Born in the early spring of 1736, Rudolf Erich Raspe was a German polymath whose life was marked by a multitude of pursuits and passions. As a librarian, he spent many hours surrounded by the written word, and as a writer, he left behind a legacy of stories that continue to captivate readers to this very day. His scientific inclinations also led him to explore the natural world, and his fascination with the mysteries of the universe was a driving force in his life's work.
Despite his many accomplishments, Raspe's biographer, John Patrick Carswell, often referred to him as a "rogue", suggesting that his unconventional approach to life and his tendency to bend the truth may have been a source of amusement and frustration for those who knew him.
