Nathan Haskell Dole

Nathan Haskell Dole (1852–1935) was an American writer, editor, and translator noted for bringing Russian literature to English-language readers. He is especially associated with translations of works by Leo Tolstoy and other Russian authors. Dole also compiled and edited popular reference and explanatory volumes intended for general audiences. Among these is *Famous Poems Explained*, a work that reflects his interest in literary interpretation and accessible scholarship. Across his career he worked in multiple literary roles—producing original writing, editing publications, and translating—helping shape late‑19th- and early‑20th-century American engagement with European literature and with poetry as a subject of study.