Megan Kate Nelson is an American author and historian who has focused on

environmental history Environmental history is the study of Human impact on the environment, human interaction with the natural world over time, emphasising the active role nature plays in influencing human affairs and vice versa. Environmental history first emerged ...

military history Military history is the study of War, armed conflict in the Human history, history of humanity, and its impact on the societies, cultures and economies thereof, as well as the resulting changes to Politics, local and international relationship ...

, and the

American West The Western United States (also called the American West, the Western States, the Far West, the Western territories, and the West) is census regions United States Census Bureau As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the mea ...

. She was a finalist for the

Pulitzer Prize for History The Pulitzer Prize for History, administered by Columbia University, is one of the seven American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Letters, Drama, and Music. It has been presented since 1917 for a distinguished book about the histor ...

for her book ''The Three-Cornered War.''

Education

Megan Kate Nelson began her studies as an undergraduate at Harvard University, majoring in history and literature. She went on to earn her PhD in American Studies at the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (U of I, UIowa, or Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized int ...

Career

Before becoming a full-time writer, she taught at

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...

Cal State Fullerton California State University, Fullerton (CSUF or Cal State Fullerton) is a public research university in Fullerton, California, United States. With a total enrollment of more than 41,000, it has the largest student body of the California State ...

MIT The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of modern technology and sc ...

, and

Texas Tech University Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public university, public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the flagship instit ...

. Her writings have focused on the

, the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, and the

Reconstruction era The Reconstruction era was a period in History of the United States, US history that followed the American Civil War (1861-65) and was dominated by the legal, social, and political challenges of the Abolitionism in the United States, abol ...

. In addition to her books, she also has published articles in the ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

,'' the ''

Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

,'' ''

Slate Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous, metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade, regional metamorphism. It is the finest-grained foliated metamorphic ro ...

,'' ''

Smithsonian Magazine ''Smithsonian'' is a magazine covering science, history, art, popular culture and innovation. The first issue was published in 1970. History The history of ''Smithsonian'' began when Edward K. Thompson, the retired editor of ''Life'' magazine ...

'', ''

Chronicle of Higher Education ''The Chronicle of Higher Education'' is an American newspaper and website that presents news, information, and jobs for college and university faculty and student affairs professionals, including staff members and administrators. A subscriptio ...

,'' '' Preservation Magazine,'' and ''

Civil War Times ''Civil War Times'' (formerly ''Civil War Times Illustrated'') was a history magazine that covered the American Civil War. It was established in 1962 by Robert Fowler due to centennial anniversary interest in the Civil War in the United States. ...

.''

Selected works

Books

* ''Saving Yellowstone: Exploration and Preservation in Reconstruction America'' (Scribner, 2022) * ''The Three-Cornered War: The Union, the Confederacy, and Native Peoples in the Fight for the West'' (Scribner, 2020) * ''Ruin Nation: Destruction and the American Civil War'' (University of Georgia Press, 2012) * ''Trembling Earth: A Cultural History of the Okefenokee Swamp'' (University of Georgia Press, 2005)

Awards and honors

* Pulitzer Prize Finalist in 2021 ''(The Three-Cornered War)'' * Reading the West Book Award Longlist in 2021 ''(The Three-Cornered War)'' * Spur Award for Best Historical Nonfiction Book in 2023 (''Saving Yellowstone)'' * Reading the West Book Award Longlist in 2023 (''Saving Yellowstone)''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Kate Megan Year of birth missing (living people) Living people American women historical novelists American historical novelists Harvard College alumni University of Iowa alumni Texas Tech University faculty California State University, Fullerton faculty Brown University faculty Massachusetts Institute of Technology faculty