Rafael Sabatini (1875–1950)
Author of Scaramouche
About the Author
Rafael Sabatini was born April 29, 1875 in Jesi, Italy. At a young age, Rafael was exposed to many languages, and attending school in Portugal and, as a teenager, in Switzerland. By the time he was seventeen, when he went to England to live permanently, he could speak five languages. He quickly show more added English and chose to write in his adopted language, because, he said, "all the best stories are written in English." After a brief stint in the business world, Sabatini went to work as a writer. He wrote short stories in the 1890s, and his first novel came out in 1902. It took Sabatini almost a quarter of century before he attained success with Scaramouche in 1921. It became an international best-seller. Captain Blood followed in 1922 and was equally as successful. Sabatini was a prolific writer; he produced a new book approximately every year. While he would never achieve the success of Scaramouche and Captain Blood, Sabatini still maintained a great deal of popularity with the reading public through the decades that followed. By the 1940s, illness forced the writer to slow his prolific method of composition. However, he did write several additional works even during that time. His body of work consists of 31 novels, 8 short story colections and 6 books of poetry. He died February 13, 1950 in Switzerland. He is buried at Adelboden, Switzerland. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Courtesy of the NYPL Digital Gallery (image use requires permission from the New York Public Library)
Series
Works by Rafael Sabatini
The Strolling Saint, being the confessions of the high and mighty Agostino D'Anguissola, tyrant of Mondolfo and Lord of… (1913) 63 copies
The Hypnotic Tales of Rafael Sabatini (Hypnotism in Victorian and Edwardian Era Fiction) (2024) 16 copies
The Curate and the Actress 5 copies
In the shadow of the guillotine: comprising Scaramouche, The Marquis of Carabas [and] The lost king (1955) 5 copies
The nuptials of Corbal ; and, the tyrant: An episode in the career of Cesare Borgia (The writings of Rafael Sabatini) (1927) 4 copies
The Red Mask 4 copies
Romances Of Italy 2 copies
Prikliucheniia kapitana Blada (12 ) 2 copies
The Spiritualist 2 copies
Saga of the Sea 2 copies
The Fool's Love Story 1 copy
Rytíř z taverny 1 copy
HISTORIALLISIA ÖITÄ 1 copy
Fortune’s Fool 1 copy
The Lust of Conquest 1 copy
Havr̜nen 1 copy
Avonturier of edelman 1 copy
Op de drempel des doods 1 copy
Odiseea căpitanului Blood 1 copy
Ridder van het Gulden Vlies 1 copy
Bellarion : Annen del 1 copy
Life Of Blessed John Fisher. Bishop Of Rochester, Cardinal Of The Holy Roman Church And Martyr Under Henry VIII (2008) 1 copy
Kapitan Blood 1 copy
Captain Blood & The Sea Hawk: Tales of Daring Sea Adventures and the Most Remarkable Pirate Captains (2017) 1 copy
The Collected Complete Works of Rafael Sabatini (Huge Collection Including Captain Blood, Scaramouche, Bardelys the… (2017) 1 copy
The Collected Short Stories of Rafael Sabatini: 34 Stories in One Volume (Halcyon Classics) (2009) 1 copy
Door plicht overwonnen 1 copy
De lelies vertrapt 1 copy
Onder dubbele vermomming 1 copy
De dolende heilige 1 copy
Novelas de aventuras 1 copy
Sangue sul fiordaliso 1 copy
El Hombre de paja 1 copy
In dienst der Borgia's 1 copy
Scaramouche and Other Works by Rafael Sabatini (Unexpurgated Edition) (Halcyon Classics) (2009) 1 copy
অ্যাক্রস দ্য পিরেনীজ 1 copy
De fiere vrijbuiter 1 copy
El favorito 1 copy
O gavião do mar 1 copy
Lo sparviero del mare 1 copy
Antonio Wilding novela 1 copy
Scaramouche (Volume 1 of 2) (EasyRead Super Large 18pt Edition): A Romance of the French Revolution (2009) 1 copy
French Revolution Classics 1 copy
The Plague of Ghosts 1 copy
The Complete Captain Blood and Other Famous Sabatini Novels (Unabridged) - Captain Blood, Captain Blood Returns (or the… (2012) 1 copy
Il giocatore: romanzo 1 copy
Associated Works
The Big Book of Swashbuckling Adventure: Classic Tales of Dashing Heroes, Dastardly Villains, and Daring Escapes (2014) — Contributor — 57 copies
Ellery Queen's 1966 Anthology — Contributor — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Sabatini, Rafael
- Birthdate
- 1875-04-29
- Date of death
- 1950-02-13
- Burial location
- Adelboden, Switzerland
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- Italy (birth)
UK (naturalization) - Birthplace
- Jesi, Italy
- Place of death
- Adelboden, Switzerland
- Places of residence
- Iesi, Italy
Lancashire, England, UK
Porto, Portugal
Zug, Switzerland
Liverpool, England, UK
London, England, UK (show all 8)
Hay-on-Wye, Powys, Wales, UK
Adelboden, Switzerland - Occupations
- translator
short-story writer
historical novelist
intelligence agent - Relationships
- Stuart, Hamish (friend)
- Short biography
- "He was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad," describes Sabatini's most famous character, Scaramouche, and perhaps the author himself. His works were an international success in his own time and are still popular. Best known are his swashbucklers -- many of whom have been made into films -- and his books about Cesare Borgia.
Members
Reviews
Old style romantic adventure with love but not explicit sex, violence but not graphic. Didn't know about prisoners from Monmouth rebellion being sold as slaves.
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.This book has 2 short stories written in 1920 to 1930.
Both stories have the subject of hypnosis.
And the 2nd story has a small part of one of the characters from the first story.
I devoured this book, It was a book I did not want to put down. I love stories that take place in the early 1900's.
Both of these stories were very fascinating and a subject I have not ever read about. The author did an amazing job keeping me on the seat of my chair.
My only wish is the stories to be longer.
How intriguing to read about murder under hypnosis. 5 Star book!!… (more)
Both stories have the subject of hypnosis.
And the 2nd story has a small part of one of the characters from the first story.
I devoured this book, It was a book I did not want to put down. I love stories that take place in the early 1900's.
Both of these stories were very fascinating and a subject I have not ever read about. The author did an amazing job keeping me on the seat of my chair.
My only wish is the stories to be longer.
How intriguing to read about murder under hypnosis. 5 Star book!!… (more)
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.Everything that I have read by Rafael Sabatini throughout my life has been of the swashbuckling nature. I was surprised that he also wrote two short stories about hypnosis expert Roger Galliphant. The stories revolve around whether someone could hypnotize a person to commit murder and if possible, how did they actually accomplish it.
I couldn’t help but think of Sherlock Holmes as Sabatini brings these stories to a satisfying conclusion.
I couldn’t help but think of Sherlock Holmes as Sabatini brings these stories to a satisfying conclusion.
Lists
Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 162
- Also by
- 15
- Members
- 7,006
- Popularity
- #3,492
- Rating
- 4.0
- Reviews
- 194
- ISBNs
- 924
- Languages
- 14
- Favorited
- 33
Early in his career Sabatini was apparently fascinated by hypnotism and the cult-like following that grew around that pseudo-science. The Hypnotic Tales of Rafael Sabatini, edited by Donald K. Hartman, gathers in one volume the two stories that Sabatini penned on the subject. The Avenger appeared in 1909 and features Roger Galliphant, a medical man who has transferred his interest to psychic research. With characters that are larger than life and typical of the era, the story of an evil mesmerist, foresaken love, heroic detective work and, of course, an imposing mist-ridden castle adds to the excitement. If you like hypnotic adventure tales, this is for you.
If anything, the second tale, The Dream may be even more interesting in concept. Our hero Galliphant appears again in this story but only at the end to solve the mystery and explain what we just witnessed. Good stuff!… (more)