author
Franklin Matthews
1858–1917
A journalist with an eye for big events, this American writer turned firsthand reporting into vivid books about war, sea power, and the changing world at the turn of the 20th century. His work often brings readers close to the action, from Cuba after the Spanish-American War to the cruise of the Great White Fleet.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born in St. Joseph, Michigan, in 1858, Franklin Matthews studied at Cornell University before building a career in journalism. Records from Columbia's journalism program and other library sources describe him as a reporter, correspondent, and editor whose newspaper work took him into major national and international stories.
Matthews worked for the Philadelphia Press and later for the New York Sun, where he became known for writing about public affairs and the U.S. Navy. Several of his books grew out of that reporting, including The New-born Cuba, Our Navy in Time of War, and With the Battle Fleet, a book on the voyage of the sixteen battleships of the Atlantic Fleet from Hampton Roads to San Francisco.
He died in 1917, but his books remain useful for readers interested in American journalism, naval history, and the atmosphere of the Spanish-American War era. His writing tends to be direct and observant, shaped by the habits of a newspaper reporter who wanted readers to feel present at the scene.