Ada Palmer

Ada Palmer is an American author of science fiction and fantasy, historian, and winner of the 2017 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. She teaches in the History Department at the University of Chicago.

Ada Palmer was born in Washington, D.C. She holds a Ph.D. in History from Harvard University. Before that, she earned an M.A. in History from Harvard University in 2003 and a B.A. in History, cum laude, from Bryn Mawr College in 2001.

As an Associate Professor in the History Department at the University of Chicago, Ada Palmer specializes in the history of censorship and radical thought. Her research focuses on the evolution of censorship during revolutions in information technology, ranging from the print revolution to the digital era. She has affiliations in various fields, including Classics, Gender Studies, and the Institute on the Formation of Knowledge.

Ada's academic interests encompass a wide range of subjects such as the history of science, religion, heresy, freethought, atheism, censorship, books, printing, and long-term European history, the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods.

Ada Palmer's current research centers on the study of the print revolution and its relevance to contemporary decision-making by lawmakers and corporations in the digital revolution.

In 2014, she published her first academic book, Reading Lucretius in the Renaissance, which explores the influence of the rediscovery of classical atomism on modern science and thought.

Beyond her work as a historian, Ada Palmer is also a renowned science fiction and fantasy novelist. She is the author of the award-winning Terra Ignota series, consisting of four volumes, with the first book, Too Like the Lightning (2016).

The series delves into a future civilization set in the twenty-fifth century, featuring voluntary citizenship and borderless nations. Ada's writing style for this series emulates the philosophical novels of the eighteenth century. The final installment of the Terra Ignota series, Perhaps the Stars, was released in November 2021. The series has been nominated for the 2022 Hugo Award for Best Series.

Outside of academia and writing, Ada Palmer is an active disability activist. She focuses on self-care training and raising awareness about invisible disabilities. Additionally, she is a talented composer of polyphonic a cappella music. Ada's musical compositions often revolve around fantasy, science fiction, and mythology. Notably, she created the Viking mythology musical stage play Sundown: Whispers of Ragnarok.

Ada Palmer's passion for anime and manga is evident in her work as a consultant for various anime and manga publishers. She is conducting research in this area, particularly on influential figures such as Osamu Tezuka and the depiction of gender in manga. Ada frequently participates in conventions, and performs with her vocal group, Sassafrass.

As a prolific writer and thinker, Ada Palmer contributes to multiple platforms. She writes for Tor.com, a prominent science fiction and fantasy website, and maintains her blog called ExUrbe.com. Her blog covers topics related to history, philosophy, and travel. Notably, she has written an essay exploring the potential impact of COVID-19 on shaping a new golden age, drawing parallels to the influence of the Black Death on the Renaissance. Ada's celebrated guide on finding good gelato worldwide has been featured in The Economist.

Ada Palmer currently lives in Chicago.

Photo credit: adapalmer.com