author
L. Frank (Lewis Frank) Tooker
1855–1925
A longtime magazine editor with a strong feel for sea stories and historical writing, this American author moved easily between poetry, fiction, and biography. His work reflects both a literary life in New York publishing and a lasting connection to coastal Long Island.
1 Audiobook
Under Rocking Skies
by L. Frank (Lewis Frank) Tooker
About the author
Born in Port Jefferson, New York, in December 1855, Lewis Frank Tooker was an American writer, poet, and editor. He studied at Yale and went on to build a long career with The Century Magazine, where he worked on the editorial staff for many years.
Tooker wrote across several forms, including poems, essays, fiction, and historical works. His books include The Call of the Sea: And Other Poems, Under Rocking Skies, The Joys and Tribulations of an Editor, and a biography of John Paul Jones. Accounts of his career also note that he was respected in literary circles and was elected to the National Institute of Arts and Letters.
He died in 1925. Though he is not widely read today, his writing still offers a window into the literary culture of his time, especially its interest in the sea, American history, and the craft of magazine editing.