Justus Miles Forman

Born in Le Roy, New York, in 1875, Justus Miles Forman was an American writer who studied at Yale and went on to build a successful literary career in magazines, novels, and the theater. He became known for polished, accessible fiction that blended emotion, suspense, and fashionable settings.

Forman wrote many novels in a relatively short life, including The Garden of Lies, Buchanan's Wife, and Bianca's Daughter. His work often centered on personal conflict, love, and ambition, making him a widely read author in the years before World War I.

In 1915, he also tried his hand at playwriting with The Hyphen. That same year, while traveling to England, he was among the passengers who died when the Lusitania was sunk on May 7, 1915. His death at 39 brought an abrupt end to a career that had already made him a familiar name to readers of popular fiction.