John Treadwell Nichols, a renowned writer known for his novel "The Milagro Beanfield War," has passed away at the age of 83. Nichols, who was originally from New York City but had made New Mexico his home, died on Monday at his residence in Taos. The cause of death was heart failure, according to his daughter Tania Harris. Nichols, with his diverse background and upbringing, seamlessly transitioned from an urban writer to a storyteller of the American West.

"The Milagro Beanfield War," published in 1974, became one of Nichols' most famous works. The 445-page political allegory tells the tale of farmers in the fictional Milagro Valley who are deprived of their right to irrigate their farms due to water diversion for a massive development project. The novel quickly gained popularity on college campuses and was highly regarded in his adopted state of New Mexico. It was even considered one of the most widely read novels about Latinos for a time. In 1988, the book was adapted into a film directed by Robert Redford and featuring Ruben Blades, Christopher Walken, and Melanie Griffith.

Stephen Hull, director of the University of New Mexico Press, described Nichols' writing as a tribute to the landscapes, cultures, and people of New Mexico. He stated, "A lot of his work might be characterized as a long slow-motion valentine to the mountains, mesas, high desert, sky and especially people of New Mexico." Nichols used comedy and exaggeration to depict the fundamental injustices he observed, drawing inspiration from his time spent in Guatemala in the mid-1960s and the poverty and authenticity he witnessed in northern New Mexico.

In addition to "The Milagro Beanfield War," Nichols wrote two other novels set in or around Taos: "The Magic Journey" (1978) and "The Nirvana Blues" (1981). These three books formed a trilogy that showcased Nichols' love for the region. At the time of his passing, he was editing an anthology of letters, essays, and manuscripts.

Although "The Milagro Beanfield War" received significant acclaim, the critical response was mixed. Frederick Busch, writing for The New York Times Book Review, praised Nichols' wit but labeled the book an example of "literary colonialism." However, Russell Martin, in The New York Times Magazine, acknowledged Nichols' skillful use of humor and affectionate portrayal of rural life. He highlighted an excerpt from "The Nirvana Blues," showcasing Nichols' ability to vividly describe scenes.

Born on July 23, 1940, in Berkeley, California, Nichols had a cosmopolitan upbringing. His mother, Monique Robert, was French and Spanish, while his father, David, was the son of John Treadwell Nichols, a curator at the American Museum of Natural History. Nichols' paternal grandmother, Cornelia Floyd, was a descendant of William Floyd, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. His cousin, William F. Weld, served as the governor of Massachusetts from 1991 to 1997.

Nichols attended the Loomis Chaffee School in Connecticut and graduated from Hamilton College in New York with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1962. In his memoir, Nichols expressed his childhood aspirations of becoming a novelist, cartoonist, or rock musician. He wrote "The Sterile Cuckoo," his first novel, at the age of 23 while living in Barcelona with his grandmother. The book, published in 1965, explored the theme of first love and was later adapted into a film starring Liza Minnelli. Nichols continued his writing career in New York City, where he simultaneously worked on five novels in a small apartment.

Nichols moved to Taos in 1969 with his first wife, immersing himself in the local culture and learning Spanish. He wrote extensively during his time in New Mexico, publishing numerous novels, essay collections, nature books, and a chronicle of his parents' early lives. Despite his success, Nichols never used a computer, preferring to write by hand. In 1979, he released "If Mountains Die," a memoir in which he lamented the clashes between different cultures taking place in Taos at the time.

Nichols' work was deeply influenced by his travels in Latin America, particularly Guatemala, during the 1960s. These experiences shaped his perspectives on social justice and led him to collaborate with filmmaker Costa-Gavras on the screenplay for "Missing," a movie about the search for a missing American writer in Chile following the 1973 coup. In his novels, Nichols often combined humor with sympathy, capturing the absurdity of turbulent times.

Throughout his life, Nichols was married and divorced three times. He is survived by his daughter Tania and son Luke from his first marriage, as well as three granddaughters. Friends and colleagues remember him as a writer dedicated to social justice and authenticity. Nichols found solace in New Mexico, where he transcended class barriers and formed genuine connections with the people of the region.