Summary
Alice Norton was a college freshman when the Great Depression left her father unable to afford her tuition. Forced to quit school, she did not give up her dreams. While working at a library in Cleveland, Ohio, Norton wrote a novel inspired by a patron, The Prince Commands, which was published in her early twenties. Because the publisher doubted boys would buy an adventure story written by a woman, Alice Norton changed her name to the masculine "Andre Norton." When science fiction became popular in the 1950s, Norton found her passion, writing more than 100 science fiction and fantasy novels, many for young adults. A prolific author until the end of her life, she completed her last novel, Three Hands for Scorpio, at age 93.
Andre Norton tells the story of the author's life and career, examines the works that made her popular with both critics and fans, and reveals the influences and historical context of her writing in illuminating detail.