W.W. Jacobs

W. W. Jacobs (William Wymark Jacobs, 1863–1943) was an English author best known for his classic supernatural tale “The Monkey’s Paw.” Born in Wapping, London, where his father managed a dock along the River Thames, Jacobs drew inspiration from maritime life in many of his early stories. He began writing while working as a clerk in the Post Office Savings Bank and achieved literary success with his first major collection, Many Cargoes (1896), which allowed him to become a full-time writer. Although much of his work was humorous in tone, his enduring reputation rests on “The Monkey’s Paw,” first published in Harper’s Monthly in 1902 and widely regarded as one of the most famous short stories of supernatural horror.