Charles Finger
A wandering adventurer who turned his global travels into children's literature, winning the Newbery Medal for his tales of the high seas.
1869–1941 (age 72)·American writer·Birthday: December 25·The Gilded Age
Biography
Born in England, Charles Finger led a life of restless motion long before he settled into writing. He ran away to sea as a teenager, worked as a sheepherder in Patagonia, and prospected for gold in the American West, gathering the raw material for his future stories. His literary career began in earnest when he moved to the United States, where he edited magazines and poured his experiences into books. Finger found his greatest success with young readers, crafting adventure stories that felt authentic because they were. His 1924 Newbery Medal win for 'Tales from Silver Lands,' a collection of South American folklore, cemented his place as a storyteller who brought the wider world to the American fireside.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
Charles was born in 1869, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Charles Was Born
The biggest hits of 1869
Charles's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1869Born
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1874Started school
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1882Became a teenager
First electrical power plant opens in New York
President: Chester A. Arthur
1885Could drive
Karl Benz builds the first gasoline-powered automobile
President: Grover Cleveland
1887Could vote
President: Grover Cleveland
1890Turned 21
Wounded Knee massacre marks the end of the Indian Wars
President: Benjamin Harrison
1899Turned 30
President: William McKinley
1909Turned 40
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1919Turned 50
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1929Turned 60
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1939Turned 70
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1941Died at 72
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
Key Achievements
- Awarded the 1925 Newbery Medal for his children's book 'Tales from Silver Lands'.
- Authored over thirty books spanning adventure tales, travelogues, and children's literature.
- Served as the editor of the literary magazine 'All's Well' and several other periodicals.
Did You Know?
He was a skilled musician who once directed an orchestra in Ohio.
He traveled extensively in South America, including a journey across the Andes on foot.
His son, Charles J. Finger, was a notable artist and illustrator.
“I write stories for boys who hear the wind calling from far-off places.”
