Nicholas Nicastro
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Nicastro is a historical novelist
.
Born in Astoria
, New York
in 1963, he received a BA
in English
from Cornell University
(1985), an MFA
in filmmaking from New York University
(1991), an M.A.
in archaeology
and a Ph.D.
in psychology
from Cornell (1996 and 2003). He has also worked as a film critic, a hospital orderly
, a newspaper reporter, a library archivist
, a college lecturer
in anthropology
and psychology, an animal behaviorist, and an advertising salesman. His Cornell dissertation research on how humans respond to the vocalizations of domestic cats got some attention from the news media, especially in publications aimed at "cat people" http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/May02/cat_talk.hrs.html http://www.catchannel.com/experts/article_14730.aspx http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2001913.stm
His writings include short fiction, travel and science articles in such publications as The New York Times
, The New York Observer, Film Comment
, and the International Herald Tribune
. In 1996, he wrote and directed the documentary video Science or Sacrilege: Native Americans, Archaeology & the Law, an examination of the conflict between scientists and native people for control of ancient remains. http://www.berkeleymedia.com/catalog/berkeleymedia/films/american_studies/science_or_sacrilege_native_americans_archaeology_and_the_law The video is currently distributed by Berkeley Media LLC, and is often shown in college courses on this subject.
Nicastro's ancient fiction, including Empire of Ashes and The Isle of Stone, is characterized by a willingness to explore the dark underside of popular historical exploits. In Ashes, he presents the career of Alexander the Great from the perspective of a skeptical Athenian soldier/historian who must debunk Alexander's official divinity to save himself from a charge of sacrilege
. In Isle of Stone, Nicastro presents a portrait of ancient Sparta
during the Peloponnesian War
that departs from what classical historian Paul Cartledge calls "the Spartan mirage". Instead, he reveals both the roots and the consequences of practices that, some say, made Sparta the Western world's prototype of a totalitarian society
. "Empire of Ashes" did receive several negative reviews. One critic, Kathryn Yelinek, concluded that "Nicastro wrote a novel about a topic that ultimately got away from him. I can only assume that the book was rushed to print to coincide with the recent film."
In 2010, Nicastro struck off in a new direction with the publication of The Passion of the Ripper, a psychological study of a prominent suspect in the Jack the Ripper murders of 1888. In its review, Ripperologist magazine, a leading publication in the study of the Ripper killings, called the novel "a strong new entry in the world of Ripper fiction" http://www.ripperologist.biz/login.asp
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Historical fiction
Historical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the principal characters tend to be fictional...
.
Born in Astoria
Astoria, Queens
Astoria is a neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. Located in Community Board 1, Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City, Sunnyside , and Woodside...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1963, he received a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
(1985), an MFA
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
in filmmaking from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
(1991), an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
and a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
from Cornell (1996 and 2003). He has also worked as a film critic, a hospital orderly
Orderly
A medical orderly , is a hospital attendant whose job consists of assisting medical and/or nursing staff with various nursing and/or medical interventions. These duties are classified as routine tasks involving no risk for the patient.- Job details :Orderlies are often utilized in various hospital...
, a newspaper reporter, a library archivist
Archivist
An archivist is a professional who assesses, collects, organizes, preserves, maintains control over, and provides access to information determined to have long-term value. The information maintained by an archivist can be any form of media...
, a college lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
in anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
and psychology, an animal behaviorist, and an advertising salesman. His Cornell dissertation research on how humans respond to the vocalizations of domestic cats got some attention from the news media, especially in publications aimed at "cat people" http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/May02/cat_talk.hrs.html http://www.catchannel.com/experts/article_14730.aspx http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2001913.stm
His writings include short fiction, travel and science articles in such publications as The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, The New York Observer, Film Comment
Film Comment
Film Comment is an arts and culture magazine published by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, of which it is the official publication. Film Comment features critical reviews and in-depth analysis of mainstream, art-house, and avant-garde filmmaking from around the world...
, and the International Herald Tribune
International Herald Tribune
The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 38 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 160 countries and territories...
. In 1996, he wrote and directed the documentary video Science or Sacrilege: Native Americans, Archaeology & the Law, an examination of the conflict between scientists and native people for control of ancient remains. http://www.berkeleymedia.com/catalog/berkeleymedia/films/american_studies/science_or_sacrilege_native_americans_archaeology_and_the_law The video is currently distributed by Berkeley Media LLC, and is often shown in college courses on this subject.
Nicastro's ancient fiction, including Empire of Ashes and The Isle of Stone, is characterized by a willingness to explore the dark underside of popular historical exploits. In Ashes, he presents the career of Alexander the Great from the perspective of a skeptical Athenian soldier/historian who must debunk Alexander's official divinity to save himself from a charge of sacrilege
Sacrilege
Sacrilege is the violation or injurious treatment of a sacred object. In a less proper sense, any transgression against the virtue of religion would be a sacrilege. It can come in the form of irreverence to sacred persons, places, and things...
. In Isle of Stone, Nicastro presents a portrait of ancient Sparta
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
during the Peloponnesian War
Peloponnesian War
The Peloponnesian War, 431 to 404 BC, was an ancient Greek war fought by Athens and its empire against the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta. Historians have traditionally divided the war into three phases...
that departs from what classical historian Paul Cartledge calls "the Spartan mirage". Instead, he reveals both the roots and the consequences of practices that, some say, made Sparta the Western world's prototype of a totalitarian society
Totalitarianism
Totalitarianism is a political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible...
. "Empire of Ashes" did receive several negative reviews. One critic, Kathryn Yelinek, concluded that "Nicastro wrote a novel about a topic that ultimately got away from him. I can only assume that the book was rushed to print to coincide with the recent film."
In 2010, Nicastro struck off in a new direction with the publication of The Passion of the Ripper, a psychological study of a prominent suspect in the Jack the Ripper murders of 1888. In its review, Ripperologist magazine, a leading publication in the study of the Ripper killings, called the novel "a strong new entry in the world of Ripper fiction" http://www.ripperologist.biz/login.asp
Novels
- Empire of Ashes: A Novel of Alexander The Great (December 7, 2004)
- The Isle of Stone: A Novel of Ancient Sparta (December 6, 2005) "A book for Spartophiles"
- Antigone's Wake: A Novel of Imperial Athens (April 7, 2007)
- The Passion of the Ripper (June 23, 2010)
The John Paul Jones Trilogy
- The Eighteenth Captain (April 25, 1999)
- Between Two Fires (November 1, 2002)
- Book Three (TBA)
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Non-Fiction
- Circumference: Eratosthenes and the Ancient Quest to Measure the Globe (November 25, 2008)