Writer Susan Bogert Warner was born in New York City to a prosperous family, enabling her to receive a private education.  She became an author in 1851 when she published a novel called The Wide, Wide World.  Sentimental and moralistic, her book became popular; it sold in several translations and was reputedly the first book by an American author to sell one million copies.  One of her other numerous novels was The Hills of the Shatemuc (1856), which sold 10,000 copies on the day of its publication.  In addition to the novels, Warner wrote books for children and works on Biblical topics.  Her younger sister Anna was also a successful author and they co-wrote many volumes.  Susan Warner died in 1885.
              

Works Cited:

• Article is excerpted from a NWHM Summer 2004 Newsletter
• PHOTO: Washington State University

 

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