author
George N. McLean
Best known for a vivid 1888 account of the Haymarket era, this late-19th-century writer explored both commerce and social unrest. His surviving books suggest an author interested in the practical side of business as well as the political tensions of his time.
1 Audiobook
About the author
George N. McLean is a little-documented American author whose work survives mainly through late-19th-century books and modern digital archives. Reliable catalog and ebook sources confirm at least two notable titles: How to Do Business; or, The Secret of Success in Retail Merchandizing (1890) and The Rise and Fall of Anarchy in America (1888).
McLean is best remembered for The Rise and Fall of Anarchy in America, a contemporary account of anarchism, labor conflict, and the Haymarket affair in Chicago. The book has remained available through Project Gutenberg and library listings, which has helped preserve his name even though biographical details about his life appear to be scarce.
Because so little verified personal information is readily available, McLean's reputation today rests more on his books than on a well-recorded life story. What comes through clearly is his range: he wrote both a practical guide for merchants and a strongly framed historical-political narrative, giving modern readers a glimpse of the concerns and debates of the 1880s and 1890s.