Frederick Niven
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Frederick John Niven, (March 31, 1878 – January 30, 1944) was a Canadian novelist of Scottish heritage. A prolific author, he produced over thirty works of fiction, an autobiography, poetry, essays, and pieces of journalism.Wagner 1985, p. 4.


Biography


Early life

Niven was born in Valparaiso,
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
on 31 March 1878, the youngest of three children.New 1972, p. 5. His father manufactured sewed
muslin Muslin () is a cotton fabric of plain weave. It is made in a wide range of weights from delicate sheers to coarse sheeting. It gets its name from the city of Mosul, Iraq, where it was first manufactured. Muslin of uncommonly delicate handsp ...
, while his mother was a
Calvinist Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...
born in
Calcutta Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...
.Walker 1989, p. 96. When he reached school age, he accompanied his mother to Scotland. He was educated at Hutcheson's Grammar School,
Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, where his heart trouble prevented him from swimming.Walker 1989, pp. 93–94. First employed in his father's factory, he later worked as a librarian in Glasgow and
Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
, and also had employment in a jewelry shop. He attended the
Glasgow School of Art The Glasgow School of Art (GSA; gd, Sgoil-ealain Ghlaschu) is a higher education art school based in Glasgow, Scotland, offering undergraduate degrees, post-graduate awards (both taught and research-led), and PhDs in architecture, fine art, and ...
during the evening for two years. On the advice of a doctor, in his late teens Niven moved to the drier climate of the
Okanagan Valley The Okanagan ( ), also known as the Okanagan Valley and sometimes as the Okanagan Country, is a region in the Canadian province of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. It is part ...
in
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
.New 1972, p. 10–11. He worked on a railroad near
Savona Savona (; lij, Sann-a ) is a seaport and ''comune'' in the west part of the northern Italy, Italian region of Liguria, capital of the Province of Savona, in the Riviera di Ponente on the Mediterranean Sea. Savona used to be one of the chie ...
and dug ditches in
Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
.New 1972, p. 12. When he was twenty years old, he spent a summer tramping in southern British Columbia, later portrayed in ''Wild Honey''. His return to Scotland was aboard a cattleboat from Montreal, a setting recreated in ''S. S. Glory'' (1915). After his arrival, he contributed western sketches to the ''Glasgow Weekly Herald'', and later, to ''
The Pall Mall Magazine ''The Pall Mall Magazine'' was a monthly British literary magazine published between 1893 and 1914. Begun by William Waldorf Astor as an offshoot of ''The Pall Mall Gazette'', the magazine included poetry, short stories, serialized fiction, and ge ...
'', eventually becoming a journalist.Kemp 1997, p. 296. His first novel, ''Lost Cabin Mine'' (1908), was a
Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...
published serially in ''
The Popular Magazine ''The Popular Magazine'' was an early American literary magazine that ran for 612 issues from November 1903 to October 1931. It featured short fiction, novellas, serialized larger works, and even entire short novels. The magazine's subject matter ...
''. His second, ''The Island of Providence'' (1910), a historical romance of 17th century
Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...
, contained scenes replete with pirates and buccaneers. His first foray into realistically depicting Scottish life was ''A Wilderness of Monkeys'' (1911).McCourt 1949, p. 41. In 1911, Niven married Mary Pauline Thorne-Quelch, a journalist fifteen years his junior. In 1912 and 1913 the couple spent several months travelling in Western Canada prior to returning to
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
before
WWI World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.New 1972, p. 13. Niven was rejected for military service due to his heart condition. He spent the war working for the Ministry of Food and the War Office. This period, the years 1913 to 1920, was most productive, and included the publication of ''Justice of the Peace'' (1914), which many, including his wife, consider to be his finest novel.Walker 1989, p. 95.McCourt 1949, p. 40. His first volume of poetry, ''Maple Leaf Songs'', appeared in 1917.


British Columbia

In 1920, Niven and his wife settled permanently on Willow Point, near
Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...
, British Columbia, on the shores of
Kootenay Lake Kootenay Lake is a lake located in British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the Kootenay River. The lake has been raised by the Corra Linn Dam and has a dike system at the southern end, which, along with industry in the 1950s–70s, has changed th ...
.New 1972, p. 14. Starting in this decade, Niven traveled extensively, learning sign language from the
Blackfoot people The Blackfoot Confederacy, ''Niitsitapi'' or ''Siksikaitsitapi'' (ᖹᐟᒧᐧᒣᑯ, meaning "the people" or " Blackfoot-speaking real people"), is a historic collective name for linguistically related groups that make up the Blackfoot or Bla ...
at
Calgary Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...
,New 1972, p. 15. and also went farther abroad, to
South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...
, the
Yukon Yukon (; ; formerly called Yukon Territory and also referred to as the Yukon) is the smallest and westernmost of Canada's three territories. It also is the second-least populated province or territory in Canada, with a population of 43,964 as ...
, and
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
.Walker 1989, p. 97. The year 1923 saw the publication of the Western ''The Wolfer'', a novel Niven described as written partly for fun and partly for money. He produced articles for ''
Canadian Magazine The ''Canadian Magazine of Politics, Science, Art and Literature'' was the premiere monthly literary journal of Anglophone Canada for three decades. History and profile Edited first by James Gordon Mowat then by John Alexander Cooper, the first is ...
'', '' The Dalhousie Review'', and '' Saturday Night''.Walker 1989, p. 97. He now solely lived by his writing.New 1972, pp. 14–15. In 1927, he published ''Wild Honey'' (UK ''Queer Fellowes''), an account of hobo life, which the writer
Charles Lillard Charles "Red" Lillard (February 26, 1944 – March 27, 1997) was an American-born poet and historian who spent much of his adult life in British Columbia and became a Canadian citizen in 1967. He wrote extensively about the history and culture of ...
later described as one of three best early novels of British Columbia. Two years later, he put forth a pair of non-fiction books, ''The Story of Alexander Selkirk'', and ''Canada West'', a historical account of western Canada. One disadvantage of living in British Columbia was that his reputation in England began to decline.New 1972, p. 15. The 1930s witnessed some of Niven's best Scottish novels, including ''The Three Marys'' (1930), ''The Paisley Shawl'' (1931), and the ''Staff at Simson's'' (1937).Walker 1989, pp. 95–96. The first novel in his Canadian historical trilogy, ''The Flying Years'', appeared in 1935. He collaborated with the artist Walter J. Phillips to produce ''Colour in the Canadian Rockies'' (1937).McCourt 1949, p. 41. Niven published in 1938 a series of autobiographical essays entitled ''Coloured Spectacles''. His trilogy continued with ''Mine Inheritance'' (1940), and the posthumously published ''The Transplanted'' (1944). Due to repeated heart attacks, Niven first moved to Nelson, and in 1943 to Vancouver. He died there on January 10, 1944.New 1972, p. 16. He is buried in Nelson, British Columbia. In 1946 his headstone was provided by the City of Glasgow, and the memorial tablet by the
Canadian Authors Association The Canadian Authors Association is Canada's oldest association for writers and authors. The organization has published several periodicals, organized local chapters and events for Canadian writers, and sponsors writing awards, including the Gover ...
. The Frederick Niven Literary Award, given for outstanding contribution to literature by a Scot, is named after him.


Criticism

The Canadian literary critic
Northrop Frye Herman Northrop Frye (July 14, 1912 – January 23, 1991) was a Canadian literary critic and literary theorist, considered one of the most influential of the 20th century. Frye gained international fame with his first book, '' Fearful Symmet ...
considered Niven to be a "writer of brilliant promise". He was reviewed favourably by
Hugh Walpole Sir Hugh Seymour Walpole, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, CBE (13 March 18841 June 1941) was an English novelist. He was the son of an Anglican clergyman, intended for a career in the church but drawn instead to writing. Among th ...
,
Christopher Morley Christopher Darlington Morley (May 5, 1890 – March 28, 1957) was an American journalist, novelist, essayist and poet. He also produced stage productions for a few years and gave college lectures.''Online Literature'' Biography Morley was bo ...
,
Rebecca West Dame Cicily Isabel Fairfield (21 December 1892 – 15 March 1983), known as Rebecca West, or Dame Rebecca West, was a British author, journalist, literary critic and travel writer. An author who wrote in many genres, West reviewed books ...
, and
Katherine Mansfield Kathleen Mansfield Murry (née Beauchamp; 14 October 1888 – 9 January 1923) was a New Zealand writer, essayist and journalist, widely considered one of the most influential and important authors of the modernist movement. Her works are celebra ...
. However, he never reached the top echelon of either Scottish or Canadian authors.Walker 1989, p. 105. His first novels were influenced by
Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll a ...
and the hero of
penny dreadfuls Penny dreadfuls were cheap popular serial literature produced during the nineteenth century in the United Kingdom. The pejorative term is roughly interchangeable with penny horrible, penny awful, and penny blood. The term typically referred to ...
,
Deadwood Dick Deadwood Dick is a fictional character who appears in a series of stories, or dime novels, published between 1877 and 1897 by Edward Lytton Wheeler (1854/5–1885). The name became so widely known in its time that it was used to advantage by s ...
. The quality of his works varied greatly, several being nothing more than potboilers. Niven's literary reputation rested mainly on his early novel ''The Justice of the Peace''.McCourt 1949, p. 40. His Scottish novels are thought to be superior to his Canadian ones.Wagner 1985, p. 13. The critic Edward McCourt ascribed this to Niven's emigration to Canada in middle age, and imperfect assimilation of the mores of his new home.McCourt 1949, pp. 50–55. Niven was a careful stylist, and his writing showed qualities of wit, humanity, and intelligence.New 1972, p. 3. His ability to write memorable poetic descriptions has been remarked upon.Wagner 1985, pp. 4–5.McCourt 1949, pp. 44–45. The plots in his Scottish novels are not well developed, relying rather on an evocation of character and atmosphere.Wagner 1985, p. 6. Despite the diligent sourcing of historical data, Niven's Canadian trilogy is marred by frequently wooden characters.McCourt 1949, pp. 47–48, 50. One noted structural defect in ''The Flying Years'' is the too rapid passage of time, making it seem episodic.Walker 1989, p. 101. The latter novel is the only one of Niven's works to be included in the
New Canadian Library The New Canadian Library is a publishing imprint of the Canadian company McClelland and Stewart. The series aims to present classic works of Canadian literature in paperback. Each work published in the series includes a short essay by another not ...
series.Walker 1989, p. 98.


List of works

* ''The Lost Cabin Mine'' (1908) - novel set in British Columbia * ''The Island Providence'' (1910) - historical novel set partly in Caribbean * ''A Wilderness Of Monkeys'' (1911) - Scottish novel * ''Dead Men's Bells'' (1912) - Scottish & pirate novel set in 18th century * ''Above Your Heads'' (1912) - short stories * ''Hands Up!'' (1913) - novel set in United States * ''Ellen Adair'' (1913) - Scottish novel * ''The Porcelain Lady'' (1913) - Scottish novel * ''Justice Of The Peace'' (1914 & 1923) - Scottish novel * ''The SS Glory'' (1915) - novel set on a cattleboat from Montreal to Liverpool * ''Cinderella Of Skookum Creek'' (1916) - novel set in western North America * ''Two Generations'' (1916) - Scottish novel * ''Sage Brush Stories'' (1917) - short stories * ''Maple Leaf Songs'' (1917) - poetry * ''Penny Scot's Treasure'' (1918) - novel set in western Canada * ''The Lady Of The Crossing'' (1919) - novel set in British Columbia * ''A Tale That Is Told'' (1920) - Scottish novel * ''The Wolfer'' (1923) - novel set in western United States * ''Treasure Trail'' (1923) - novel set in British Columbia * ''A Lover Of The Land, And Other Poems'' (1925) - poetry * ''Queer Fellows (title in US: Wild Honey)'' (1927) - autobiographical account set in British Columbia * ''Canada West'' (1929 & 1930) - non-fiction account of western Canada * ''The Story Of Alexander Selkirk'' (1929) - non-fiction * ''The Three Marys'' (1930) - principally Scottish novel * ''The Paisley Shawl'' (1931) - Scottish novel * ''The Rich Wife'' (1932) - Scottish novel * ''Mrs Barry'' (1933) - Scottish novel * ''Triumph'', (1934) - novel set in South America and Scotland * ''The Flying Years'' (1935) - historical novel set in Manitoba * ''Old Soldier'' (1936) - Scottish novel * ''The Staff At Simson's'' (1937) - Scottish novel * ''Colour In The Canadian Rockies Walter_J._Phillips.html" ;"title="ith Walter J. Phillips">ith Walter J. Phillips' (1937) - non-fiction * ''Coloured Spectacles'' (1938) - autobiographical essays * ''The Story Of Their Days'' (1939) - Scottish novel * ''Mine Inheritance'' (1940) - historical novel set in Manitoba * ''Brothers In Arms'' (1942) - historical novel set in 18th century Glasgow and Virginia * ''Under Which King'' (1943) - historical novel with a Jacobite setting * ''The Transplanted'' (1944) - historical novel set in British Columbia Source:


Notes


References

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External links


Frederick Niven fonds
at
Glenbow Museum The Glenbow Museum is an art and history regional museum in the city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The museum focuses on Western Canadian history and culture, including Indigenous perspectives. The Glenbow was established as a private non-profi ...
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Niven, Frederick John 1878 births 1944 deaths 20th-century Canadian novelists Writers from Valparaíso Writers from Glasgow British expatriates in Chile British emigrants to Canada