Barbara Taylor Bradford, the celebrated author who entertained millions with her rags-to-riches storytelling, passed away at the age of 91. The Leeds-born novelist, whose works sold over 90 million copies worldwide, died peacefully at her New York home on Sunday, surrounded by loved ones, following a short illness, a spokesperson confirmed.
Often referred to as the “grand dame of blockbusters,” Taylor Bradford rose to fame with her 1979 debut novel, A Woman Of Substance. The international bestseller chronicled Emma Harte’s journey from a servant in Yorkshire to the head of a vast business empire. Its success launched her into literary stardom, with her works being published in more than 40 languages across 90 countries.
“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,” said Charlie Redmayne, CEO of HarperCollins.
Born in May 1933, Taylor Bradford was the only child of Winston and Freda Taylor. Her career began as a typist for the Yorkshire Evening Post, where she quickly rose to become the paper’s first women’s editor. At 20, she moved to London to work in Fleet Street for Woman’s Own and the London Evening News.
In 1961, she met Robert Bradford, an American film producer, and the two married on Christmas Eve in 1963. They moved to New York a year later and shared a 55-year marriage until his death in 2019.
Over her prolific career, Taylor Bradford penned 40 novels, including her most recent, The Wonder Of It All, released last year. In recognition of her contributions to literature, she was appointed an OBE in 2007.
Taylor Bradford will be laid to rest beside her late husband at Westchester Hills Cemetery in New York following a private funeral. Her legacy lives on in her novels, which continue to inspire readers around the globe.
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