Maria Tippett

Maria Tippett is an author, historian, and educator with a passion for Canadian history and heritage. She has been writing since the 1970s and her work focuses on personalities and events that help shape the country’s story.

Tippett has several acclaimed books to her credit, including biographies of art historian Paul Duval, Prime Minster Mackenzie King, and abolitionist William Wilberforce. In 2004, she won the Governor General’s Award for non-fiction for her book The Young Country: The New Canada in the Nineteenth Century.

From an early age, Tippett had a keen interest in history. She grew up in Preesall, Lancashire in England, and was the daughter of the local librarian, Isabel. Tippett left England for Canada at age 19 and obtained a degree in literature from the University of Western Ontario. She then enrolled at the University of Toronto for her master's degree and later earned a PhD from York University.

After earning her degrees, Tippett embarked on a career in Canadian history. She served as an associate professor at Queen’s University, taught at York and Toronto Universities, and published several books.

Her first book, Good Citizens: Women and the Settlement of the West (1981), details the contributions of women to the development of Western Canada. It examined the involvement of women in the agricultural industry and their successes and challenges in homesteading and other trades. She followed this with the book Paul Duval: The Life of a Canadian Historian (1984), which looks at the life of art historian Paul Duval and the impact he had on the country’s culture and art.

Tippett’s 1994 book, Making History: The Remarkable Story of Mackenzie King and Canada, delved into the life of Canada’s longest-serving prime minister. In it, she explored King’s private and public pursuits and the legacy he left behind.

Other works by Tippett include Père Thibeault’s Chronicle: A French Canadian Account of Heartbreak and War in Acadia, 1744-1761 (2004), and The World in a City (2012), which chronicles the diverse cultural and religious communities of Toronto.

Tippett is also a member of the Order of Canada (1996), honorary member of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2013).

Throughout her career, Tippett has kept Canadian history alive through her writing and teaching. Her books serve as an invaluable legacy to the fascinating people and events that shaped the nation. As such, she is an important figure in the world of Canadian history and a true asset to the country.