Barbara Taylor Bradford, a British journalist who achieved worldwide fame in her 40s with the publication of the bestselling novel ‘A Woman of Substance’, passed away at the age of 91.
She died on Sunday at her New York City home, according to a spokesperson. An obituary was also shared on her official website.
Starting with her debut novel ‘A Woman of Substance’ in 1979, she wrote over a dozen novels, becoming one of the most successful and wealthy writers in the world. Her books sold tens of millions of copies globally, and she amassed a net worth estimated at over $200 million. Her fame was so great that her image appeared on a British postage stamp in 1999.
In 2007, she was honoured with an OBE (Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II.
Her books, translated into 40 languages, sold more than 90 million copies worldwide.
Known for her tales of strong women navigating love and power in male-dominated worlds, her works included titles like Breaking the Rules and Act of Will. Among her favourites was The Women In His Life, which drew inspiration from her husband’s escape from the Nazis.
She was married to German-born film producer Robert Bradford for 56 years until he died in 2019.
Born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, she was an only child in a working-class family and developed a love for reading at an early age. Her first story was published in a local magazine when she was a child. By 16, she defied her parents’ wishes and became a reporter for the Yorkshire Evening Post.
Over the next three decades, she worked as fashion editor for Woman’s Own magazine, covered a range of topics for the London Evening News, and later wrote a syndicated interior design column in the United States.
While she wrote children’s books and self-help guides, writing novels had always been her true ambition. A Woman of Substance, a sprawling, multi-generational saga about retail magnate Emma Harte, became an international hit, selling over 30 million copies and adapted into a popular 1984 TV miniseries, starring Jenny Seagrove and Deborah Kerr.
In a 2009 interview with The Telegraph, she remarked, “If you want to meet the real Emma, meet me. Emma had to be tough and ruthless at times, but so am I. I have to be, as a businesswoman. And I’m a bloody good businesswoman.”
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