William Seabrook
William Seabrook was an American author and journalist born in 1886 in Westminster, Maryland. He came from a modest background, as the son of a Lutheran minister, and pursued higher education at Newberry College in South Carolina, earning his Bachelor's and then a Master's degree. Seabrook's early career included roles in journalism with the Augusta Chronicle and the Atlanta Journal, as well as co-founding an advertising agency. During World War I, he served as an ambulance driver before transitioning to a career with The New York Times in New York City.
Seabrook's literary contributions included travel writing, with his first book, "Adventures in Arabia," published in 1927. He gained notoriety with "Jungle Ways" in 1931, where he controversially claimed personal experiences with cannibalism. His later works, including "Witchcraft" in 1940, reflect his ongoing exploration of diverse cultural themes. Despite his literary success, Seabrook struggled with alcoholism and ultimately died from a drug overdose in 1945. His life and work evoke a complex interplay of cultural curiosity and personal challenges.
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William Seabrook
Writer
- Born: February 22, 1886
- Birthplace: Westminster, Maryland
- Died: September 1, 1945
- Place of death: Rheinbeck, New York
Biography
William Seabrook was born in Westminster, Maryland, in 1886, the son of an impoverished Lutheran minister who preached in small towns along the southern coast of the Atlantic Ocean. After graduating from high school, Seabrook studied at Newberry College in South Carolina, where he received his bachelor of philosophy degree in 1905. The following year, Seabrook was awarded a M.A. degree from Newberry and began working for the Augusta Chronicle in Augusta, Georgia. In 1908, Seabrook spent an extended period of time in Europe, and then returned to the United States and took a job with the Atlanta Journal. At the same time, Seabrook helped found the Lewis-Seabrook Advertising Agency.
During World War I, Seabrook was an ambulance driver for the American Field Service. Upon completing his military service, he made a brief attempt at farming, but failed and moved to New York City to accept a position with The New York Times. He remained in this job until the late 1920’s, when he decided to move to the French Rivera, where he lived with his second wife, writer Marjorie Worthington. He also traveled to Africa and Arabia. During this time, Seabrook published four books, with his first, Adventures in Arabia, released in 1927. In 1931, Seabrook published Jungle Ways, a book about cannibals who supposedly lived in the jungles of west Africa. In this book, he made the false claim that he himself had eaten human flesh as part of his research, a statement that caused quite a sensation. The last book Seabrook released before returning to the United States was Air Adventure (1933).
After he returned to the United States, Seabrook made a failed attempt to curb his alcoholism. He settled in rural New York, where he continued writing. Seabrook published articles in such publications as Reader’s Digest and released the last of his “expose” books, Witchcraft, in 1940. Two more books followed, including Seabrook’s autobiography No Hiding Place. In September, 1945, Seabrook was found dead of a drug overdose.