Joseph Boyden
Native American Author
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By: Patricia Stamatakos
Early Life
Career
With both of these strong influences in his life, he started to write Three Day's Road, which was his first major novel. Before this he had only written one major piece, Born With a Tooth, which is a collection of short stories.
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Along with his writing, he now works at the Univerity of New Orleans, where he teaches creative writing.Also, he has been writer-in-residence at Trent University, Wilfrid Laurier University, and Athabasca University. He serves on the jury for the Canadian Aboriginal Writing and Arts Challenge.
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He spends his free time in the James Bay area of Ontario, where he is a hunter, trapper, and bushman.
Joseph Boyden was born in Toronto, on October 31st, 1966. He is of Irish, Scottish, and Metis descent, and the third youngest of 11 children.
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His father, Raymond Wilfrid Boyden, was a highly decorated medical officer of World War II. He received the Distinguished Service Order, and was the highest decorated medical doctor of WWII. When Joseph was eight his father died, causing Joseph to be greatly influenced by him.
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His fathers brother, Erl, was also a big influence in his life. Erl lived a traditional Native lifestyle, and had strong Ojibwa traditions.
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While Joseph was growing up, he went to Jesuit-run Brebeuf College School in Toronto. Afterwards, he worked on his creative writing degree at both York University and at the University of New Orleans.
