author
Nathan Dane Urner
1839–1893
A lively 19th-century journalist and humorist, he turned sharp social observation into playful satire. His best-known books poke fun at manners, ambition, and the performance of respectability.
2 Audiobooks
About the author
Born in Cincinnati on January 12, 1839, Nathan Dane Urner was an American journalist, poet, and writer. A biographical sketch from Northern Illinois University says he was already making his own handwritten weekly paper as a boy, an early sign of the literary career he would go on to build.
Urner worked in newspapers and magazines and became known as an editor as well as a creative writer. The Vault at Pfaff’s describes him as a prosperous literary figure who served as city editor of the New York Tribune and published poems and stories in periodicals including The Independent and Scribner’s.
Today he is best remembered for humorous books such as Never and Stop!, witty works that satirize social climbing, etiquette, and everyday moral advice. He died in 1893, leaving behind a body of writing that mixes newsroom energy with a light, teasing style.