T. A. Barron | |
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 Barron in 2008 | |
| Born | Thomas Archibald Barron March 26, 1952 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Princeton University Harvard University |
| Genre | Fantasy, self help, science fiction |
| Notable works |
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| Website | |
| tabarron | |
Thomas Archibald Barron (born March 26, 1952) is an American writer of fantasy literature, books for children and young adults, and nature books.
Barron [1] spent his early childhood in Harvard, Massachusetts, a town full of apple orchards and New England history (including the childhood home of Louisa May Alcott). [2] His family moved to Colorado and he spent much of his youth on a ranch in the Rocky Mountains. Barron's writing reflects his great passion for nature and the spiritual values of the natural world, as well as his belief in the power of every person.
He studied history and politics [3] at Princeton University, where he was a Trustee, [4] before he won a Rhodes Scholarship to attend Oxford University. He also has business and law degrees from Harvard University. To further his education, he spent a year traveling with his backpack around Europe, Asia, and Africa. [5] He served as president of a private equity firm in New York City before changing careers in 1990, when he returned to Colorado with his wife, Currie, and their children to become a full-time writer and conservationist.
Since then, he has written more than thirty novels, children's books, non-fiction books, and nature books. In 2011, he received The de Grummond Medallion for "lifetime contribution to the field of children's and young adult literature." [6] He has also won the Nautilus Award Grand Prize, and many other literary awards.
He is actively involved with environmental and conservation organizations, including The Wilderness Society, Earthjustice, World Wildlife Fund, Wildlife Conservation Society, the Alaska Conservation Foundation, and Colorado Open Lands.
In 2001, he founded a national prize to celebrate outstanding young people, who help other people or the environment—the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes (named after his mother). He has produced a documentary film, “Dream Big”, as well as several highly acclaimed videos that honor extraordinary young people of diverse backgrounds for his Inspiring Young Heroes website. He won a Telly Award in 2020 for excellence in video production in the Social Impact category.
To support the experience of Rhodes Scholars at Oxford, he created the Travel Program for Environmental Stewardship, which enables young leaders from around the world to visit inspiring wilderness regions like Patagonia. [7] In addition, he supports the Elizabeth Kiss Fund for Character, Service, and Leadership, which he named in honor of the CEO of the Rhodes Trust, to organize in-depth retreats for Rhodes Scholars.
At Princeton University Barron created the Barron Family Fund for Innovations in Environmental Studies which assists faculty and students involved in the environment and humanities, as well as the Prize for Environmental Leadership given to students who demonstrate outstanding initiative in environmental issues. [3] All this builds on Barron's work decades earlier to help found the High Meadows Environmental Institute. He and his wife also created the Thomas A. and Currie C. Barron Family Biodiversity Research Fund which supports research to protect different species and ecosystems. [8] In addition, he created the Henry David Thoreau Freshman Seminar in Environmental Writing. [9]
Beyond his support of the Rhodes Scholarships and Princeton, T. A. Barron has worked to advance education and environmental protection. At World Wildlife Fund, he helped to establish the Boundless fellowship program, a global program to support young environmental leaders. He created scholarships for environmental law at Harvard University, [10] as well as scholarships for students in environmental studies at University of California Santa Barbara. [11] He also created scholarships for creative writing at Vermont College of Fine Arts and at Hamline University, [12] and an internship for the conservation of ancient manuscripts at Oxford University's Bodleian Library. [13] In addition, he founded the Youth in Wilderness program at The Wilderness Society, as well as the organization's scholarships for graduate students working to advance the cause of conservation. Recently, The Wilderness Society honored him with the Robert Marshall Award, its highest award given to citizens active in conservation.
In many of his novels, Barron writes about nature and ecology in mythical settings. Inspired by nature's power of renewal as well as humanity's power of free choice, he says, "I truly believe every person can make a difference — that's why I'm drawn to heroic quest stories." His books have received the Nautilus Award Grand Prize for literature that helps to renew the spirit and envision a better world, as well as many other awards from the American Library Association, and the International Literacy Association. The Merlin Saga (13 titles) and the novel The Ancient One have been international best sellers; The Great Tree of Avalon trilogy has been a New York Times best seller.
According to Booklist , his books are "completely magical" and "will enchant readers." The New York Times has called his work "august" and "compelling". Fellow author Isabel Allende has said his writing is "brilliant—a real gift"; similarly, author Madeleine L'Engle called his stories "a crescendo of miracles." Fellow writer Terry Tempest Williams has hailed him as the creator of "environmental fables for our time." Robert Coles, M.D. has praised his work by saying, "Here is so much grace." And writer Lloyd Alexander called his books "an intense and profoundly spiritual adventure."
His podcast, Magic and Mountains: The T. A. Barron Podcast , illuminates the magic of Merlin, the wonders and challenges of nature, the experience of creative writing, the inspiration of young heroes, and the invitation to everyone to see your life as a story. [14]
Disney film studios is currently developing a film adaptation of The Merlin Saga. In November 2015, Philippa Boyens was hired to write the script. [15] Ridley Scott was in talks about directing it in 2018. [16] By October 2021, Michael Matthews was attached to direct it, [17] and Gil Netter was set as the film's producer. [18]
The Merlin Saga (2011) is a 12-book series originally sold as three separate series: The Lost Years of Merlin epic, Merlin's Dragon trilogy, and The Great Tree of Avalon trilogy. It also includes the prequel, GIANT (2021). The final book in the series is The Book of Magic, an encyclopedia of the characters and places in the series.
Merlin is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a magician, with several other main roles. The familiar depiction of Merlin, based on an amalgamation of historical and legendary figures, was introduced by the 12th-century British pseudo-historical author Geoffrey of Monmouth and then built on by the French poet Robert de Boron and prose successors in the 13th century.
Avalon is a mythical island featured in the Arthurian legend. It first appeared in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 1136 Historia Regum Britanniae as a place of magic where King Arthur's sword Excalibur was made and later where Arthur was taken to recover from being gravely wounded at the Battle of Camlann. Since then, the island has become a symbol of Arthurian mythology, similar to Arthur's castle of Camelot.
Uther Pendragon (Brittonic), also known as King Uther, was a legendary King of the Britons and father of King Arthur.
The Lady of the Lake is a name or a title used by several either fairy or fairy-like but human enchantresses in the Matter of Britain, the body of medieval literature and mythology associated with the legend of King Arthur. She plays several important roles in many stories, including providing Arthur with the sword Excalibur, eliminating Merlin, raising Lancelot after the death of his father, and helping to take the dying Arthur to Avalon. Different sorceresses known as the Lady of the Lake appear concurrently as separate characters in some versions of the legend since at least the Post-Vulgate Cycle and consequently the seminal Le Morte d'Arthur, with the latter describing them as a hierarchical group, while some texts also give this title to either Morgan or her sister.
Morgan le Fay, alternatively known as Morgan[n]a, Morgain[a/e], Morg[a]ne, Morgant[e], Morge[i]n, and Morgue[in] among other names and spellings, is a powerful and ambiguous enchantress from the legend of King Arthur, in which most often she and he are siblings. Early appearances of Morgan in Arthurian literature do not elaborate her character beyond her role as a goddess, a fay, a witch, or a sorceress, generally benevolent and connected to Arthur as his magical saviour and protector. Her prominence increased as the legend of Arthur developed over time, as did her moral ambivalence, and in some texts there is an evolutionary transformation of her to an antagonist, particularly as portrayed in cyclical prose such as the Lancelot-Grail and the Post-Vulgate Cycle. A significant aspect in many of Morgan's medieval and later iterations is the unpredictable duality of her nature, with potential for both good and evil.
The Warlord Chronicles or The Warlord Trilogy is a series of three novels about Arthurian Britain written by Bernard Cornwell. The story is written as a mixture of historical fiction and Arthurian legend. The books were originally published between 1995 and 1997 by Penguin and Michael Joseph in the United Kingdom and by St. Martin's Press in the United States. It has been adapted for television as The Winter King.
The Pendragon Cycle is a series of historical fantasy books based on Arthurian legend, written by Stephen R. Lawhead. The cycle was originally planned as a four-book series, but the original publisher opted to stop after the first three books, resulting in an abrupt ending to Arthur and the existence of many unexplored stories and plotlines. The first three books were thus originally called "The Pendragon Trilogy". Lawhead moved to a new publisher a few years later. It was decided to expand on the trilogy by finishing the series, and two additional books were planned. These books, Pendragon and Grail, are set in between events covered in Arthur. Lawhead later wrote a final book Avalon, which is not considered to be a true addition to the cycle but rather a "related semi-sequel" to round out the "Once and Future King" aspect of the legend. The film and television rights to the series were purchased by DailyWire+ in November 2022.
GrailQuest is a series of gamebooks by J. H. Brennan. The books are illustrated by John Higgins. The stories follow the adventures of a young hero named Pip, who is often called upon by Merlin to right wrongs and save the realm from evil. The series is light in tone and does not take itself seriously, often spoofing the fantasy genre and inserting slapstick humour or nonsensical elements.
The Great Tree of Avalon is a fantasy novel by T. A. Barron, published by Penguin Young Readers Group. The book is the ninth novel in the 12-book series known as Merlin Saga. It was originally published as The Great Tree of Avalon: Child of the Dark Prophecy, the first novel in The Great Tree of Avalon trilogy, and is set in a world made up of a great tree and its seven roots inhabited by creatures.
Shadows on the Stars is a fantasy novel by T. A. Barron, published by Penguin Young Readers Group. The book is the tenth novel in the 12-book series known as Merlin Saga. It was originally published as The Great Tree of Avalon: Shadows on the Stars, the second novel in The Great Tree of Avalon trilogy, and is set in a world made up of a great tree and its seven roots inhabited by creatures.
The Eternal Flame is a fantasy novel by T. A. Barron, published by Penguin Young Readers Group. The book is the eleventh novel in the 12-book series known as Merlin Saga. It was originally published as The Great Tree of Avalon: The Eternal Flame, the final novel in The Great Tree of Avalon trilogy, and is set in a world made up of a great tree and its seven roots inhabited by creatures.
Merlin Book 2: The Seven Songs is a fantasy novel by T. A. Barron, published by Philomel Books in 1997. The Seven Songs is the second book in a 12-book series known as The Merlin Saga. This book was originally published as The Seven Songs of Merlin, book two of The Lost Years of Merlin epic, a 5-book series. These books chronicle the childhood of Merlin.
Stories involving the mythical wizard Merlin have been popular since the Renaissance, especially with the renewed interest in the legend of King Arthur in modern times. As noted by Arthurian scholar Alan Lupack, "numerous novels, poems and plays center around Merlin. In American literature and popular culture, Merlin is perhaps the most frequently portrayed Arthurian character."
The Raging Fires is a fantasy novel by T. A. Barron originally published by Penguin in 1998. The Raging Fires is the third book in a 12-book series known as The Merlin Saga. This book was originally published as The Fires of Merlin, book three of The Lost Years of Merlin epic, a 5-book series providing a childhood story for the legendary Merlin, wizard of Arthurian legend.
J. Robert King is an American fantasy novelist and former editor and game designer. He also writes non-fantasy fiction as John R. King.
The Sons of Avalon Saga is a series of Arthurian Legend novels, by American novelist, Dee Marie. The first book in the series, Sons of Avalon, Merlin’s Prophecy, begins with the birth of Merlin, and ends with the conception of King Arthur. Future books in the series explore the birth and life of King Arthur and his court.
David Alexander Robertson is a Canadian author and public speaker from Winnipeg, Manitoba. He has published over 25 books across a variety of genres and is a two-time winner of the Governor General's Literary Award His first novel, The Evolution of Alice, was published in 2014. Robertson is a member of the Norway House Cree Nation.
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