E.M. Bounds (1835–1913) was an American author, attorney, and Methodist minister best known for his powerful writings on prayer. Born in Shelbyville, Missouri, Edward McKendree Bounds began his career as a lawyer but soon felt a call to the ministry. He was ordained in the Methodist Episcopal Church South and served as a pastor and chaplain during the American Civil War, during which he was briefly imprisoned by Union forces. After the war, Bounds devoted much of his life to preaching, writing, and prayer. He rose early every morning to spend hours in prayer, which became the foundation for his prolific writings. Most of his works on prayer, such as Power Through Prayer, The Necessity of Prayer, and The Weapon of Prayer, were published posthumously. Bounds emphasized the necessity of deep, fervent prayer for Christian life and ministry, and his writings continue to inspire believers around the world. His life exemplified the devotion he called others to in his books.