author

James Ewing Cooley

1802–1882

A 19th-century New York bookseller and auctioneer, he is best remembered for a lively travel narrative that follows his journeys through Egypt, Arabia Petraea, and the Holy Land in 1839–1840. His life also touched public service, giving his writing a practical, observant tone.

1 Audiobook

The Spawn of Ixion; Or, The 'Biter Bit.' An Allegory

The Spawn of Ixion; Or, The 'Biter Bit.' An Allegory

by James Ewing Cooley

About the author

James Ewing Cooley (1802–1882) was an American writer, bookseller, auctioneer, and public figure associated with New York City. Sources consistently identify him with the travel book The American in Egypt; with Rambles Through Arabia Petraea and the Holy Land, During the Years 1839 and 1840, the work for which he is most often remembered.

His background in the book trade likely shaped the clear, descriptive style of his writing. In addition to his literary work, he has also been described in reference sources as a politician and civic figure, suggesting a career that mixed commerce, public life, and travel.

Cooley died on August 19, 1882, at Bagni di Lucca in Italy. I wasn’t able to confirm more detailed biographical information from the sources I could verify here, so this overview keeps to the points that appeared reliably across them.