Alice French

Alice French
Born March 19, 1850
Andover, Massachusetts
Died January 9, 1934
Pen name Octave Thanet
Occupation Writer
Nationality US
Notable works Expiation
Relatives Marcus Morton (grandfather)

Alice French (March 19, 1850 – January 9, 1934), better known as Octave Thanet, was an American novelist and short fiction writer.

Origins

She was born at Andover, Massachusetts, a daughter of George Henry and Frances Wood French. Her mother was the daughter of Massachusetts Governor Marcus Morton.[1] Alice graduated from Abbot Academy in Andover in 1868.[2]

Writing

She began her literary career about 1878 with studies of a social and economic bent, but soon turned to short stories, especially after her move to Davenport, Iowa. Iowa and Arkansas gave her opportunities for exploiting regions hitherto little attempted in fiction. Her stories “The Bishop's Vagabond,” “The Hay of the Cyclone,” and “Whitsun Harp, Regulator” were popular. These, with other articles, initially appeared in the Atlantic Monthly and Scribner's Magazine. Later they appeared in her books.[2] Her novel Expiation (1890), won high praise.

Partial bibliography

See also

Two of Alice French's houses have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

Notes

  1. ↑ A History of the Town of Freetown, Massachusetts with an Account of the Old Home Festival, July 30th, 1902. Assonet Village Improvement Society (1902).
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1  Wilson, James Grant; Fiske, John, eds. (1900). "French, Alice". Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. New York: D. Appleton.

Further reading

References

External links