Barbara Taylor Bradford, a bestselling British-American author, passed away at the age of 91. She is best known for her first novel A Woman of Substance, which sold over 30 million copies worldwide and made her a household name.
Taylor Bradford wrote 40 novels in total, selling 91 million books during her career. She passed away peacefully at her home after a short illness, surrounded by family and friends. A private funeral will be held in New York, and she will be laid to rest beside her late husband, Robert Bradford, who passed away in 2019.
Her debut novel, A Woman of Substance, tells the story of Emma Harte, a servant from Yorkshire who works her way up to create a large business empire despite facing many challenges. This book stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for 45 weeks and was turned into a TV miniseries in 1985.
Born in Leeds, England, in 1933, Taylor Bradford began her career as a typist at a local newspaper before moving to London and then the U.S. in 1964. She worked as a journalist and later began writing fiction. Her success as a writer came with her novel A Woman of Substance, which was published in 1979.
In 2007, she was awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Taylor Bradford will always be remembered for her strong character and her dedication to writing.
