Lewis Spence

Born in Monifieth, Angus, on November 25, 1874, Lewis Spence was a Scottish journalist, poet, folklorist, and prolific popular writer on mythology and the occult. He studied at the University of Edinburgh, worked in journalism, and went on to publish extensively on Celtic lore, mythology, ancient religions, and lost civilizations.

Spence became especially well known for books that introduced broad audiences to subjects such as Scottish folklore, ancient Egyptian myths, and the legend of Atlantis. He was also active in learned and cultural circles, including the Royal Anthropological Institute and the Scottish Anthropological and Folklore Society, and he was involved in Scottish literary and nationalist movements.

He died in Edinburgh on March 3, 1955. Today he is chiefly remembered as an energetic interpreter of myth and tradition whose work helped keep older stories in circulation for modern readers.