Barbara Taylor Bradford OBE (born 10 May 1933) is a best-selling English novelist. Her debut novel, A Woman of Substance, was published in 1979 and has sold over 32 million copies worldwide.[1] To date, she has written 27 novels -- all bestsellers on both sides of the Atlantic. Her 27th, Letter From A Stranger was released in the UK in September, 2011. It will be published in North America in April, 2012. [2]
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Bradford was born in Leeds, Yorkshire as the only child of Freda and Winston Taylor. She grew up in the Leeds suburb of Upper Armley and after Christ Church, C of E School (where she was in the same class as Alan Bennett) and Northcote School for Girls, she worked in the typing pool at the Yorkshire Evening Post before going into journalism. By the age of twenty she was the fashion editor of Woman's Own Magazine and an editor and columnist on Fleet Street for the London Evening News.
Her first novel, A Woman of Substance, became an enduring best-seller and according to Reuters, it ranks as one of the top-ten best-selling novels of all time.[3] A Woman Of Substance has been followed by 26 others – all best-sellers on both sides of the Atlantic. Bradford's books have sold more than 88 million copies worldwide in more than 90 countries and 40 languages. Ten of her books have been made into television mini-series and television movies, produced by her husband, Robert Bradford.
Currently, one of the richest living authors, Bradford's personal wealth has exceeded £145 million, making her one of the wealthiest women in the UK. The 2009 Sunday Times Rich List estimated her wealth at around £166 million, making her the 31st wealthiest woman in Britain.
It has been reported that she is working on creating a new soap opera for the U.S. market with longtime soap writer Millee Taggart.
Bradford lives in New York City with television producer Robert Bradford, her husband since 1963.
In 1999, Bradford became the first living female author to be featured on a postage stamp, when she was honoured on legal tender by the nations of St. Vincent and Grenada. In 2002, she was again recognised with a postage stamp by the British Isle of Man. In April 2003, Mrs. Bradford was inducted into the Writers Hall of Fame of America. She was awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II in the Queen's 2007 Birthday Honours list for her contributions to literature.
Bradford is a member of the James Madison Council of the Library of Congress. She is heavily involved in a variety of charity projects around the world including Literacy Partners, the Police Athletic League of New York City (PAL); PACT Parents and abducted children together US and UK Chapters; and The New York Pops Orchestra.
Five of her television adaptations were re-released on DVD in the UK in September 2008 by Acorn Media UK. These are A Woman of Substance; Hold The Dream; To Be The Best; Act of Will and Voice of the Heart.
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