author

William H. Maher

1846–1913

A 19th-century businessman turned author, he wrote lively, practical books for clerks, salesmen, and other young people trying to get ahead. His work blends self-help advice with first-hand observations from life on the road.

1 Audiobook

A Man of Samples. Something about the men he met "On the Road"

A Man of Samples. Something about the men he met "On the Road"

by William H. Maher

About the author

William H. Maher was an American businessman and author who lived from 1846 to 1913. He was associated with Windsor Locks, Connecticut, and also worked as a cutlery dealer in Toledo, Ohio.

Maher wrote books aimed at ambitious young workers and traveling salesmen. His known works include On the Road to Riches: Practical Hints for Clerks and Young Business Men (1878), A Man of Samples: Something About the Men He Met "On the Road" (1888), and A Little Trip to Jamaica (1909).

What makes his writing interesting today is its direct connection to everyday business life in late 19th-century America. Rather than writing in abstract terms, he drew on practical experience, which gives his books the feel of advice from someone who had spent real time in shops, on trains, and in the world of work.