Occupation Writer Nationality Canadian | Name Ruth Nichols Role Writer | |
Genre Children's and young-adult fantasy and historical fiction Books The marrow of the world, The left-handed spirit Education McMaster University, University of British Columbia | ||
Ruth nichols
Joanna Ruth Nichols (born March 4, 1948) is a Canadian writer of fiction for children and young adults, primarily historical fiction and historical fantasy.
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Life
Ruth Nichols was born in Toronto. At age 18 she wrote her first novel to be published, A Walk Out of the World. That young-adult fantasy was published by Longmans in Canada and Harcourt Brace in America with illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman, when Nichols was 20 or 21.
She received her B.A. in religious studies from the University of British Columbia, and her M.A. in 1972 and Ph.D. in 1977, both from McMaster University. She lectured for several years at Carleton University in Ottawa.
Nichols married William Norman Houston in September 1974. They initially lived in Ottawa and then moved to Toronto. Despite having experienced success early in life, Nichols' writing career did not flourish. Her last published novel was historical fiction, "What Dangers Deep", set in the Elizabethan era and was poorly received as it was outside her genre of children's literature. Other than the few novels she produced as an adult and despite her educational achievements, Nichols never managed to establish a career in any form of gainful employment.
After divorcing in 1998, health problems, including epilepsy, forced Nichols to live in a chronic care facility in Toronto.
Ruth Nichols' novels for young adults are some of the best in the genre of fantasy. Predating Harry Potter by decades, her beautifully written books feature characters with unusual powers, wizards and worlds of wonder where good versus evil. These books alone establish Ruth Nichols as a major Canadian writer.
Awards
Nichols received the Government of India Prize in 1962 for a 100-page biography of Catherine de' Medici.
The Marrow of the World was named Book of the Year for Children by the Canadian Library Association in 1973.