Nora Benjamin Kubie
Encyclopedia
Nora Benjamin Kubie was an American writer, artist and amateur archaeologist.
Born Eleanor Gottheil, she was the daughter of Muriel H. and Paul Gotteil, an executive with the Cunard Line
in New York. She graduated from the Calhoun School
in New York, delivering the valedictory speech in 1916. She attended Vassar College
, graduating in 1920, and was later married to John J. Benjamin. She also attended Barnard College.
She began her literary career writing nautical stories and juvenile novels, later focusing on Jewish historical fiction and archaeology. She wrote, she said, about things, places, events, and phenomena she knew about personally. Her books about Israel for example, were written after she moved there in the early 1950s, where she lived in Ein Hod
, a writers colony. She traveled throughout the Middle East as an amateur archaeologist and produced an account of the early English explorer, Sir Austen Henry Layard
As an artist, she illustrated many of her juvenile books. She lived in Westport, Connecticut
in her later years and was a member of the MacDowell Colony
in Peterboro, New Hampshire. She died of acute leukemia at the age of 89.
The novelist Lincoln Child
is a grandson. In his fantasy novel Thunderhead
(1998), he modeled the character of Nora Kelly on Nora Kubie.
Born Eleanor Gottheil, she was the daughter of Muriel H. and Paul Gotteil, an executive with the Cunard Line
Cunard Line
Cunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...
in New York. She graduated from the Calhoun School
Calhoun school
The Calhoun School is an independent, coeducational college preparatory school located in New York City's Upper West Side. Classes are offered for preschool through 12th grade...
in New York, delivering the valedictory speech in 1916. She attended Vassar College
Vassar College
Vassar College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States. The Vassar campus comprises over and more than 100 buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks, ranging in style from Collegiate Gothic to International,...
, graduating in 1920, and was later married to John J. Benjamin. She also attended Barnard College.
She began her literary career writing nautical stories and juvenile novels, later focusing on Jewish historical fiction and archaeology. She wrote, she said, about things, places, events, and phenomena she knew about personally. Her books about Israel for example, were written after she moved there in the early 1950s, where she lived in Ein Hod
Ein Hod
Ein Hod is a communal settlement in northern Israel. Located south of Mount Carmel and southeast of Haifa in northern Israel, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hof HaCarmel Regional Council. In 2008 it had a population of 559....
, a writers colony. She traveled throughout the Middle East as an amateur archaeologist and produced an account of the early English explorer, Sir Austen Henry Layard
Austen Henry Layard
Sir Austen Henry Layard GCB, PC was a British traveller, archaeologist, cuneiformist, art historian, draughtsman, collector, author, politician and diplomat, best known as the excavator of Nimrud.-Family:...
As an artist, she illustrated many of her juvenile books. She lived in Westport, Connecticut
Westport, Connecticut
-Neighborhoods:* Saugatuck – around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town – a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices....
in her later years and was a member of the MacDowell Colony
MacDowell Colony
The MacDowell Colony is an art colony in Peterborough, New Hampshire, U.S.A., founded in 1907 by Marian MacDowell, pianist and wife of composer Edward MacDowell. She established the institution and its endowment chiefly with donated funds...
in Peterboro, New Hampshire. She died of acute leukemia at the age of 89.
The novelist Lincoln Child
Lincoln Child
Lincoln Child is an author of seventeen techno-thriller and horror novels. He often writes with Douglas Preston. Many of their novels have become bestsellers, and one, Relic, was adapted into a feature film...
is a grandson. In his fantasy novel Thunderhead
Thunderhead (novel)
Thunderhead is a novel by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child about a woman named Nora Kelly who finds a letter that was written sixteen years ago, but mysteriously sent to her only recently. The letter is written by her father, long believed dead. The letter talks about a lost city of gold that...
(1998), he modeled the character of Nora Kelly on Nora Kubie.
Publications
- Roving All the Day
- Hard Alee (1936)
- Fathom Five (1939) A history of Bermuda
- Make Way for a Sailor! (1946)
- Remember the Valley (1951) a novel of young love featuring a female protagonist.
- Joel (1952) a novel centered on a Jewish protagonist during the American Revolution.
- The first Book of Israel (1953)
- King Solomon’s Navy (1954)
- King Solomon’s Horses (1956)
- The First Book of Archaeology (1957) a history of the development of archaeology.
- Road to Ninevah: the adventures and excavations of Sir Austen Henry Layard (1964; 1965 in the UK)
- The Jews of Israel (1975)
- Israel (1968, 1978) A general introduction.