Elizabeth Bisland American writer and journalist Date of Birth: 11.01.1861 Country: USA

Biography of Elizabeth Bisland

Elizabeth Bisland, an American writer and journalist, gained fame as the main competitor of Nellie Bly in the race around the world in 80 days. Born on February 11, 1861, in a small farm in Louisiana, Elizabeth experienced the hardships of the Civil War as her family moved several times to escape the destructive battles. As a teenager, she began writing poetry and essays for the "New Orleans Times Democrat" under a pseudonym. Her talent was eventually discovered by the newspaper's editor, who invited her to join their team.

After leaving Louisiana, Elizabeth moved to New York City where she quickly found a position at "The Sun." However, it was her time at "Cosmopolitan" that brought her the most recognition. It was for this magazine that she embarked on a race around the world, following the footsteps of Phileas Fogg from Jules Verne's novel "Around the World in 80 Days." Interestingly, Elizabeth's journey began just six hours after the news broke that Nellie Bly, representing "New York World," was about to embark on her own global adventure. The race not only became a competition between the two women but also between the popular "New York World" and the elitist "Cosmopolitan" magazines.

Despite her efforts, Elizabeth lost the race to Nellie Bly by a few days. While Bly completed the journey in 72 days and 6 hours, Elizabeth arrived in port after 76 days and 12 hours. However, it was later discovered that she had been deceived in England and had unknowingly taken a slower steamship, which significantly delayed her progress. The exact culprit behind this confusion remains unknown, but some speculated that "New York World" might have been involved since Elizabeth was leading at that time.

After the race, Elizabeth continued writing. She published a book titled "The Life and Letters of Lafcadio Hearn" about the life of Lafcadio Hearn and completed a novel called "Three Wise Men of the East," which was published posthumously. Elizabeth Bisland passed away on January 6, 1929, from pneumonia. In her obituary, the journalists at "New York World" conveniently "forgot" to mention her participation in the race around the world. However, other publications responded to this omission by publishing extensive articles about Elizabeth's life and career.