University before practicing in Paris.

That background helps explain the feel of his writing: his books often have the detail of a sketchbook and the pacing of a traveler’s journal. He wrote and illustrated works including The Real Latin Quarter and Budapest, and he is also known for How Paris Amuses Itself, a vivid look at city life and entertainment.

Smith also wrote fiction, and his work remains widely available through public-domain libraries such as Project Gutenberg. For modern readers and listeners, he offers a window into an earlier world of art, travel, and urban life, told by someone who clearly loved observing people and places closely.