author
Raymond MacDonald Alden
1873–1924
A lively scholar of Shakespeare and English literature, he also wrote stories and verse for younger readers. His career moved through major universities, but his work kept a clear love of reading, teaching, and literary craft at its center.
2 Audiobooks
English Verse: Specimens Illustrating its Principles and History
by Raymond MacDonald Alden
Why the Chimes Rang: A Play in One Act
by Elizabeth A. (Elizabeth Apthorp) McFadden, Raymond MacDonald Alden
About the author
Raymond Macdonald Alden was an American scholar, educator, and author born in 1873 in New Hartford, New York. He was the son of writer Isabella Macdonald Alden, and he grew up in a literary household that likely helped shape both his academic interests and his writing for young readers.
He studied at Rollins College and later at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned his Ph.D. in 1894. Over the course of his career he taught English at several universities, including the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, and the University of Illinois, and he became especially known for his work in English literature and Shakespeare studies.
Alongside his academic career, Alden wrote books, poems, and stories, including work for children. He died in 1924, leaving behind a body of writing that reflects both a teacher’s love of literature and a storyteller’s instinct for making it inviting.