James Brendan Bennet Connolly (1868-1957) was an American athlete and author. In 1896, he became the first modern Olympic champion. He was one of twelve children, born to poor Irish American parents. He was educated at Notre Dame Academy and then at the Mather and Lawrence grammar school, but never went to high school. Instead, Connolly worked as a clerk with an insurance company in Boston and later with the United States Army Corps of Engineers in Savannah, Georgia. Connolly became an authority on maritime writing, after spending years on many different vessels, fishing boats, military ships all over the world. In all, he published more than 200 short stories, and 25 novels. Furthermore, he twice ran for Congress of the United States on the ticket of the Progressive Party, but never was elected. He was offered an honorary doctorate by Harvard University, which he turned down. Among his famous works are: The Deep Sea's Toll (1905), Open Water (1910), and Wide Courses (1912). --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.