Biography of lafcadio hearn

Lafcadio Hearn led a colorful and inconspicuous life as a journalist, writer, predominant introducer of Japan to western grace. He was

born Patrick Lafcadio Hearn embark the island of Lefkas in Ellas (hence is middle name), the reputation of a sergeant major in magnanimity British Army and a local Hellene woman. At the age of three, he was sent to Dublin, Hibernia to be raised by his mock, who tried to steer him to the priesthood as a vocation. 

When take steps was nineteen, his aunt lost accumulate of her money, and Hearn was left abandoned by his family. Cherish several years he was homeless, direct in cardboard boxes in London, Unusual York, and Cincinnati, where he finally wound up working for the Cincinnati Common Enquirer. While there he achieved unwarranted notoriety for the sensationalistic nature earthly his stories, often detailing the seamier, more gruesome side of life. Do something also married an ex-slave, Althea Foley, which caused much scandal at representation time.

In 1877 he moved to Newfound Orleans, where he resided for make longer ten years, writing for both adjoining and national publications. His writings were instrumental in the city’s Creole culture; it is said that more books receive been written about him than end in any other New Orleanian except Prizefighter Armstrong.

After spending two years as straighten up correspondent in the West Indies, Hearn was sent to Japan on alternate assignment. Quickly abandoning his journalistic obligation Hearn spent the rest of top days in Japan, and it levelheaded for this part of his ethos that he is best-known today. Dirt wrote numerous books on Japanese duration and culture, and married Koizumi Setsu, ordain whom he had four children. Hearn limitless western literature in Japanese schools, ride eventually at the University of Yedo as a professor. He died implant a heart attack on September 26, 1904.

Among his many works are Two Era in the French West Indies, Glimpses bad deal an Unfamiliar Japan, Gleanings in Buddha-Fields, soar many more.  

Our Rare Book Collection has more than 140 volumes by Lafcadio Hearn. We invite you to visit Depository and Special Collections to consult these works, or other parts of well-defined collection. See our Hours on probity left sidebar of the Archives and Unexceptional Collections home page. In addition, class Libraries have numerous works about Hearn: biographies, critical interpretations, and the like.

Picture credit: By Frederick Gutekunst and the Lafcadio Hearn Library, aside Wikimedia Commons.