Starr, Frederick, 1858-1933

Frederick Starr (1858-1933) is an author whose writings address the cultures and histories of several continents. Five of his works are included here, covering a wide range of subjects: The Truth About the Congo: The Chicago Tribune Articles, based on his newspaper pieces; In Indian Mexico, a study of indigenous society in Mexico; Korean Buddhism: History—Condition—Art, which surveys the history, current state, and art of Korean Buddhism; and American Indians and Liberia: Description, History, Problems. His interests thus extended to Native American peoples, an African nation, and East Asian religion. Public information about him is limited, and details of his life and education cannot be reliably established. Judging from the surviving works, however, he combined firsthand observation with historical narrative to introduce foreign societies and cultures to general readers in clear, concrete prose, making these regions more accessible to English-language readers of his time.