Samuel Merwin

Born in Evanston, Illinois, in 1874, Samuel Merwin was an American writer whose work ranged across novels, plays, stories, and nonfiction. He studied at Northwestern University and went on to build a career that mixed literary work with journalism and editing.

Between 1905 and 1911, he worked at Success magazine, first as an associate editor and then as editor. During that period he was sent to China to investigate the opium trade, an assignment that reflects how closely his writing life was tied to reporting and public affairs as well as fiction.

Merwin published widely over several decades, including collaborations with Henry Kitchell Webster and books such as Anthony the Absolute and the Henry Calverly novels. He died in Manhattan in 1936, leaving behind a large body of work that shows both his versatility and his interest in the culture and debates of his time.