Harold Bell Wright

Born in Rome, New York, on May 4, 1872, Harold Bell Wright became one of the bestselling American authors of his era. He wrote fiction, essays, and nonfiction, and his success was remarkable for its time: he is often credited as the first American novelist to sell a million copies of a book and the first to earn $1 million from writing fiction.

Before his writing career took off, Wright worked as a minister, and that experience left a clear mark on his stories. His novels often mix plainspoken storytelling with religious and moral themes, focusing on ordinary people, community life, and personal redemption. Among his best-known books are That Printer of Udell's, The Shepherd of the Hills, and The Winning of Barbara Worth.

Though his reputation faded after the mid-20th century, Wright's influence was enormous in his own day, and several of his books were adapted for film. He died in La Jolla, California, on May 24, 1944, but his work still offers a window into the values, hopes, and popular reading tastes of early modern America.