Monica Hughes
Encyclopedia
Monica Hughes, OC
(November 3, 1925 – March 7, 2003), was an English-Canadian science fiction
author.
, Scotland
, England
and Zimbabwe
. She was the daughter of Edward Lindsay and Phillis Ince. Both her parents worked at the University of Liverpool
, where her father was a mathematician and her mother a biologist. She married Glen Hughes on April 22, 1957 and together they had 4 children. Before becoming a writer, Hughes had many other careers. She was a dress designer in London
England
, and Bulawayo
, Zimbabwe
between the years 1948-1949. She was also a bank clerk in 1951, and a laboratory technician from 1952 to 1957. Monica Hughes is known as one of Canada's best writers for children and young adults, having a hard time reaching maturity or adulthood. The central theme
in many of her books is science fiction
.
She is a writer who has written over 35 books for young people. One of her first book was called "Crisis on Conshelf Ten". Hughes attended Edinburgh University from 1942-1943. While in school, Hughes obligations to school were interrupted because of World War II
. She joined the Military
service, the Women's Royal Naval Service
, from the years 1943-1946, cracking German
codes. After returning from the war
, Hughes went back to school to study Meteorology
. When not writing or not in school, Hughes was said to enjoy swimming, walking, gardening and beachcombing
. In her school years, her teachers always encouraged her to write and join essay writing competitions. Monica Hughes has repeatedly been called "Canada's finest writer of science fiction for children", by critic Sarah Ellis in the The Horn Book Magazine
. She spoke 5 languages including Mandarin.
trilogy novels. Even though Hughes spent a large portion of her life writing, she didn't get any of her work published until the 1970s. Hughes first published work was entitles Gold-Fever Trail: A Klondike Adventure, which was a Canadian historical adventure. Hughes final work, published in 2002, was entitled The Maze. The Maze is a story about a female protagonist who must rescue herself and two bullies with her from a maze they were magically put in. One of the main reasons why Hughes began writing books, mainly focused on young adults, was because she was bored with China life.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(November 3, 1925 – March 7, 2003), was an English-Canadian science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
author.
Background
Before immigrating to Canada, from China, Monica Hughes lived in many different countries, including EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
. She was the daughter of Edward Lindsay and Phillis Ince. Both her parents worked at the University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
, where her father was a mathematician and her mother a biologist. She married Glen Hughes on April 22, 1957 and together they had 4 children. Before becoming a writer, Hughes had many other careers. She was a dress designer in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and Bulawayo
Bulawayo
Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland...
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
between the years 1948-1949. She was also a bank clerk in 1951, and a laboratory technician from 1952 to 1957. Monica Hughes is known as one of Canada's best writers for children and young adults, having a hard time reaching maturity or adulthood. The central theme
Theme (literature)
A theme is a broad, message, or moral of a story. The message may be about life, society, or human nature. Themes often explore timeless and universal ideas and are almost always implied rather than stated explicitly. Along with plot, character,...
in many of her books is science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
.
She is a writer who has written over 35 books for young people. One of her first book was called "Crisis on Conshelf Ten". Hughes attended Edinburgh University from 1942-1943. While in school, Hughes obligations to school were interrupted because of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. She joined the Military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
service, the Women's Royal Naval Service
Women's Royal Naval Service
The Women's Royal Naval Service was the women's branch of the Royal Navy.Members included cooks, clerks, wireless telegraphists, radar plotters, weapons analysts, range assessors, electricians and air mechanics...
, from the years 1943-1946, cracking German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
codes. After returning from the war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
, Hughes went back to school to study Meteorology
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
. When not writing or not in school, Hughes was said to enjoy swimming, walking, gardening and beachcombing
Beachcombing
Beachcombing and beachcomber are words with multiple, but related, meanings that have evolved over time.A beachcomber is someone who "combs" the beach, and the intertidal zone in general, looking for things of value, interest or utility....
. In her school years, her teachers always encouraged her to write and join essay writing competitions. Monica Hughes has repeatedly been called "Canada's finest writer of science fiction for children", by critic Sarah Ellis in the The Horn Book Magazine
Horn Book Magazine
The Horn Book Magazine, founded in Boston in 1924, is a bimonthly periodical about literature for children and young adults. It began life as a "suggestive purchase list" prepared by Bertha Mahony Miller and Elinor Whitney Field, proprietresses of the country's first bookstore for children, The...
. She spoke 5 languages including Mandarin.
Books
Monica Hughes has written over 30 books, and has nearly won almost every award for young adult fiction. Hughes is best known for her IsisIsis
Isis or in original more likely Aset is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the matron of nature and magic...
trilogy novels. Even though Hughes spent a large portion of her life writing, she didn't get any of her work published until the 1970s. Hughes first published work was entitles Gold-Fever Trail: A Klondike Adventure, which was a Canadian historical adventure. Hughes final work, published in 2002, was entitled The Maze. The Maze is a story about a female protagonist who must rescue herself and two bullies with her from a maze they were magically put in. One of the main reasons why Hughes began writing books, mainly focused on young adults, was because she was bored with China life.