Barbara Taylor Bradford
About Barbara Taylor Bradford
- Biography
- Fast Facts
- Quotes
Barbara Taylor Bradford was one of the world's most successful and beloved novelists, authoring 40 novels that all became international bestsellers. With more than 91 million copies sold in over 40 languages and 90 countries, she earned a reputation as the "grand dame of blockbusters" and the "Queen of the genre."
Born and raised in Leeds, England, Barbara began her career in journalism at the Yorkshire Evening Post, becoming its first Woman's Editor at just 18 before moving to London's Fleet Street. She was married for 55 years to television and film producer Robert Bradford, who managed her career and produced television adaptations of ten of her bestselling novels.
Appointed an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 2007 for services to literature, Barbara received numerous honorary doctorates and lifetime achievement awards throughout her distinguished career. She was also a passionate advocate for literacy, serving as an ambassador for the National Literacy Trust and helping launch The Write Stuff, a competition to encourage young female writers.
Barbara continued writing until her passing in November 2024, completing her final novel, The Wonder of It All. Her extraordinary legacy endures through her timeless stories, which continue to captivate readers around the world.
- Barbara wrote 40 novels, all of which became international bestsellers.
- Ten of her books have been produced as TV films or drama series by Robert Bradford, starring actors including Liam Neeson, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Jenny Seagrove, Deborah Kerr, Sir John Mills, Lindsay Wagner and Elizabeth Hurley. Robert Bradford managed Barbara’s career, made the publishing deals, and created innovative marketing ideas for her novels for 43 years until his death in 2019.
- 91 million copies of Barbara Taylor Bradford books have been sold to date. They are published in over 40 languages and in more than 90 countries.
- In October 2007, Barbara was appointed an OBE by The Queen for her services to literature.
- Barbara received five Honorary Doctorates of Letters during her lifetime from the University of Leeds, University of Bradford, Teikyo Post University, Connecticut, Siena College, New York, and Mount Saint Mary College, New York.
- Described as the “grand dame of blockbusters”, “Queen of the genre”, Barbara’s incredible success made her one of the most successful writers in the world.
Barbara Taylor Bradford once said, "Writing defines who I am. I love the feeling of holding a finished book in my hands, and then I can’t wait to start the great adventure of writing the next one."
"When I wrote A Woman of Substance I didn’t sit down and think, I’m going to write about a woman warrior who conquers the world and smashes the glass ceiling, but I did want to write about women in a positive way. At the time there were a lot of very sexy books out there but the women didn’t come out of them very well."
"Inspiration comes from so many different sources. I read a lot of books about historical figures and events. Often, these real individuals help to spark an idea for a fictional character. I am also inspired by my travels, and by stories that I hear from friends. Best of all, my imagination is always working overtime to come up with another saga, or character that will soon be put to paper."
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