Ronald Wright
Encyclopedia
Ronald Wright is a Canadian author
who has written books of travel, history and fiction. His nonfiction includes the bestseller Stolen Continents, winner of the Gordon Montador Award and chosen as a book of the year by the Independent and the Sunday Times. His first novel, A Scientific Romance, won the 1997 David Higham Prize for Fiction
and was chosen a book of the year by the Globe and Mail, the Sunday Times, and the New York Times.
Wright was selected to give the 2004 Massey Lectures
. His contribution, A Short History of Progress
, looks at the modern human predicament in light of the 10,000-year experiment with civilization
. In it he concludes that human civilization, to survive, would need to become environmentally sustainable, with specific reference to global warming
and climate change
.
His latest work What is America?: A Short History of the New World Order
continues the thread begun in A Short History of Progress by examining what Wright calls "the Columbian Age" and consequently the nature and historical origins of modern American imperium
.
Ronald Wright is also a frequent contributor to the Times Literary Supplement, and has written and presented documentaries for radio and television on both sides of the Atlantic. He studied archaeology at Cambridge University
and later at the University of Calgary
, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate in 1996. He lives in British Columbia
.
and his 1998 novel A Scientific Romance, about a museum curator who travels into the future and investigates the fate of the human race, won the David Higham Prize for Fiction
for first-time novelists. The novel, Henderson's Spear, published in 2002, was about a jailed filmmaker piecing together her family history in Polynesia.
In 2002 he moved from Port Hope, Ontario
to Salt Spring Island, British Columbia
, near his wife's work as a professor of anthropology at the University of British Columbia
. Wright traces the origins of the ideas behind A Short History of Progress to the material he studied while writing A Scientific Romance and his 2000 essay for The Globe and Mail
titled "Civilization is a Pyramid Scheme" about the fall of the ninth-century Mayan civilization.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
who has written books of travel, history and fiction. His nonfiction includes the bestseller Stolen Continents, winner of the Gordon Montador Award and chosen as a book of the year by the Independent and the Sunday Times. His first novel, A Scientific Romance, won the 1997 David Higham Prize for Fiction
David Higham Prize for Fiction
The David Higham Prize for Fiction was inaugurated in 1975 to mark the 80th birthday of the late David Higham, literary agent, and was awarded annually to a citizen of the Commonwealth, Republic of Ireland, Pakistan, or South Africa for a first novel or book of short stories...
and was chosen a book of the year by the Globe and Mail, the Sunday Times, and the New York Times.
Wright was selected to give the 2004 Massey Lectures
Massey Lectures
The Massey Lectures are an annual week-long series of lectures on a political, cultural or philosophical topic given in Canada by a noted scholar. They were created in 1961 to honour Vincent Massey, Governor General of Canada...
. His contribution, A Short History of Progress
A Short History of Progress
A Short History of Progress is a non-fiction book and lecture series by Ronald Wright about societal collapse. The lectures were delivered as a series of five speeches, each taking place in different cities across Canada as part of the 2004 Massey Lectures which was broadcast on the CBC Radio...
, looks at the modern human predicament in light of the 10,000-year experiment with civilization
Civilization
Civilization is a sometimes controversial term that has been used in several related ways. Primarily, the term has been used to refer to the material and instrumental side of human cultures that are complex in terms of technology, science, and division of labor. Such civilizations are generally...
. In it he concludes that human civilization, to survive, would need to become environmentally sustainable, with specific reference to global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
and climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
.
His latest work What is America?: A Short History of the New World Order
What is America?: A Short History of the New World Order
In his 2008 What is America?: A Short History of the New World Order Ronald Wright continues the thread begun in A Short History of Progress by examining what he calls "the Columbian Age" and consequently the nature and historical origins of modern American imperium.-External links:* Knopf...
continues the thread begun in A Short History of Progress by examining what Wright calls "the Columbian Age" and consequently the nature and historical origins of modern American imperium
Imperium
Imperium is a Latin word which, in a broad sense, translates roughly as 'power to command'. In ancient Rome, different kinds of power or authority were distinguished by different terms. Imperium, referred to the sovereignty of the state over the individual...
.
Ronald Wright is also a frequent contributor to the Times Literary Supplement, and has written and presented documentaries for radio and television on both sides of the Atlantic. He studied archaeology at Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
and later at the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate in 1996. He lives in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
.
Career
Wright has a background in archaeology, history, linguistics, anthropology and comparative culture. He has written both fiction and non-fiction books dealing with anthropology and civilizations. His 1992 non-fiction book Stolen Continents: The "New World" Through Indian Eyes was awarded the 1993 Gordon Montador Award from the Writers' Trust of CanadaWriters' Trust of Canada
The Writers' Trust of Canada is a non-profit organization which provides financial support to Canadian writers.Founded by Margaret Atwood, Pierre Berton, Graeme Gibson, David Young and Margaret Laurence, the Writers' Trust of Canada was registered as a non-profit organization in 1976...
and his 1998 novel A Scientific Romance, about a museum curator who travels into the future and investigates the fate of the human race, won the David Higham Prize for Fiction
David Higham Prize for Fiction
The David Higham Prize for Fiction was inaugurated in 1975 to mark the 80th birthday of the late David Higham, literary agent, and was awarded annually to a citizen of the Commonwealth, Republic of Ireland, Pakistan, or South Africa for a first novel or book of short stories...
for first-time novelists. The novel, Henderson's Spear, published in 2002, was about a jailed filmmaker piecing together her family history in Polynesia.
In 2002 he moved from Port Hope, Ontario
Port Hope, Ontario
Port Hope is a municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada, about east of Toronto and about west of Kingston. It is located at the mouth of the Ganaraska River on the north shore of Lake Ontario, in the west end of Northumberland County...
to Salt Spring Island, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, near his wife's work as a professor of anthropology at the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
. Wright traces the origins of the ideas behind A Short History of Progress to the material he studied while writing A Scientific Romance and his 2000 essay for The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
titled "Civilization is a Pyramid Scheme" about the fall of the ninth-century Mayan civilization.
Novels
- A Scientific Romance, 1998, Vintage Canada
- Henderson's Spear, 2002, Vintage Canada
Non-fiction
- Cut Stones and Crossroads: A Journey in Peru, 1984, Penguin Books
- On Fiji Islands, 1986, Penguin Books
- Time Among the Maya, 1990, Penguin Books
- Stolen Continents: The "New World" Through Indian Eyes, 1992, Penguin Books
- Home and Away, 1994, Vintage Canada
- A Short History of ProgressA Short History of ProgressA Short History of Progress is a non-fiction book and lecture series by Ronald Wright about societal collapse. The lectures were delivered as a series of five speeches, each taking place in different cities across Canada as part of the 2004 Massey Lectures which was broadcast on the CBC Radio...
, 2004, Anansi Press - What is America?: A Short History of the New World OrderWhat is America?: A Short History of the New World OrderIn his 2008 What is America?: A Short History of the New World Order Ronald Wright continues the thread begun in A Short History of Progress by examining what he calls "the Columbian Age" and consequently the nature and historical origins of modern American imperium.-External links:* Knopf...
, 2008, Knopf Canada
Awards
- 1986 Canadian Science Writers' Association Award, for "The Lamanai Enigma"
- 1990 Shortlist, Trillium Book AwardTrillium Book AwardThe Trillium Award is given annually by the government of the Province of Ontario and is open to books in any genre: fiction, non-fiction, drama, children's books, and poetry. Anthologies, new editions, re-issues and translations are not eligible. Three jury members per language judge the...
, for Time Among the Maya - 1991 CBC Literary Award, for "Going to the Wall"
- 1992 Nominated, Author of the Year, CBA Libris Award, for Stolen Continents
- 1993 Gordon Montador Award, for Stolen Continents
- 1995 Globe and Mail Editor's Choice, for A Scientific Romance
- 1996 Honorary Doctorate, University of CalgaryUniversity of CalgaryThe University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
- 1997 David Higham Prize for FictionDavid Higham Prize for FictionThe David Higham Prize for Fiction was inaugurated in 1975 to mark the 80th birthday of the late David Higham, literary agent, and was awarded annually to a citizen of the Commonwealth, Republic of Ireland, Pakistan, or South Africa for a first novel or book of short stories...
for A Scientific Romance - 1998 Sunday TimesThe Sunday Times (UK)The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
(UK) Book of the Year, for A Scientific Romance - 2005 Finalist, British Columbia Achievement Foundation Award for Canadian Non-Fiction, for A Short History of Progress
- 2005 Non-Fiction Book of the Year, CBA Libris Award, for A Short History of Progress
External links
- RonaldWright.com Official Website (including audio and video interviews with the author)
- British Columbia Achievement Foundation Award biography of Ronald Wright as a finalist for Canadian non-fiction in 2005
- The Origins of Man contains, after a permaculture segment, the first of five 2004 Massey Lectures on A Short History of ProgressA Short History of ProgressA Short History of Progress is a non-fiction book and lecture series by Ronald Wright about societal collapse. The lectures were delivered as a series of five speeches, each taking place in different cities across Canada as part of the 2004 Massey Lectures which was broadcast on the CBC Radio...