G. H. (George Herbert) Mair

George Herbert Mair was a British journalist, civil servant, and author, born on May 8, 1887, and died on January 2, 1926. Sources consistently identify him as the writer of English Literature: Modern, a concise literary survey that remained widely circulated and was later preserved by Project Gutenberg.

Biographical references also describe him as the son of a Royal Navy surgeon and note his education at Aberdeen Grammar School, the University of Aberdeen, Christ Church, Oxford, and the Sorbonne. Beyond his books, he worked in journalism and later in public service, which helps explain the practical, informed tone of his writing.

Although not a household name today, he is still remembered for making literary history approachable. His surviving reputation rests less on a large body of famous books than on his ability to explain English literature clearly and economically for general readers.