Elizabeth Taylor (novelist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elizabeth Taylor
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| Born |
Betty Coles
July 3, 1912 Reading, England
|
| Died | November 19, 1975 (aged 63) Penn, Buckinghamshire
|
| Occupation | novelist, short story writer |
Elizabeth Taylor (born Betty Coles; July 3, 1912 – November 19, 1975) was an English writer. She wrote many novels and short stories. Famous authors like Kingsley Amis and Hilary Mantel thought she was one of the best English novelists of her time. Antonia Fraser called her "one of the most underrated writers of the 20th century."
Her Life and Books
Elizabeth was born in Reading, Berkshire, England. Her father, Oliver Coles, worked as an insurance inspector. Her mother was Elsie May Fewtrell. Elizabeth went to The Abbey School, Reading. After school, she worked as a governess, a tutor, and a librarian.
In 1936, she married John Taylor. He owned a candy company. They lived in Penn, Buckinghamshire for most of their married life. Elizabeth briefly joined the British Communist Party. Later, she was a strong supporter of the Labour Party. This is one of the main political parties in the United Kingdom.
Her Writing Style
Elizabeth Taylor's first novel was At Mrs. Lippincote's. It came out in 1945. After that, she wrote eleven more novels. Her short stories appeared in magazines. These stories were later collected into four books. She also wrote a book for children.
Her books often explored the small details of everyday life. She focused on how people reacted to different situations. The English critic Philip Hensher described her novel The Soul of Kindness as "expert." He said it felt "effortless." He felt that her characters were so real. It seemed like she just watched them and wrote down what they did.
Friends and Privacy
Elizabeth Taylor was friends with other writers. These included the novelist Ivy Compton-Burnett. She was also friends with the novelist and critic Robert Liddell. They wrote many letters to each other. This friendship inspired her short story "The Letter Writers." It was published in The Blush in 1951. However, Elizabeth destroyed her letters. She liked to keep her private life private. Another famous short story, "Sisters," written in 1969, also talks about wanting privacy.
The author Anne Tyler once compared Elizabeth Taylor to other famous writers. She mentioned Jane Austen, Barbara Pym, and Elizabeth Bowen. Tyler called them "soul sisters." Elizabeth was also a close friend of Elizabeth Jane Howard. After Elizabeth Taylor died, her husband asked Howard to write her biography. Howard said no. She felt that Elizabeth's life was not full of dramatic events. You can read more about their friendship in Howard's memoir, Slipstream. Elizabeth's editor at the publisher Chatto & Windus was the poet D. J. Enright.
Elizabeth Taylor passed away from cancer in Penn, Buckinghamshire. She was 63 years old.
Her Books on Screen
Some of Elizabeth Taylor's works have been made into films or TV shows. The first TV adaptation was in September 1980. Her short story "The Flypaper" was shown on the series "Tales of the Unexpected." This episode became known for being very dark and scary.
In the 21st century, filmmakers became interested in her work again. Ruth Sacks Caplin wrote a screenplay for Taylor's novel Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont. This was in the 1970s. But the film was not made for many years. In 1999, Ruth's son, Lee Caplin, bought the rights to the film. The movie, also called Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont, was directed by Dan Ireland. It was finally released in 2005. The British actress Joan Plowright played the main character.
In 2007, French director François Ozon made a film called Angel. It was based on Elizabeth Taylor's novel. The movie starred Romola Garai.
