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Affectionately referred as the Poet of the people, Edgar Guest was born in Birmingham, England. But he moved with his parents to America in 1891 where they settled in Detroit. Edgar Guest started out as a copy boy for the Detroit Free Press. He worked his way up as a police reporter, an exchange editor, and finally a verse columnist. In 1904 he had his first weekly column Chaff which eventually led to his Blue Monday chat and his Daily Breakfast Table chat.

In 1906 Guest married Nellie Crossman and had 2 children. Verse had always been part of Guest's writing, but it wasn't until 1908 that he started to specialize and publish his work. He authored more than 20 books, his most popular collection being It Takes A Heap O' Livin'. Guests verses which were orginally clipped by exchange editors went into syndication and were carried by more than 300 newspapers, making his popularity more widespread and leading him to be part of one of early radio's longest running shows, as well as making television appearances.

He was given several Honorary degrees from the Wayne State University in Michigan. For thirty years there was not a day the Free Press went to press without Guests verses on their pages. He was loved and admired by thousands of Detroits who grew up enjoying his folksy heartwarming verses and gentle humour.