Myrtle Reed (September 27, 1874 – August 17, 1911) was an American author, poet, journalist, and philanthropist. She wrote a number of bestsellers and even published a series of cookbooks under the pseudonym Olive Green.

Biography

She was born on September 27, 1874, in Norwood Park,

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, the youngest of her parents' three children and their only daughter.Howard B. Christenson
"Reed, Myrtle"
in Edward T. James, Janet Wilson James, Paul S. Boyer (eds), ''Notable American Women, 1607–1950: A Biographical Dictionary, Volume 3'', Radcliffe College, 1971, pp. 126-27. She was the daughter of author Elizabeth Armstrong Reed and the preacher Hiram von Reed. She graduated from the West Division High School, Chicago, where she edited the school's newspaper called ''The Voice'', during which time she corresponded with James Sydney McCullough, a young Irish-Canadian who was editing a college newspaper in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most pop ...

. She married McCullough in 1906, after a courtship of nearly 15 years. She was a diagnosed

insomnia Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder in which people have trouble sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low energy ...

c with prescribed sleeping drafts. She died on August 17, 1911, aged 36, of an overdose of sleeping powder taken with suicidal intent in her flat, called "Paradise Flat" at 5120 Kenmore Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. Her suicide letter, written to her maid, Annie Larsen, was published the following day. Her will directed her estate be divided among eight charities that for several years had been favorites of their benefactor; however, her estate was subjected to at least two different lawsuits. Paradise Flat, the residence in which she died, was burgled during her funeral; among the stolen items were several ''de luxe'' or signed, slipcased, limited-edition novels written by the decedent. A famous epigram of Myrtle Reed, taken from ''Threads of Gray and Gold'', declares: "The only way to test a man is to marry him. If you live, it's a mushroom. If you die, it's a toadstool." Composer Lola Carrier Worrell based one of her songs,"Waiting: Love Lyrics #1," on words by Reed.

Selected works

Novels

* ''Love Letters of a Musician'' (1899) * ''Later Love Letters of a Musician'' (1900) * ''The Spinster Book'' (1901) * '' Lavender and Old Lace'' (1902; new edition, 1907), a long-running play adapted by the American playwright David G. Fischer * ''The Shadow of Victory'' (1903) * ''Pickaback Songs'' (1903) * ''The Book of Clever Beasts'' (1904), received a warm letter of appreciation from then President Theodore Roosevelt * ''The Master's Violin'' (1904) * ''At the Sign of the Jack o' Lantern'' (1905), made into a silent film directed by

Lloyd Ingraham Lloyd Chauncey Ingraham (November 30, 1874 – April 4, 1956) was an American film actor and director. Biography Born in Rochelle, Illinois, Ingraham appeared in more than 280 films between 1912 and 1950, as well as directing more than 100 ...

in 1922 * ''A Spinner in the Sun'' (1906, new edition, 1909) * ''Love Affairs of Literary Men'' (1907; non-fiction; biographical) * ''Flower of the Dusk'' (1908), made into a silent film directed by

John Hancock Collins John H. Collins (December 31, 1889 – October 31, 1918) was an American writer and director of the silent film era. He married film actress Viola Dana. His career was cut short when he died at the age of 28 due to the 1918 influenza epidemic. ...

in 1918 * '' Old Rose and Silver'' (1909) * ''Master of the Vineyard'' (1910; new edition, 1911) * ''Sonnets to a Lover'' (1910) * ''

A Weaver of Dreams ''A Weaver of Dreams'' is a lost silent film directed by Edison's John H. Collins and released under Metro Films February 18, 1918, at the height of Mr. Collins' career. It was the 36th of 41 films credited to his direction. The young director s ...

'' (1911), made into a silent film starring

Viola Dana Viola Dana (born Virginia Flugrath; June 26, 1897 – July 3, 1987) was an American film actress who was successful during the era of silent films. She appeared in over 100 films, but was unable to make the transition to sound films. Early lif ...

in 1918 * ''Threads of Gray and Gold'' (1913)

Nonfiction

She also published a series of cookbooks under the pseudonym of Olive Green: * ''What to Have for Breakfast'' (1905) * ''Everyday Luncheons'' (1906) * ''One Thousand Simple Soups'' (1907) * ''How to Cook Fish'' (1908) * ''How to Cook Meat and Poultry'' (1908) * ''One Thousand Salads'' (1909) The following works were published posthumously: * ''Everyday Desserts'' (1911) * ''Myrtle Reed Cookbook'' (1916) * ''Myrtle Reed Yearbook'' (1911) * ''A Weaver of Dreams'' (1911) * ''Threads of Grey and Gold'' (1913) * ''The White Shield, a collection of short sketches by Myrtle Reed'' (1912) * ''Happy Women'' (1913)

Autobiography

* ''Myrtle Reed Yearbook'' (1911), containing biographical foreword

Works about Reed

* Ethel S. Colson, ''Myrtle Reed As Her Friends Knew Her'' (1911) * ''To You'', a collection of songs by J. C. Rodenbeck (1919) * ''Papers, 1856–1922'' by Chicago Bishop Samuel Fallows (1919), containing correspondence with Myrtle Reed *

References

External links

*
The Literature Network
* * * * *
"Hell in Paradise Flat" from ''Chicago Magazine'', August 2006
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reed, Myrtle Writers from Chicago 19th-century American novelists 20th-century American novelists American women novelists 1874 births 1911 suicides 20th-century American women writers 19th-century American women writers Drug-related suicides in Illinois Pseudonymous women writers Novelists from Illinois 19th-century pseudonymous writers 20th-century pseudonymous writers