Barbara Taylor Bradford, the famous author of A Woman of Substance, passed away on Sunday at the age of 91. Her death was confirmed by a spokesperson, who said she died at her home in New York City. The cause of death was not shared.
Born on May 10, 1933, in Leeds, England, Bradford started her career as a journalist. She began writing novels in her 40s, with many stories about young women who face challenges and rise to success in business. She wrote 40 books in total, and all of them became bestsellers in both the UK and the US.
Her first novel, A Woman of Substance, was published in 1979 and became her biggest hit. The book sold over 30 million copies worldwide and was turned into a popular TV miniseries in 1984. The story follows Emma Harte, a young woman who starts as a servant and becomes a successful businesswoman. The book was part of a series, with other books like Hold the Dream (1985) and To Be the Best (1988), which were also turned into TV shows.
Bradford later wrote other book series, including the Ravenscar Trilogy (2006-2008) and the Cavendon Chronicles (2014-2017). She also wrote a number of non-fiction books on topics like etiquette, homemaking, and children’s books about Christianity.