author
Laurence Hutton
1843–1904
A lively American essayist and critic, he spent decades writing about books, theater, and literary life, and became especially known for his warm, anecdotal style. His curiosity also made him a memorable collector, leaving Princeton a notable group of life and death masks.
4 Audiobooks
Literary Landmarks of Venice
by Laurence Hutton
Portraits in Plaster, from the Collection of Laurence Hutton
by Laurence Hutton
A Boy I Knew and Four Dogs
by Laurence Hutton
Curiosities of the American Stage
by Laurence Hutton
About the author
Born in New York City on August 8, 1843, Laurence Hutton built his career as an essayist, literary critic, and drama critic. He wrote for periodicals from an early age, served as literary editor of Harper's Magazine's "Literary Notes" department from 1886 to 1898, and later lectured on English at Princeton from 1901 until his death in 1904.
He was known less for grand theory than for an engaging, personal way of writing about literary and theatrical culture. Alongside his criticism and essays, he became a devoted collector of literary and historical memorabilia, including a striking collection of life and death masks that would later be associated with Princeton.
Hutton died in Princeton, New Jersey, on June 10, 1904. Today he is remembered as a well-connected man of letters whose work preserved the social world of late 19th-century authors, actors, and readers.