George Ade

Born in Kentland, Indiana, in 1866, George Ade became a journalist, humorist, and playwright whose work captured the habits, hopes, and hypocrisies of everyday Americans. After graduating from Purdue University, he worked in Chicago newspapers, where his witty sketches and columns quickly found a wide audience.

Ade is best remembered for Fables in Slang, a bestselling collection that used plain, playful language to poke fun at social climbing, business culture, and human nature. He also wrote successful stage works, including comedies and musical librettos, and became a well-known literary figure in the Midwest and beyond.

Even when his writing was satirical, it stayed approachable and warmly observant. That mix of humor, vernacular style, and sharp social insight gives his work a lively voice that still feels fresh today.