Robert Cortes Holliday

Born in Indianapolis on July 18, 1880, Robert Cortes Holliday was an American writer and literary editor whose career touched many corners of the book world. Sources agree that he studied art in New York, worked briefly as an illustrator, and then moved into bookselling, library work, and editorial posts.

Holliday became especially associated with literary journalism and publishing in New York. He worked with major firms and publications including the New York Tribune, Doubleday, and George H. Doran, and he also wrote essays and critical pieces of his own. His books include Walking-Stick Papers and Broome Street Straws, works remembered for their personal, urbane style.

He died on January 1, 1947. While he is not as widely read now as some of his contemporaries, Holliday remains an appealing figure for readers interested in the literary culture of the early 1900s and in the kind of essay writing that prizes observation, wit, and a real affection for books.