author
John Preston True
1859–1933
Best known for adventurous historical fiction and boys’ stories, this Maine-born writer also experimented with early speculative ideas in The Iron Star. His books move easily from school stories to the American Revolution and even deep time.
1 Audiobook
The Iron Star — And What It Saw on Its Journey Through the Ages From Myth to History
by John Preston True
About the author
John Preston True was an American writer born in Bethel, Maine, on February 13, 1859, and he died in 1933. Reference sources consistently describe him as a U.S. author, and several of his books were aimed at younger readers while drawing on history and adventure.
His known works include Their Club and Ours (1883), The Iron Star (1899), Scouting for Washington (1900), On Guard against Tory and Tarleton (1902), and Scouting for Light-Horse Harry (1911). He also contributed pieces to magazines such as The Atlantic, showing that his writing ranged beyond fiction for children.
What makes him especially memorable today is the mix in his work. Much of it is historical fiction, but The Iron Star stands out for using a meteor’s journey through the ages as a storytelling device, which later reference works have noted as an early speculative element. For readers who enjoy older adventure writing with a historical flavor, True offers a glimpse of a once-popular style of American storytelling.