With a long family history in writing and literature, George W. Martin partially contributes his passion for writing to his genetics. His father, though a lawyer by trade, was a frequent writer. His grandfather wrote poetry books and founded Life Magazine, and his great-grandfather wrote for a paper in the mid-19th century. Mr. Martin followed suit by rising to prominence as a renowned wordsmith, garnering more than 55 years of professional experience. Mr. Martin first served as an attorney for Emmet, Marvin & Martin from 1955 to 1959, but was drawn to the craft of writing and became engaged in the profession up until 2015. His main areas of expertise include opera and New York City history, and his creative works reflected this.
In 1961, Mr. Martin released his first work, “The Opera Companion: A Guide for the Casual Operagoer.” Just one year later, he authored “The Battle of the Frogs and Mice: An Homeric Fable.” Throughout the course of his illustrious career, he has written more than 10 books, as well as several articles for professional journals. Some of his works include “The Red Shirt and The Cross of Savoy: The Story of Italy’s Risorgimento, 1748 1871,” “Aspects of Verdi,” “Twentieth Century Opera: A Guide” and “Verdi in America: Oberto Through Rigoletto.” In 2014, Mr. Martin published his most recent book, “Opera at the Bandstand, Then and Now.”
In 1948, Mr. Martin received a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University. He went on to complete some coursework at Cambridge University in England in 1950 before ultimately earning a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Virginia in 1953. In 1955, Mr. Martin was admitted to practice law in the State of New York, and he continued to write about some aspects of law throughout the years. In 2005, he wrote “CCB: The Life and Century of Charles C. Burlingham, New York’s First Citizen, 1858 1959.” This book was focused on Charles Culp Burlingham, who was a well-known leader in the field of admiralty law in New York City. Notably, Mr. Martin’s book won the Erwin N. Griswold Award from the U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society in 2006. In honor of his accomplishments, Mr. Martin was listed in various Marquis Who’s Who publications, including Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in America: Student Version, Who’s Who in Entertainment, Who’s Who in the East and Who’s Who in the World.
Contact George W. Martin: