Ronald Wright (born 1948, London, England) 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 ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'' and the ''

Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British Sunday newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of N ...

''. His first novel, ''A Scientific Romance'', won the 1997

David Higham Prize for Fiction David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-D ...

and was chosen a book of the year by the ''

Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of more than 6 million in 2024, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it fall ...

'', the ''Sunday Times'', and ''

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 ...

''.

Early life and education

He studied archaeology at

Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

and later at the

University of Calgary {{Infobox university , name = University of Calgary , image = University of Calgary coat of arms without motto scroll.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms , former ...

, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate in 1996.

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. Wright was selected to give the 2004

Massey Lectures The Massey Lectures is an annual five-part series of lectures given in Canada by distinguished writers, thinkers, and scholars who explore important ideas and issues of contemporary interest. Created in 1961 in honour of Vincent Massey, a forme ...

. His contribution, ''

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 200 ...

'', looks at the modern human predicament in light of the 10,000-year experiment with

civilization A civilization (also spelled civilisation in British English) is any complex society characterized by the development of state (polity), the state, social stratification, urban area, urbanization, and symbolic systems of communication beyon ...

. In it he concludes that human civilization, to survive, would need to become environmentally sustainable, with specific reference to

global warming Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes ...

and

climate change Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...

. His second book '' 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 In ancient Rome, ''imperium'' was a form of authority held by a citizen to control a military or governmental entity. It is distinct from '' auctoritas'' and '' potestas'', different and generally inferior types of power in the Roman Republic a ...

. 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'' is a Newspapers in Canada, Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in Western Canada, western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of more than 6 million in 2024, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on week ...

'' titled "Civilization is a Pyramid Scheme" about the fall of the ninth-century Mayan civilization. His book ''The Gold Eaters was'' a novel set during the Spanish invasion of the

Inca Empire The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The History of the Incas, Inca ...

in the 1520s–1540s, was published in 2015. His 1992 non-fiction book '' Stolen Continents'' was awarded the 1993 Gordon Montador Award from the

Writers' Trust of Canada The Writers' Trust of Canada () is a registered charity which provides financial support to Canadian writers. Founded by Margaret Atwood, Pierre Berton, Graeme Gibson, Margaret Laurence, and David Young (Canadian playwright), David Young; the W ...

and his 1997 novel ''A Scientific Romance'', about a museum curator who travels into the future and investigates the fate of the human race, won the

for first-time novelists. The novel, ''Henderson's Spear'', published in 2001, was about a jailed filmmaker piecing together her family history in Polynesia. Wright is a contributor to the ''

Times Literary Supplement ''The Times Literary Supplement'' (''TLS'') is a weekly literary review published in London by News UK, a subsidiary of News Corp. History The ''TLS'' first appeared in 1902 as a supplement to ''The Times'' but became a separate publication ...

'', and has written and presented documentaries for radio and television on both sides of the Atlantic.

Bibliography

Novels

* * *

Non-fiction

* * * * * * *

Awards

* 1986 Canadian Science Writers' Association Award, for "The Lamanai Enigma" * 1990 Shortlist,

Trillium Book Award The Trillium Book Award ( or ''Prix Trillium'') is an annual literary award presented to writers in Ontario, Canada. It is administered by Ontario Creates, a Crown agency (Ontario), Crown agency of the Government of Ontario, which is overseen by ...

, for ''Time Among the Maya'' * 1991

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is the Canadian Public broadcasting, public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a Crown corporation that serves as the national public broadcaster, with its E ...

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

Editor's Choice, for ''A Scientific Romance'' * 1996 Honorary Doctorate,

* 1997

for ''A Scientific Romance'' * 1998 ''

The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British Sunday newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of N ...

'' (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 CBA Libris Award, "Non-Fiction Book of the Year," for ''A Short History of Progress''

Personal life

In 2004, Wright moved from Ontario to one of the

Gulf Islands The Gulf Islands is a group of islands in the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the British Columbia Coast, mainland coast of British Columbia. Etymology The name "Gulf Islands" comes from "Gulf of Georgia", the original term used by Geor ...

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

References

External links

Official Website
Ronald Wright
British Columbia Achievement Foundation Award biography of Ronald Wright
as a finalist for Canadian non-fiction in 2005
Massey Lecture: A Short History of Progress
Ronald Wright, 2017 {{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, Ronald 1948 births Living people Canadian male novelists 20th-century Canadian historians Canadian male non-fiction writers 21st-century Canadian historians British emigrants to Canada