author
Sara Chapman Thorp Bull
1850–1911
A lively figure in transatlantic cultural life, she moved from the world of music into philanthropy, writing, and spiritual exchange. Best remembered as a close supporter of Swami Vivekananda, she also wrote a memoir of her husband, the celebrated violinist Ole Bull.
1 Audiobook
Ole Bull: A Memoir
by Sara Chapman Thorp Bull
About the author
Born in 1850, Sara Chapman Thorp Bull was an American writer, pianist, and philanthropist. She married the Norwegian violin virtuoso Ole Bull in 1870, and after his death she wrote Ole Bull: A Memoir, helping preserve his life and career for later readers.
Bull became an important cultural host and patron, with homes that drew musicians, thinkers, and reform-minded visitors. She is especially noted for her friendship with and support of Swami Vivekananda, and for helping introduce Vedanta circles to American audiences at the turn of the twentieth century.
Her life joined art, intellect, and generosity in a way that still makes her stand out. She died in 1911, but she remains a fascinating link between American literary life, European music, and the early Western reception of Indian spiritual thought.