The Sole Society, a Family History Society researching Sole, Saul, Sewell, Solley and similar names

Famous Living Sauls - John Ralston Saul

from Tim Soles

This article was originally published in the August 2002 edition of Soul Search, the journal of The Sole Society.

John Ralston SaulEssayist and novelist, John Ralston Saul was born in Ottawa in 1947 to an officer in the Canadian army and his English war bride. He was educated in the public school systems of Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario before receiving an Honours B.A. at McGill University and a Ph.D. on the modernization of France at King's College, University of London. Mr. Saul is fluently bilingual.

In addition to continuing his private work as essayist and novelist, His Excellency John Ralston Saul participates in many activities of the Governor General of Canada. In this official role, he has also undertaken initiatives to encourage national debate among Canadians of all ages on issues such as bilingual education and the future of Canadian democracy.

His five novels are The Birds of Prey (1977) and De si bons Américains (1994), both published first in French, and The Field Trilogy, which deals with the crisis of modern power and its clash with the individual. The last volume of this trilogy, The Paradise Eater, won the prestigious Italian Premio Letterario Internazionale. His books are translated into more than a dozen languages.

Mr. Saul launched a national debate with his reinterpretation of the nature of Canada in Reflections of a Siamese Twin, (1997) for which he again won the Gordon Montador Award (1998).

A Companion in the Order of Canada (1999), Mr. Saul is also Chevalier in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France (1996). He holds honorary doctorates from the Universities of McGill, Victoria, Western Ontario, Simon Fraser and McMaster. He received the first Canadian Teacher’s Federation Public Education Advocacy Award (2000). He received The Tony Aspler Excellence Award for his contributions to the Ontario Wine Industry which was presented at Cuvée 2002.