Japanese Literary Awards

← Back to Home

Mary Doria Russell

メアリ・ドリア・ラッセル

Meari Doria Rasseru

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1950-08-19 （Chicago suburbs, Illinois, United States）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Religion
Judaism
Residence History
South Euclid (Cleveland suburbs), Ohio, United States

Career

Occupations
Novelist
Active Years
1996-

Education

University of Michigan
Graduate School / Physical/biological anthropology
Degree: Ph.D.
Country: United States
Earned a Ph.D. in physical/biological anthropology

Awards

James Tiptree Jr. Award
1997
Work: The Sparrow
Organization: James Tiptree Jr. Award organization
Result: 受賞
Arthur C. Clarke Award
1998
Work: The Sparrow
Organization: Arthur C. Clarke Award committee
Result: 受賞
British Science Fiction Association Award
1998
Work: The Sparrow
Organization: British Science Fiction Association
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Sparrow

1996 Science fiction

A science fiction novel about first contact: an expedition of researchers and religious figures from Earth encounters an alien civilization, exploring suffering, faith, and moral consequences.

first contactfaith and ethicssuffering and redemption

Children of God

1998 Science fiction

Sequel to The Sparrow, dealing with the aftermath of the first novel's events and the continuing impact of contact with the alien civilization.

return and healingcross-cultural understanding

A Thread of Grace

2005 Historical fiction

Set in wartime Italy, this historical novel follows efforts to rescue Jewish refugees and the resistance, drawing on many real testimonies from survivors.

war and resistancehumanitarianismmemory and testimony

Dreamers of the Day

2008 Historical fiction

A historical novel centered on the 1921 Cairo Conference, portraying events and figures that shaped the modern Middle East.

historical figuresdiplomacy and border formation

Doc

2011 Historical fiction

A biographical historical novel centered on the real-life figure Doc Holliday and events in the American West.

biographyAmerican West history

Epitaph: A Novel of the O.K. Corral

2015 Historical fiction

A historical novel portraying the ensemble of characters surrounding the O.K. Corral gunfight.

American historyviolence and justice

The Women of the Copper Country: A Novel

2019 Historical fiction

A historical novel about the struggles and community of women in American copper-mining history.

labor historywomen's history

Bibliography

  • The Sparrow (1996)
  • Children of God (1998)
  • A Thread of Grace (2005)
  • Dreamers of the Day (2008)
  • Doc (2011)
  • Epitaph: A Novel of the O.K. Corral (2015)
  • The Women of the Copper Country (2019)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
detailed historical description based on meticulous researchweighty style that weaves in religious and ethical questions
Recurring Motifs
conflict of faith and ethicsmemory and testimonycross-cultural contact (first contact)

Legacy

An author acclaimed in both science fiction and historical fiction. Known for deeply probing religious and ethical issues; The Sparrow is widely regarded as a significant work of SF.

Trivia

  • She has Italian ancestry.
  • She converted to Judaism.
  • Both parents served in the military (father a Marine drill instructor, mother a Navy nurse).