Barbara Taylor Bradford, who wrote 40 novels that have sold more than 91 million copies worldwide, died November 24 at age 91. Her first novel, A Woman of Substance, was published in 1979 and was an immediate hit, staying on the New York Times bestseller list for 43 weeks. The book set the style for Bradford's many blockbusters: it and six successive titles told a multi-generational saga about the intrigues of a wealthy, glamorous family, headed by a woman with a modest background who had built a retail empire. As Bradford said, "I write about mostly ordinary women who go on to achieve the extraordinary."
Bradford began writing fiction at age seven and sold a short story to a magazine when was 10. At age 15, she joined the typing pool at the Yorkshire Evening Post. A year later, she became a reporter on the paper and, aged 18, its first woman's editor. Two years later, she moved to London and worked as a columnist and editor on Fleet Street.
Her most recent novel, The Wonder of It All, was published in the U.S. by St. Martin's Press in December 2023. Ten of her books were made into TV films or drama series by her husband, Hollywood TV and movie producer Robert Bradford.
Jennifer Enderlin, president and publisher of St. Martin's Press, said: "I have worked with Barbara Taylor Bradford as her U.S. publisher and editor for almost 25 years. She was a legend in so many ways, but chief among them was her utmost professionalism and dedication to her craft. She never missed a deadline and if she said she was going to deliver her book on a Thursday, that's when it would arrive. Before she embarked on a new novel, we would invariably have a delicious lunch at one of her favorite spots: La Grenouille or Doubles in the Sherry Netherland hotel. And there, we would discuss the plot, the 'what ifs' of the book, and the arcs of the various characters. We would always have a glass or two of champagne, as Barbara said it stimulated creativity. She truly loved writing and creating her unforgettable worlds--whether that world was Yorkshire at the turn of the 20th century, or the glamorous watering holes of London in the present day. Barbara's novels would always transport you. She was the definition of A Woman of Substance."
