author

George Washington Carleton

1832–1901

Best remembered as a lively 19th-century New York publisher, he also wrote and illustrated travel and humorous books of his own. His career moved easily between the worlds of caricature, bookselling, and publishing.

1 Audiobook

Our Artist in Cuba Fifty drawings on wood. Leaves from the Sketch-book of a traveler, During the Winter of 1864-5.

Our Artist in Cuba Fifty drawings on wood. Leaves from the Sketch-book of a traveler, During the Winter of 1864-5.

by George Washington Carleton

About the author

Born in New York in 1832, George Washington Carleton built his early career while working as a clerk for Burnham, Plumb, and Company and contributing caricatures to periodicals such as The Lantern and The Picayune. By 1857 he had entered publishing as a partner in Rudd and Carleton, and after changes in the firm, the business became G. W. Carleton in 1861 and later G. W. Carleton & Co.

Carleton's publishing house became known for a broad list with a strong taste for humorous writing. Alongside his work as a publisher, he wrote and illustrated books himself, including travel sketches such as Our Artist in Cuba, Our Artist in Peru, and later collections drawn from his journeys.

Library and book-history sources continue to list him as both an author and publisher, reflecting a career that bridged commerce and creativity. He died in 1901, leaving behind a body of work tied closely to 19th-century American literary and publishing life.