Karl May

Born in Saxony on February 25, 1842, Karl May became a hugely popular German writer of adventure fiction. His books often follow first-person narrators through the American West, the Middle East, and other faraway settings, even though much of his most famous work was written before he had traveled to some of those places himself.

He is especially remembered for creating unforgettable figures such as Winnetou, Old Shatterhand, Kara Ben Nemsi, and Hadschi Halef Omar. His stories combined action, friendship, suspense, and a strong sense of moral conflict, which helped make them favorites with young readers and adults alike.

May died on March 30, 1912, in Radebeul, Germany. More than a century later, he remains one of the best-known authors in the German-speaking world, with a lasting influence on popular adventure storytelling.