Naben Ruthnum

Naben Ruthnum is a Canadian writer, who has published work under both his own name and the pen name Nathan Ripley.[1]

He won the Journey Prize in 2013 for his short story "Cinema Rex",[2] and has since published the books Curry: Reading, Eating and Race (2017), a non-fiction essay collection about immigrant cultural identity in food and literature,[3] and two literary thriller novels, Find You in the Dark[4] and Your Life is Mine. Ruthnum's current novel, A Hero of Our Time, was published in January, 2022[5] and a novella, Helpmeet, was published in May, 2022.

Originally from Kelowna, British Columbia, Ruthnum is of Mauritian descent.[6] He has a master's degree from McGill University, where he wrote his thesis on the role of Oscar Wilde in the development of the ghost story in British literature.[6]

Outside of his literary work, Ruthnum is also a former musician, most notable as the founding guitarist for Bend Sinister, a Vancouver-based progressive rock band.[7]