Max O'Rell

Léon Paul Blouet, pen name Max O'Rell, from Who-When-What Book, 1900

Max O'Rell was the pen name of Léon Paul Blouet (March 2, 1848 – 25 May 1903), French author and journalist.

He was born in Brittany. He served as a cavalry officer in the Franco-German War, was captured at Sedan, but was released in time to join the Versaillist army which overcame the Paris Commune, and was severely wounded during the second siege of Paris. In 1872 he went to England as correspondent of several French newspapers, and in 1876 became the very efficient French master at St Paul's School, London, retaining that post until 1884. What induced him to leave was the brilliant success of his first book, John Bull et son île (translated as John Bull and his Island), which in its French and English forms was so widely read as to make his pseudonym a household word in England and America.

Several other volumes of a similar type dealing in a like spirit with Scotland, America and France followed. He married an Englishwoman, who translated his books. But the main work of the years between 1890 and 1900 was lecturing. Max O'Rell was a ready and amusing speaker, and his easy manner and his humorous gift made him very successful on the platform. He lectured often in the United Kingdom and still more often in America. He died in Paris, where he was acting as correspondent of the New York Journal, in May 1903.

Bibliography

• John Bull et son île: moeurs anglaises contemporaines (1883) French original
  • John Bull and His Island American and British editions
• Les filles de John Bull (1884) French original
  • John Bull and His Daughters American translation?
  • John Bull's Womankind British translation
• Les chers voisins! (1885) French original
  • The Dear Neighbours!
• L'ami MacDonald: souvenirs anecdotiques de l'Écosse (1887)
  • Friend MacDonald British edition
• Drat the boys!: Or, Recollections of an Ex-Frenchmaster in England (1886) British original
  • John Bull, junior: Or French as She is Traduced (1888) American edition
• French original?
  • Jacques Bonhomme (1889) American edition
• Jonathan et son continent (1889) French original
  • Jonathan and His Continent American and British translations
• French original?
  • A Frenchman in America (1891) American and British editions
• French original?
  • English Pharisees, French Crocodiles: And other Anglo-French typical characters (1892) American edition
• La maison John Bull & cie: Les grandes succursales, le Canada, l'Australie, la Nouvelle-Zélande, l'Afrique du Sud (1894)
  • John Bull & Co.: The great colonial branches of the firm: Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa American edition
• Femme et artiste: roman moderne (1900) French original
  • Woman and artist British edition
• Sa majesté l'Amour: petites études de psychologie humoristique (1901)
  • Her Royal Highness, Woman: And His Majesty - Cupid American edition
• French original?
  • Between Ourselves: Some of the Little Problems of Life (1902) British edition
• French original?
  • Rambles in womanland (1903) British edition
• Confidentiel (1904)

Sources

• Author and Book Info.com

---

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.