John Lothrop Motley, A Memoir — Complete

Name: John Lothrop Motley, A Memoir — Complete
Author: Oliver Wendell Holmes

By Oliver Wendell Holmes

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American Literature Biographies

About This Book

The memoir offers a chronological account of a well‑known public figure’s life, beginning with family background and early years and proceeding through education, travels, and professional appointments abroad. It interweaves intimate correspondence and personal reminiscence—letters to family and spouse, expressions of affection and of grief over the death of a child—with vivid descriptions of social and domestic scenes encountered overseas. The narrative examines published controversies surrounding the subject, records relationships and decisions that shaped his public career, and closes with reflective material and an appendix of documents meant to assist later biographers.

About the Author

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. was an American physician, poet, and essayist, known for his contributions to literature and his role in the development of American thought in the 19th century. He was a prominent figure in the literary circles of his time and is best remembered for his work "A Mortal Antipathy," which explores themes of love and social interaction through a unique narrative style. Holmes was also a key member of the Fireside Poets, a group that included notable contemporaries such as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and James Russell Lowell. His essays, particularly those in "Medical Essays, 1842-1882," reflect his keen observations on society and culture, showcasing his wit and intellect.