author
Walter Adolphe Roberts
1886–1962
A lively Jamaican voice who moved easily between journalism, fiction, poetry, and history, he brought the Caribbean into sharper focus for readers on both sides of the Atlantic. His career stretched from newspaper work and war reporting to novels and books about Jamaica’s past and politics.
1 Audiobook
The haunting hand
by Walter Adolphe Roberts
About the author
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 15, 1886, Walter Adolphe Roberts built a wide-ranging literary life as a novelist, poet, journalist, editor, and historian. Reliable sources describe him as Jamaican-born and note that he worked in both Jamaica and the United States before later dying in London in September 1962.
He began early in journalism, with the National Library of Jamaica noting that he worked for the Daily Gleaner while still very young. Later he became active in American magazine publishing and is also remembered for serving as a war correspondent during World War I. That mix of reporting and literary work gave his writing a direct, worldly feel.
Roberts wrote across several genres, including fiction, poetry, and historical writing, and he is especially associated with books about Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. The sources found for this overview also connect him with Jamaican public life and cultural advocacy, which helps explain why he is remembered not just as a productive writer, but as a figure who helped interpret Caribbean history and identity for a broader audience.