Ruth Comfort Mitchell Young (July 21, 1882 – February 18, 1954) was an American writer and playwright, best known for her novel, Of Human Kindness.

[2] The couple were married in October 1914 in the Grand Canyon and moved to New York City, where Ruth continued her literary pursuits, and he studied photography.

[2] Mitchell enjoyed a long career as a writer; authoring 16 novels, along with poems, short stories, and one-act plays.

[7] Mitchell's later work was dominated by a series of historically informed fiction, including The Legend of Susan Dane, set in pre-Union San Jose.

[1] Her 1940 book, Of Human Kindness —in strong contrast to John Steinbeck and his novel The Grapes of Wrath—gave a positive vision of industrial agriculture in the 20th Century.