author
Prescott Holmes
A turn-of-the-20th-century writer whose books introduced young readers to American presidents, major wars, exploration, and the life of Christ in clear, accessible language.
1 Audiobook
Young Peoples' History of the War with Spain
by Prescott Holmes
About the author
Prescott Holmes appears to have been an American popular historian and children's author active in the late 1890s and early 1900s. Surviving catalogs and library records connect the name with books such as Lives of the Presidents, Young People's History of the War with Spain, The Battles of the War for Independence, The Battles of the War for the Union, The Story of Exploration and Adventure in Africa, and A Child's Life of Christ.
His books seem to have been written for younger readers and general family audiences, with a strong focus on history, biography, patriotism, and straightforward storytelling. The emphasis of the known titles suggests a writer interested in making big national and world events understandable to beginners rather than producing academic history.
Very little confirmed biographical detail about Holmes himself is easy to verify from the available sources, which is often the case with lesser-documented authors of the period. What remains most visible today is the body of educational and historical works published under his name.