Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist and short story writer whose works often focus on history, morality, and religion. Born in Salem, Massachusetts, he published his first novel, Fanshawe, in 1828 and collected his early short fiction as Twice Told Tales in 1837 before The Scarlet Letter, his best known novel, appeared in 1850. Much of his writing centers on New England and carries moral metaphors with an anti-Puritan inspiration; his fiction is considered part of the Romantic movement and, more specifically, dark romanticism, with themes centered on the inherent evil and sin of humanity. He also wrote a campaign biography of his college friend Franklin Pierce for Pierce's 1852 presidential run, which Pierce won.