The History of Freedom, and Other Essays

Irene Temple Bailey, born on February 24, 1869, in Petersburg, Virginia, was a highly successful American novelist and short story writer. She began her career around 1902, contributing stories to renowned national magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post, Cavalier Magazine, Cosmopolitan, The American Magazine, Good Housekeeping, and McCall's. In 1914, she wrote the screenplay for the Vitagraph Studios film Auntie, and two of her novels were adapted into films. Bailey's literary success extended beyond magazine contributions; three of her books were on the list of bestselling novels in the United States in 1918, 1922, and 1926. Despite her success, Bailey never married. She passed away on July 6, 1953, at her apartment in Washington, D.C. Her obituary in The New York Post estimated that her novels had sold over three million copies, solidifying her status as one of the best-paid writers of her time. Cosmopolitan magazine had once paid her $325,000 for three serial novels and short stories, underscoring her immense success in the literary world.