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born 1864

At the end of the 19th century, Nellie Bly was the name on every American's tongue. Known for pioneering investigative journalism, Nellie knew how to crack a story and even went undercover in harrowing circumstances ~ from factory floors to state-run asylums to active war zones ~ to expose corruption + wrongdoing.

Nellie's work not only earned the respect {and sometimes jealousy} of her colleagues, it also inspired real reform. In fact, Joseph Pulitzer's New York newspaper The World called her "the best reporter in America and that is saying a good deal."

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Around the World in Seventy-Two Days and Other Writings shop
Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around the World shop
The Daring Nellie Bly: America's Star Reporter shop
Round the World with Nellie Bly Puzzle shop
Patent for an improved Milk-Can
American Horror Story: Asylum shop
The New Colossus shop

her quotes

all quotes by Nellie Bly (10)

"I have always been particular in stating only facts in all my work."

Untruths in Every Line | october 1887

"If one is traveling simply for the sake of traveling and not for the purpose of impressing one's fellow passengers, the problem of baggage becomes a very simple one."

Around the World in 72 Days | january 1890

"I need a vacation; why not take a trip around the world?"

Around the World in 72 Days | january 1890

"Let me rest rocked gently by the rolling sea, in a nest of velvety darkness, my only light the soft twinkling of the myriads of stars in the quiet sky above; my music, the round of the kissing waters, cooling the brain and easing the pulse; my companionship, dreaming my own dreams. Give me that and I have happiness in its perfection."

Around the World in 72 Days | january 1890

"If I loved and married, I would say to my mate: 'Come, I know where Eden is,' and like Edwin Arnold, desert the land of my birth for Japan, the land of love–beauty–poetry–cleanliness."

Around the World in Seventy-Two Days | january 1890

"I always have a comfortable feeling that nothing is impossible if one applies a certain amount of energy in the right direction."

Around the World in Seventy-Two Days | january 1890

"They can talk of the companionship of men, the splendor of the sun, the softness of moonlight, the beauty of music, but give me a willow chair on a quiet deck."

Around the World in 72 Days | january 1890

"Never having failed, I could not picture what failure meant."

From Jersey Back To Jersey | january 1890

"How nonsensical it is to blame or criticise people for what they are powerless to change."

Around the World in Seventy-Two Days | december 1890

"To sit on a quiet deck, to have a star-lit sky the only light above or about, to hear the water kissing the prow of the ship, is, to me, paradise."

Around the World in Seventy-Two Days | december 1890

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Hester Stanhope
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for further reading about Nellie Bly:

  • Quotabelle profile
  • Nellie Bly

curated with care by Angela Willard {september 2014}

Nellie Bly in a Mad House

An illustration in Nellie's book Ten Days in a Mad House, depicting her getting checked out by a psychiatrist. Nellie spent 10 days undercover to expose the maltreatment of female patients, many of whom she felt were as sane as she. She had to pull out some serious acting chops to get herself committed in the first place, but the stunt paid off ~ not only did it launch her career; it also led to state reforms of mental institutions + diagnoses.

Penn Library | public domain

Nellie Bly Journalist

This publicity shot pictures Nellie before embarking on her solo trip around the world. Traveling by steamship + train, her journey was a whopping 24,899 miles and took about 72 days. Her employers, The World newspaper made her record-breaking voyage into a world-class publicity stunt, running a contest {the prize ~ an all-expenses paid vacation overseas} to see if people could predict her arrival times at various checkpoints along the way. At the same time, the magazine Cosmopolitan sent their own female reporter, Elizabeth Bisland, around the world ~ in the opposite direction!

The New York World

Nellie Bly 2

Nellie Bly in her younger years. She was often called 'Pinky' due to her affinity for the color. While she grew up in Pennsylvania, the aspiring journalist realized that she had to leave Pittsburgh for New York to make her name. Along the way, she stayed in Mexico for 6 months doing stories about the country's culture + politics.

H. J. Myers, photographer | public domain

Round the world with Nellie Bly | The World's globe circler

Nellie's newspaper ~ The World ~ published this game-board illustration of her ambitious trip, with a square for each day to mark her location and a picture of the French author who inspired the voyage {sci fi + adventure writer Jules Verne} in the upper right corner. Nellie actually met with Jules along the way!

The New York World | Library of Congress | public domain