Diane Duane
A visionary fantasy author who reimagined wizardry as a cosmic responsibility in her beloved Young Wizards series.
Born 1952 (age 74)·American-Irish science fiction and fantasy author·Birthday: May 18·Baby Boomers
Biography
Diane Duane began weaving her intricate universes while working in New York City's publishing world. Her breakthrough came not with elves and castles, but in the final frontier, writing some of the most psychologically nuanced and culturally rich Star Trek novels ever published, particularly her 'Rihannsu' series exploring Romulan society. Yet her most enduring creation is the 'Young Wizards' saga, which launched with 'So You Want to Be a Wizard' in 1983. Duane's system of magic is less about wands and more about a solemn, scientific pact with the universe to fight entropy, a concept that gave her stories a unique weight and philosophical depth. Choosing a life away from the American publishing mainstream, she settled in Ireland, where she and her husband have also crafted successful multimedia projects, including scripts for European television. Her work is characterized by its intellectual rigor, deep empathy, and the quiet conviction that young people are capable of profound, world-altering duty.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Diane was born in 1952, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Diane Was Born
The biggest hits of 1952
#1 Movie
The Greatest Show on Earth
Best Picture
The Greatest Show on Earth
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Diane's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1952Born
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1957Started school
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1965Became a teenager
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Could drive
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1970Could vote
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Turned 21
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1982Turned 30
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 40
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 50
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 60
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 70
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 74 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Created the long-running and influential Young Wizards series, beginning with 'So You Want to Be a Wizard' in 1983.
- Authored the critically praised 'Rihannsu' series, a seminal five-novel cycle exploring Romulan culture within the Star Trek universe.
- Co-wrote the 'Spider-Man' novel 'The Venom Factor' and its sequels, expanding into licensed superhero fiction.
- Developed and wrote for the German television science fiction series 'Star Command'.
Did You Know?
She is married to co-writer Peter Morwood, and they have collaborated on several novels and television projects.
She once worked as a nurse before becoming a full-time writer.
An early adopter of digital publishing, she has made several of her older works available directly through her own website.
She has lived in Ireland for many years and holds dual American and Irish citizenship.
““The universe is a very big place. It’s easy to get lost in the details.””
