Edna Ferber was born in Appleton, WI. Her home was a humble one, but was able to provide her with the opportunity for high school education and a very little work in Lawrence College. After graduating from high school, she did work for the Appleton Crescent in the capacity of news collector and reporter. Through this work she began to realize her powers and at the same time she trained herself to that keen observation of character which constitutes one of the greatest pleasures in her work.

Appleton's stores, hotels, newspapers, and working life in general became her laboratory in which to study the characteristics, defects, and aspirations of human life as she finds it. As she has achieved greater success in her writing she has widened her sphere of acquaintanceship and of helpfulness. Her Emma McChesney is one of the cheeriest, truest, and most helpful characters given to American readers in recent years, and her latest book, "Fanny Herself" (1917), met a very kind reception. "Dawn O'Hara" was based upon her journalistic experience in Milwaukee. Miss Ferber's present home is in Chicago.