author

Henry M. (Henry Mason) Brooks

1822–1898

A Salem writer, editor, and local historian, he turned old New England newspapers, customs, and oddities into lively books that still feel full of character. His work preserves the everyday details of 19th-century American life, from spinning wheels to strange punishments and literary curiosities.

7 Audiobooks

The Olden Time Series, Vol. 4: Quaint and Curious Advertisements

The Olden Time Series, Vol. 4: Quaint and Curious Advertisements

by Henry M. (Henry Mason) Brooks

Handbook of the Trees of New England

Handbook of the Trees of New England

by Henry M. (Henry Mason) Brooks, Lorin Low Dame

The Olden Time Series, Vol. 6: Literary Curiosities

The Olden Time Series, Vol. 6: Literary Curiosities

by Henry M. (Henry Mason) Brooks

The Olden Time Series, Vol. 5: Some Strange and Curious Punishments

The Olden Time Series, Vol. 5: Some Strange and Curious Punishments

by Henry M. (Henry Mason) Brooks

The Olden Time Series, Vol. 3: New-England Sunday

The Olden Time Series, Vol. 3: New-England Sunday

by Henry M. (Henry Mason) Brooks

The Olden Time Series, Vol. 1: Curiosities of the Old Lottery

The Olden Time Series, Vol. 1: Curiosities of the Old Lottery

by Henry M. (Henry Mason) Brooks

The Olden Time Series: Vol. 2: The Days of the Spinning-Wheel in New England

The Olden Time Series: Vol. 2: The Days of the Spinning-Wheel in New England

by Henry M. (Henry Mason) Brooks

About the author

Born in 1822, Henry M. Brooks wrote as both a storyteller of the past and a careful collector of local history. His books include volumes in The Olden Time Series, such as New-England Sunday, The Days of the Spinning-Wheel in New England, Quaint and Curious Advertisements, Literary Curiosities, and Some Strange and Curious Punishments. Project Gutenberg and library records show that his work focused on the customs, printed culture, and small revealing details of earlier New England life.

Brooks was also closely connected with the Essex Institute in Salem, Massachusetts. A memoir listed in Historical Collections of the Essex Institute identifies him as secretary of the institute from 1888 to 1898, suggesting how deeply involved he was in preserving regional history as well as writing about it.

He died in 1898. Although not a household name today, his books remain appealing for readers who enjoy glimpses of everyday American history drawn from old documents, newspapers, and local tradition.