Gelett Burgess

Born in Boston in 1866, Gelett Burgess studied engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before moving into art and writing. He worked briefly as an engineer and later taught topographical drawing at the University of California, Berkeley, but his real gift was for playful invention and literary mischief.

Burgess became an important figure in the San Francisco Bay Area literary scene of the 1890s, especially through The Lark, a small but influential magazine known for its wit and irreverence. He wrote poetry, criticism, children's books, and humorous prose, and he is especially associated with the famous short poem "The Purple Cow" and the popular Goops books about bad manners.

He was more than a comic writer: Burgess also moved easily through the worlds of illustration and modern art, and he is often credited with helping popularize the word "blurb." He died in 1951, leaving behind work that remains memorable for its light touch, silliness, and inventive charm.