Barbara Taylor Bradford, one of Britain's most successful novelists, has died, aged 91.
The A Woman Of Substance star, sold 30 million copies of her famous book, which spawned seven sequels and a TV adaptation. Published in 1979, the story, whose TV adaptation is still the most watched programme on Channel 4, was the first of 40 novels written by the star, who was born in Leeds as Barbara Taylor.
Paying tribute, her publisher and editor Lynne Drew said: "Dominating the bestseller lists, she broke new ground with her sweeping epic novels spanning generations, novels which were resolutely not romances, and she epitomised the woman of substance she created, particularly with her ruthless work ethic."
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PA)Drew added that Bradford was "perennially curious, interested in everyone and extraordinarily driven" and was "an inspiration for millions of readers and countless writers".
Charlie Redmayne, chief executive of publisher HarperCollins, said: "Barbara Taylor Bradford was a truly exceptional writer whose first book, the international bestseller A Woman of Substance, changed the lives of so many who read it - and still does to this day." Praising the author for being "a natural storyteller", he also thanked Bradford for being "a great, great friend".
Born in Leeds as Barbara Taylor, her mother Freda “pumped love and books” into her only child. By 12, Barbara had read all of Dickens. Speaking to the Mirror about her love of books back in 2009, Bradford said: “I adored my father but my mother was the best part of me. She was a voracious reader and she force-fed me books. By four, I could already read.”
Six years later, her mother sent off one of her stories to a magazine, which printed it and sent her seven shillings and sixpence. I yearned to write,” she said. “When I was 12, I didn’t want a pony, I wanted a typewriter.” By 15, she had left school to join the typing pool of the Yorkshire Evening Post. Within six months she was a reporter and after three years she was woman’s editor.
In 1979, Barbara published A Woman of Substance - a bodice-ripping blockbuster about Emma Harte, a self-made businesswoman who conquers all – men included.
Speaking about its astonishing success, Bradford recalled: “It came out in May and it was on the best-seller list by the end of June,” she says. “It stayed on the best-sellers’ list in the New York Times for 55 weeks.”
Explaining its impressive popularity, she continued: “I think it was the first book about a strong woman going out and conquering the world, making it in the man’s world."
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