Herbert Hayens

William James Herbert Hayens (1861–January 22, 1944) was an English novelist and editor, remembered mainly for juvenile fiction and books written for schools. He lived most of his life in Glasgow and worked at Collins & Co. as chief editor, while also editing anthologies and producing a long list of fiction and nonfiction for younger readers.

His stories often turn on war, adventure, and moral courage. Titles such as A Vanished Nation, A Captain of the Irregulars, The Red, White, and Green, and The Gayton Scholarship show the range of his interests, from international conflicts to school life. Contemporary commentators noted his taste for unusual settings, and later readers can still feel that pull toward dramatic places and large historical events.

Hayens wrote especially for boys and teenagers, and much of his nonfiction was used in schools. Today, he is best approached as a prolific storyteller from the great age of imperial adventure fiction, with a style that prizes momentum, bravery, and clear-cut stakes.