author
Fanny Van de Grift Stevenson
1840–1914
An American writer, artist, and tireless traveler, she is remembered not only as Robert Louis Stevenson’s wife but as a vivid figure in her own right. Her life crossed the American frontier, bohemian artist circles, and the long sea journeys that shaped the Stevenson story.
2 Audiobooks
The Dynamiter
by Robert Louis Stevenson, Fanny Van de Grift Stevenson
The Cruise of the "Janet Nichol" Among the South Sea Islands: A Diary
by Fanny Van de Grift Stevenson
About the author
Born in Indianapolis on March 10, 1840, Frances Matilda Van de Grift—known as Fanny—grew up in the American Midwest and later married Samuel Osbourne. After years of upheaval, travel, and family responsibilities, she studied art in Europe, where she met Robert Louis Stevenson in France.
Their partnership became one of the most famous literary marriages of the late nineteenth century. Fanny supported Stevenson through years of illness and travel, and sources describe her as a magazine writer as well as an important presence in his creative life. After their marriage in 1880, the two traveled widely, eventually settling for a time in Samoa.
After Stevenson’s death in 1894, she continued to protect and manage his legacy. Fanny Stevenson died in California on February 18, 1914, leaving behind a life marked by independence, resilience, and a story far more adventurous than a simple footnote to someone else’s fame.