British-American novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford, famous for her bestselling 1979 novel “A Woman of Substance,” died on Sunday, at her home in New York, international media reported.
Born in Leeds, England, in 1933, Bradford started her career as a journalist before switching to writing novels with most of her works featuring stories of young women. Throughout her career, Bradford wrote 40 books, including the “Ravenscar,” “Cavendon” and “House of Falconer” series.
“Dominating the bestseller lists, she broke new ground with her sweeping epic novels spanning generations, novels which were resolutely not romances, and she epitomized the woman of substance she created, particularly with her ruthless work ethic,” Lynne Drew, the author’s long-time publisher and editor, told the BBC.
Charlie Redmayne, CEO of renowned publishing house HarperCollins, praised Bradford as a “truly exceptional writer” and highlighted the lasting impact that her debut novel, “A Woman of Substance,” had on its readers.
During her career, nine of Bradford’s literary works have been adapted into television programs or films. The adaptations have been produced by her husband, Robert E. Bradford, an American film producer who died in 2019.