author
William Makepeace Thayer
1820–1898
A nineteenth-century minister turned popular storyteller, he wrote energetic books for young readers that mixed biography, history, and practical lessons about character. His best-known works often traced famous Americans from humble beginnings to public life, especially Abraham Lincoln and Benjamin Franklin.
4 Audiobooks
From Boyhood to Manhood: Life of Benjamin Franklin
by William Makepeace Thayer
The Bobbin Boy; or, How Nat Got His learning
by William Makepeace Thayer
From Farm House to the White House The life of George Washington, his boyhood, youth, manhood, public and private life and services
by William Makepeace Thayer
The Printer Boy; Or, How Benjamin Franklin Made His Mark An Example for Youth.
by William Makepeace Thayer
About the author
Born in Franklin, Massachusetts, in 1820, William Makepeace Thayer studied at Brown University, graduating in 1843, and went on to prepare for the Congregational ministry. He was licensed to preach in 1844, served in Massachusetts churches including Ashland, and later worked as editor of the Boston Home Monthly Magazine.
After throat trouble forced him to step back from regular pastoral work, he turned more fully to writing. Thayer became a prolific author of religious works, advice books, and especially books for young people, often using the lives of well-known figures to encourage industry, ambition, and moral purpose.
His books include The Bobbin Boy, The Pioneer Boy, From Boyhood to Manhood: Life of Benjamin Franklin, and From Pioneer Home to the White House. He died in 1898, leaving behind a body of work that reflects the nineteenth century's strong faith in self-improvement, education, and perseverance.