author
Madeleine S. (Madeleine Sweeny) Miller
1890–1976
A prolific American writer and editor, she is best remembered for reference works that helped everyday readers explore the world of the Bible. Her books range from religious scholarship to pageants and poetry, showing a career with unusual breadth.
1 Audiobook
Songs from the Smoke
by Madeleine S. (Madeleine Sweeny) Miller
About the author
Born in 1890 and known in catalogs as Madeleine S. Miller or Madeleine Sweeny Miller, she was an American author whose work appeared across several genres. Library and authority records consistently identify her as active under that name from the early to mid-20th century, and list her lifespan as 1890–1976.
Miller is most widely associated with accessible Bible reference books, including Harper's Encyclopedia of Bible Life and Harper's Bible Dictionary, written with John Lane Miller. Those works gave general readers practical background on daily life, customs, and places mentioned in scripture, and helped establish her reputation in religious publishing.
She also wrote more broadly than many reference authors do. Catalog records connect her with works such as Church Pageantry and with published poems, suggesting a writer interested not only in scholarship but also in performance, worship, and literary expression.