Elizabeth Marshall Thomas facts for kids
Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, born on September 13, 1931, is an American writer. She writes both true stories (non-fiction) and made-up stories (fiction). Her books and articles often explore how animals behave. She also writes about ancient human life during the Stone Age and the !Kung people of the Kalahari Desert.
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Growing Up and School
Elizabeth Marshall Thomas was born in 1931. Her mother, Lorna Marshall, studied human cultures (an anthropologist). Her father, Laurence K. Marshall, helped start a big company called Raytheon Corporation. Her brother, John Marshall, made films about different cultures.
Elizabeth grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She went to Abbot Academy for high school. She started college at Smith College. Later, she took a break to travel in Africa with her family. She then finished her degree in English at Radcliffe College.
Her Writing Career
Between 1950 and 1956, Elizabeth went on three trips to Africa. She lived with and studied the Ju/'hoansi people, also known as the !Kung Bushmen. They live in the Kalahari Desert in Namibia and Botswana.
Books About People
During these trips, Elizabeth kept a journal. She later used her notes to write her first book, The Harmless People. This book shared her experiences living with the Ju/'hoansi. She also used these experiences to write fiction books. Her novels Reindeer Moon and The Animal Wife describe the lives of ancient hunter-gatherers.
Books About Animals
Elizabeth also wrote many popular books about animals. Her book The Hidden Life of Dogs became a New York Times bestseller. It was very popular, but some scientists and dog trainers had different ideas about her methods. They questioned how she observed and understood the dogs.
She later wrote a follow-up book called The Social Life of Dogs: The Grace of Canine Company. She has also written books about how cats and deer behave. Elizabeth also writes a column for the Boston Globe newspaper. It is called "Tamed/Untamed" and she writes it with Sy Montgomery.
Her Life in New Hampshire
Elizabeth Marshall Thomas has lived in Peterborough, New Hampshire for a long time. She used some of the money from her best-selling dog book to help her town. She donated land for Peterborough's first town beach at Cunningham Pond. Dogs are always welcome at this beach. She also served on the town's Select Board for 15 years.
