author
John Owen
1766–1822
An Anglican clergyman, travel writer, and editor, he moved between church life and the literary world of late Georgian Britain. He is especially remembered for helping found the British and Foreign Bible Society and for publishing lively travel writing drawn from journeys across Europe.
2 Audiobooks
About the author
Born in London in 1766, he studied at St Paul's School and Magdalene College, Cambridge, before being ordained in the Church of England. Alongside his clerical work, he built a reputation as a man of letters, writing and editing in a style that connected religious, political, and literary life.
Owen published travel books based on journeys in Europe in the early 1790s, and he later became known for editorial work as well, including an edition of The Epigrams of John Owen. His writing shows a broad curiosity about places, people, and public affairs rather than a narrow professional focus.
He also played an important part in the founding of the British and Foreign Bible Society in 1804, serving as one of its secretaries. That mix of religious commitment, public service, and literary activity makes him an interesting figure for readers who enjoy writers shaped by both ideas and experience.