William Sharp (12 September 1855 – 12 December 1905) was a Scottish writer, of poetry and literary biography in particular, who from 1893 wrote also as Fiona MacLeod, a pseudonym kept almost secret during his lifetime. He was also an editor of the poetry of Ossian, Walter Scott, Matthew Arnold, Algernon Swinburne and Eugene Lee-Hamilton.

Sharp was born in Paisley and educated at Glasgow Academy and the University of Glasgow, which he attended 1871-1872 without completing a degree. In 1872 he contracted typhoid. During 1874-5 he worked in a Glasgow law office. His health broke down in 1876 and he was sent on a voyage to Australia. In 1878 he took a position in a bank in London.

He was introduced to Dante Gabriel Rossetti by Sir Noel Paton, and joined the Rossetti literary group; which included Hall Caine, Philip Bourke Marston and Swinburne. He married his cousin Elizabeth in 1884, and devoted himself to writing full time from 1891, travelling widely.

More on [ William Sharp (writer) ]

NPR Topics: Authors

Welsh Awards Snafu Leaves Red Faces
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:41:00 -0400
Welsh Assembly Culture Minister Rhodri Glyn Thomas has apologized for naming the wrong person winner of the Wales Book of the Year. He named Tom Bullough, who briefly thought he had won. Dannie Abse was the actual winner. Thomas apologized to both.
Who Wrote Shakespeare's Plays? Debate Goes On
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:01:00 -0400
Centuries later, doubts persist that William Shakespeare penned the works that bear his name. Skeptics include not only scholars but also famous folks, ranging from Orson Welles to Mark Twain.
'Netherland' Flirts With Greatness Of 'Gatsby'
Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:53:00 -0400
With plenty of nods to The Great Gatsby Joseph O'Neill's Netherland explores dreams and ambition in post-Sept. 11 New York City. Maureen Corrigan calls the novel "marvelous."
The Twisted Journey Of 'Napoleon's Privates'
Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:22:00 -0400
How did Napoleon's penis end up in New Jersey? Tony Perrottet, the author of the new book, Napoleon's Privates: 2,500 Years of History Unzipped, outlines the route the emperor's organ took from the island of St. Helena in 1821 to a briefcase under the bed of a New Jersey urologist.
Rival Actors Sparked Fatal 'Shakespeare Riots'
Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:40:00 -0400
Shakespeare's works inspire strong emotions both on stage and off. Author Nigel Cliff talks about his book The Shakespeare Riots: Revenge, Drama and Death in 19th-Century America, which tells the story of an argument between two actors that led to a deadly riot.
1960: A Pivotal Year For The Olympics
Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0400
The 1960 Rome Olympics were the first commercially televised games, saw the first doping scandal and the first commercial endorsement. David Maraniss, author of "Rome 1960: The Olympics that Changed the World," calls the year pivotal for the games.

Subscribe to Authors RSS feed