Duncan Thornton (born June 14, 1962) is a
Canadian author, speaker, and
futurist. He was born in
Gods Lake Narrows, Manitoba, where his father served as minister in the
United Church of Canada. The family moved to
Winnipeg a few years later. At the age of the 13 he dropped out of school, but 20 he enrolled as a mature student at the
University of Saskatchewan in
Saskatoon. He went on to graduate from the
University of Winnipeg (BA, hon.s in English and History). He also did graduate work in English at both
Concordia University
Concordia University ( French: ''Université Concordia'') is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1974 following the merger of Loyola College and Sir George Williams University, Concordia is one of the t ...
in Montreal and the
University of Manitoba. He currently lives in Winnipeg with his wife, author Brenda Hasiuk, and their two children.
Thornton was diagnosed with
multiple sclerosis
Multiple (cerebral) sclerosis (MS), also known as encephalomyelitis disseminata or disseminated sclerosis, is the most common demyelinating disease, in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This d ...
in 2009. In March 2010, Thornton visited the
EuroMedic clinic in
Katowice
Katowice ( , , ; szl, Katowicy; german: Kattowitz, yi, קאַטעוויץ, Kattevitz) is the capital city of the Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland and the central city of the Upper Silesian metropolitan area. It is the 11th most popul ...
, Poland, to become one of the first Canadians treated for
CCSVI, a vascular problem common in MS patients first described by Dr.
Paolo Zamboni. He has spoken frequently in the media about CCSVI and his experience with its treatment, and was one of the founders of CCSVI Manitoba, a group that advocates for access to CCSVI testing and treatment for Manitobans with Multiple Sclerosis.
Bibliography
Novels
His first novel, ''Kalifax'' (1999), a
young adult fiction fantasy described as a fairy-tale retelling of the search for the
Northwest Passage, was nominated for the 2000
Governor General's Award for Children's Literature. The sequel, ''Captain Jenny and the Sea of Wonders'' (2001) was a counterpart inspired by classic literature of
Old World
The "Old World" is a term for Afro-Eurasia that originated in Europe , after Europeans became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia, which were previously thought of by the ...
exploration. The final book in the series, ''The Star-Glass'' (2003), won the 2004
McNally Robinson Book Prize for Young People.
''Shadow-Town''
(2008) his first novel in several years, is the first of a new four-book sequence called "The Vastlands."
Other works
Thornton was the founding editor of the electronic version of Canadian Materials, one of the first regular on-line publications in Canada. He also developed and led
Red River College’s innovative New Media Program. These experiences led to a second career as a lecturer and columnist on technology trends.
Thornton was also the 2004-2005 Writer-in-Residence for the
Winnipeg Public Library
The Winnipeg Public Library (french: Bibliothèque publique de Winnipeg) is a public library system in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Branches provide programming for children, teens, and adults. The Library also contains an Outreach Department which works ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thornton, Duncan
Canadian children's writers
Living people
1962 births
University of Winnipeg alumni