Elizabeth Kata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elizabeth Katayama
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Elizabeth Katayama, from a 1947 Australian newspaper.
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| Born | Elizabeth Colina McDonald 9 October 1912 Sydney, Australia |
| Died | 4 September 1998 (aged 85) Sydney, Australia |
| Pen name | Elizabeth Kata |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Years active | 1959–1989 |
| Spouse | Shinshiro Katayama |
Elizabeth Colina Katayama (born Elizabeth McDonald, October 9, 1912 – September 4, 1998) was an Australian writer. She was famous for her books, especially one called Be Ready with Bells and Drums. She used the pen name Elizabeth Kata. This book later became a popular movie called A Patch of Blue in 1965.
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The Story of Elizabeth Kata
Elizabeth was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1912. Her parents were from Scotland. In 1937, she married a Japanese pianist named Shinshiro Katayama. They lived in Japan for ten years.
Her Life During World War II
During the last years of World War II, Elizabeth and her family had to stay in a special camp. This camp was in a mountain village called Karuizawa, Nagano. After the war, in 1947, she returned to Australia with her baby son, David.
Becoming a Famous Writer
Elizabeth Katayama was a very creative person. She wrote many novels. She also wrote stories for television shows. Some of her ideas even became scripts for Hollywood movies.
Her first novel was Be Ready with Bells and Drums. She wrote it in 1959, and it was published in 1961. This book became a very successful film in 1965. The movie was called A Patch of Blue.
The director, Guy Green, also wrote the movie script. He was even nominated for an award for his writing. After the movie became popular, Elizabeth's book was re-released. It was given the same name as the movie, A Patch of Blue. For many years, this book was on school reading lists in both the U.S. and Australia.
A later book, Mrs Katayama and Her Splash of Blue (2010), tells the story. It explains how Elizabeth Kata's first book became the famous movie A Patch of Blue.
Elizabeth Katayama passed away at her home in Sydney. She died on September 4, 1998.
What Books Did She Write?
Elizabeth Kata wrote several interesting books. Here are some of her well-known works:
- Be Ready with Bells and Drums (1961; later called A Patch of Blue)
- Someone Will Conquer Them (1962)
- Look Back in Horror
- Tilda (1979)
- Child of the Holocaust (1980)
- The Death of Ruth (1981)
- With Kisses on Both Cheeks (1981)
- Sarah (1982)
- Kagami (1989)
