Abraham Merritt

Abraham Grace Merritt. Wrote under the name of A.Merritt, popular fantasy and horror writer of the teens, 20's and 30's. Family moved to Philadelphia, in 1894.He later studied law but switched to journalism. Becoming assistant editor and later editor of The American Weekly.The biggest magazine of the time.And had a fabulous salary of $100,000, during the Depression.Began writing short stories, in 1917, for fun.He published his first novel, The Moon Pool, about a strange, South Seas island, underground civilization, in 1919. An imaginative book, praised by critics and a best seller.Another well known novel, 1924's ,The Ship of Ishtar. An Arabian Nights, type fable. Other books followed.A frequent traveler and occult collector,his library contained 5,000 books. Many about black magic, witchcraft and other weird literature.Abraham Merritt, was a talented writer,who sold millions of novels in his lifetime,but is little read today.