Friedrich Gerstacker
Friedrich Gerstacker was born in Hamburg in 1816. Inspired by the writing of Daniel Defoe, he set off for America in 1837 intending to become a farmer, and sent his mother a diary of his adventures. He returned to Germany in 1843 to discover that his mother had been publishing his diaries in a periodical to great popularity, and so his career as a best-selling writer began. Over the course of his adventurous life Gerstacker travelled to both the Americas, Tahiti, Indonesia, Egypt, and Australia...See more
Friedrich Gerstacker was born in Hamburg in 1816. Inspired by the writing of Daniel Defoe, he set off for America in 1837 intending to become a farmer, and sent his mother a diary of his adventures. He returned to Germany in 1843 to discover that his mother had been publishing his diaries in a periodical to great popularity, and so his career as a best-selling writer began. Over the course of his adventurous life Gerstacker travelled to both the Americas, Tahiti, Indonesia, Egypt, and Australia. His trips were funded by a fruitful relationship with his publisher, and his considerable output was devoured by a legion of devoted readers, making Gerstacker a household name for many years. Friedrich Gerstacker died in 1872, suffering a stroke while preparing for a trip to Asia. See less
