Alfred Ollivant (1874-1927) was an English novelist best known for his novel, Owd Bob. Ollivant also wrote around a dozen other novels, ranging from small-scale cautionary tales to large historical narratives. Alfred Ollivant was born in Nuthurst, Sussex, in 1874 and later became an author after a horseback riding injury interrupted his brief military career. Owd Bob, his debut novel, was published in 1898. The tale is set in rural Cumbria, northern England, and follows Bob, a suspected sheepkilling collie. Despite the fact that the majority of the dialogue is written in Cumbrian dialect, the book gained popularity in the United States. Ollivant released a sequel, Danny, in 1902. He also contributed short stories to the publications The Atlantic Monthly and The Boston Evening Transcript. Alfred Ollivant died in London on January 19, 1927.
