author
James Orton
1830–1877
Best known for vivid books on South America, this 19th-century naturalist and explorer helped bring the Andes and Amazon basin to a wide English-speaking readership. His travels fed both his scientific work and his lively travel writing.
2 Audiobooks
About the author
Born in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1830, James Orton became an American naturalist, explorer, teacher, and author whose work focused on South America. He is remembered for expanding popular and scientific understanding of the Andes and the Amazon basin, and for turning those experiences into books that were informative as well as readable.
Orton taught natural history and was associated with Vassar College during the 1860s and 1870s. His journeys through South America shaped much of his writing, including travel and scientific works such as The Andes and the Amazon. He died in 1877 while traveling near Lake Titicaca, bringing an adventurous career to a close in the field rather than at a desk.
For audiobook listeners, Orton stands out as a writer who combined curiosity, stamina, and a gift for description. His books offer a window into 19th-century exploration, when science, travel, and storytelling often traveled together.