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Title
Country/Nationality
Charles Morris
Charles Morris was an American journalist, novelist and author of popular historical textbooks.
He was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, the son of Samuel Pearson Morris and Margaret Burns. After studying locally he worked as a teacher in Chester, but in 1856 moved to Philadelphia where he became professor of languages at the Academy of Ancient and Modern Languages.
He abandoned his academic career in 1860, working in business up to 1878, while developing his reputation as a professional creative writer and journalist. He published short stories, poems, and serial novels in Beadle's Saturday Journal.
After becoming a full-time writer he published a large number of history textbooks, including The War with Spain, histories of the United States, a general History of the World, The Story of Mexico, and History of Pennsylvania. Other publications include Civilization, a Study of its Elements, The Aryan Race: its Origin and Achievements, The Greater Republic and the Dictionary of Universal Biography. He also compiled a series of Historical Tales. These are retold legends and historical events meant to be read for enjoyment rather than used as textbooks. He also wrote biographies, notably of Queen Victoria and William McKinley.
He edited collections of interviews with writers under the titles Half Hours with the Best American Authors and Half Hours with the Best British Authors.
Morris also wrote dime novels. As was common practice at the time, these were often published under a variety of pseudonyms. These names included, "Redmond Blake", "Edward Lytton", "Jo Pierce", "C. E. Tripp", "R. R. Inman", and "George S. Kaine", "Paul Preston", "William Murry", "E. L.Vincent", "J. H. Southard", "Roland Dare", "S. M. Frazier", "Hugh Allen", "J. D. Ballard", and "Paul Pastnor".
Immediately after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, he was sent by his publisher to write a first-hand report on the event which was published as The San Francisco calamity by earthquake and fire.
Charles Morris died at his home in Philadelphia on September 7, 1922.
Books by Charles Morris
Historical Tales, Vol I: American I
Volume I of a series containing anecdotes and stories, some well-known, others less so, of particular countries. This first volume comprises the discovery, colonization, founding, and early years of the United States of America, describing history fo...
Historical Tales, Vol II: American II
Volume II of a series containing anecdotes and stories, some well-known, others less so, of particular countries. This second volume supplements the first with additional stories of the discovery, colonization, founding, and early years of the United...
Historical Tales, Vol III: Spanish American
Volume III of a series containing anecdotes and stories, some well-known, others less so, of particular countries. This third volume covers the discovery, colonization, founding, and early years of the countries of South America, describing history f...
Historical Tales, Vol IV: English
Volume IV of a series containing anecdotes and stories, some well-known, others less so, of particular countries. This fourth volume covers the history of England from its conversion to Christianity up to the reign of Queen Victoria, describing histo...
Historical Tales, Vol V: German
Volume V of a series containing anecdotes and stories, some well-known, others less so, of particular countries. This fifth volume covers the history of Germany from its first contact with Rome up to the coronation of Emperor William, describing hist...
Historical Tales, Vol VI: French
Volume VI of a series containing anecdotes and stories, some well-known, others less so, of particular countries. This fifth volume covers the history of France from the Hun invasion of Europe in the 5th century up to the Prussian War, describing his...
Historical Tales, Volume VII: Spanish
Volume VII of a series containing anecdotes and stories, some well-known, others less so, of particular countries. This seventh volume covers the history of Spain from before the Moorish conquest to the loss of overseas territories at the end of the...
Historical Tales, Volume VIII: Russian
These Russian tales span the time of Russia's founding in the 800s-900s all the way to the early twentieth century and are factually based, although particularly the older tales have become legendary.
The Chronicles of America Volume 06 - The Fathers of New England
"In the crucible of a new land, the seeds of a nation were sown by steadfast Fathers. Unravel the compelling saga of 'The Fathers of New England,' where Charles Morris paints a vivid portrait of the indomitable Pilgrims and Puritans who forged the fo...
The Chronicles of America Volume 09 - Colonial Folkways
In "Colonial Folkways," the ninth volume of "The Chronicles of America" series by the eminent historian Charles Morris, readers embark on an immersive journey back to the vibrant era of America's colonial past. Through meticulously researched narrati...