author
John McGovern
1850–1917
A self-made Chicago newspaperman and prolific popular writer, he moved easily between poetry, moral essays, fiction, and big all-in-one reference books for home readers. His work reflects the upbeat, instructive spirit of turn-of-the-century publishing in America.
2 Audiobooks
David Lockwin—The People's Idol
by John McGovern
The Golden Censer Or, the duties of to-day, the hopes of the future
by John McGovern
About the author
Born on February 18, 1850, John McGovern was an American author, poet, and newspaper editor whose life began with hardship. After losing members of his family as a child, he later moved to Chicago in 1868, where he worked his way up at the Chicago Tribune from typesetter to proofreader, telegraph editor, and night editor.
Alongside journalism, he built a wide-ranging writing career. His books include The Golden Censer, John McGovern's Poems, and the large reference-style series The Fireside University, works aimed at home study, self-improvement, and general knowledge. He also wrote fiction, including Daniel Trentworthy, showing how comfortably he moved between practical instruction and literary writing.
McGovern died on February 17, 1917. Today, he is remembered as a productive late-19th- and early-20th-century man of letters whose writing tried to inform, encourage, and entertain ordinary readers.