William Henry Hudson, a renowned British writer, novelist, and ornithologist, was born in 1841 in Argentina to English parents who were originally from the New England region of the United States.
His father, a sheep farmer, moved the family to Argentina, where Hudson spent his early years roaming the vast pampas, developing a profound understanding of the region's plant and animal life.
At the age of 15, Hudson took part in a perilous cattle drive that was caught in a severe blizzard, resulting in a severe case of rheumatic fever that would affect his health for the rest of his life.
During his recovery, Hudson read Charles Darwin's groundbreaking work "The Origin of Species," which had a lasting impact on his perspective.
After his parents' passing, Hudson embarked on extensive travels before settling in England in 1869, where he married a woman significantly older than himself and struggled to make ends meet despite running two boarding houses.
The couple's fortunes changed when Hudson's wife inherited a house in London's Bayswater section, where Hudson spent the remainder of his days.
Hudson's early novels, set against the exotic backdrop of the South American plains, were initially unsuccessful, but he gained recognition with his ornithological-themed books, including "Afoot in England," "A Shepherd's Life," and "A Friend in Richmond Park," which contributed to the "back-to-nature" movement.
Despite not achieving the same level of success as contemporaries like Joseph Conrad and Ford Madox Ford, Hudson remained close friends with them and continued to write, leaving behind a legacy as a prominent figure in British literature.
Hudson passed away in London in 1922, following a bout with heart disease.
