author
John D. (John Duncan) Quackenbos
1848–1926
A Columbia scholar who moved between literature and medicine, he wrote widely used histories and readers while also building a career as a physician. His life took an unusual turn later on, when he became known for work on nervous disorders, hypnotism, and psychic healing.
1 Audiobook
Illustrated history of ancient literature, oriental and classical
by John D. (John Duncan) Quackenbos
About the author
Born in New York City in 1848, John Duncan Quackenbos was the son of educator and author George Payn Quackenbos. He graduated from Columbia in 1868, earned his medical degree from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1871, and went on to build a career that blended teaching, writing, and medicine.
In the 1880s he was appointed professor of English language and literature at Columbia, and he wrote a long list of books for students and general readers, including histories of literature and school texts. His books helped make broad literary subjects feel organized and approachable, which is part of why his name appears so often in older libraries and catalogs.
Later, Quackenbos focused more heavily on medical practice, especially mental and nervous diseases. He also became associated with hypnotism and psychic healing, an unusual interest that made him a notable public figure beyond the classroom. He died in 1926 in New London, New Hampshire.