Barbara Taylor Bradford, the British journalist and bestselling author of A Woman of Substance and many other novels, has died. Bradford passed away Sunday following a short illness. She was 91.
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Bradford’s publisher, Harper Collins, confirmed the news yesterday, per Deadline. The publisher’s CEO, Charlie Redmayne, called Bradford a “truly exceptional writer whose first book, the international bestseller Woman of Substance, changed the lives of so many who read it – and still does to this day.”
Born in Leeds in 1933, Taylor Bradford relocated to London in her twenties, where she began her writing career. In 1979, she released her debut novel, A Woman of Substance, featuring the crowd-pleasing tale of Emma Harte and the retail empire built by her and her family. The book became a global sensation, selling 30 million copies and catapulting Bradford to fame. She continued her success by adding six more novels to the series.
A Woman of Substance was also adapted into a Channel 4 drama series in 1984 featuring Jenny Seagrove. It captured an audience of 14 million viewers, setting a record for Channel 4, and received two Emmy nominations.
Nine more of Taylor Bradford’s books have been adapted into TV mini-series or movies over the years, all produced by her husband, the late American film producer Robert E. Bradford, who passed away in 2019. Among these adaptations are Hold the Dream, To Be the Best, Act of Will, and Voice of the Heart from the Emma Harte saga.
Barbara Taylor Bradford Adhered to a Disciplined Writing Routine
Per CNN, Bradford adhered to a disciplined writing routine: she was at her IBM Lexmark typewriter by 6 a.m., took a break around 1 p.m., and resumed writing until no later than 6 p.m. As detailed in Piers Dudgeon’s authorized 2006 biography, The Woman of Substance, Bradford embraced her midlife success. She resided in a luxurious 5,300-square-foot apartment overlooking Manhattan’s East River. She also collected Impressionist art and enjoyed pink champagne served by her butler.
When the Bradfords listed their apartment for sale in 2010, the asking price was nearly $19 million. They eventually sold it to Uma Thurman in 2013 for $10 million.
Taylor Bradford was a prolific author who penned numerous other books. These include the Ravenscar Trilogy, the Cavendon Chronicles, and the House of Falconer Trilogy. Her most recent work, The Wonder of It All, is her 40th novel, which was completed just last year.
In a tribute, her publisher and editor, Lynne Drew, shared with the BBC: “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.”