The Life and Adventures of Captain Mayne Reid

The first biographical sketch about Maine Reid appeared in the English reference book “Men of the Time” (“Men of Our Time”) in 1837. Information about himself, according to tradition, was provided by Maine Reid himself. With his wild imagination, he distorted certain facts of his biography, sometimes embellishing things in places. Because of the lack of other information, literary scholars for a long time had to rely only on these data until, in 1890, a book by the writer’s widow, Elizabeth Reid, was published under the title “Maine Reid: Recollections of His Life.” In 1900, a revised edition of this book was released—“Captain Maine Reid: His Life and Adventures.”

“Unlike many biographies, this one tells the daily life of the writer truthfully. Nothing was hidden that would help the reader imagine what kind of person Maine Reid truly was. With faith that this book will be approved by the many admirers of the writer, old and young, I entrust my work to their hands.”