Fitz James O Brien

Fitz-James O'Brien was an Irishman who immigrated to New York in 1852.  He wrote most commonly for periodicals, publishing many short stories and poems.  He was once referred to as "Poe in a minor mode".  This referred to the dark, horrific nature surrounding many of his pieces.  Although the feel of his work was most definately one of horror, he is often considered one of the early science fiction writers, as his works showed the beginnings of the genre.



While still in Ireland, he attended the University of Dublin, where he began writing verse.  While still at the university, he published several of his poems in anthologies of Irish poetry.  After university, he is said to have served fr a time in the British army, before immigrating to New York.  In the United States, he joined the New York National Guard, in hopes of serving.  This was eventually his undoing, as he died of tetanus from a wound he recieved while serving.



In his lifetime, he was published in a number of periodicals, the foremost among them being: The New York Times, The American Whig Review, Harper's Magazine, Putnam's Magazine, and Atlantic Monthly.



Sources:



www.famousamericans.net/fitzjamesobrien/

www.susqu.edu/su_press/bookjacketsinfo/jcFitzJames.htm