Jeanette Winterson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jeanette Winterson CBE FRSL
Winterson in 2015
Born	(1959-08-27) 27 August 1959 (age 65) Manchester, England, UK
Occupation	Writer, journalist, Professor at the University of Manchester
Nationality	British
Alma mater	St. Catherine's College, Oxford
Period	1985–present
Genre	Fiction, children's fiction, journalism, science fiction
Notable works	Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
Spouse	Susie Orbach ​ ​ (m. 2015; separated 2019)​
Partner	Peggy Reynolds (1990–2002)

Jeanette Winterson is a well-known English author, born on August 27, 1959. She has written many books, including her first famous novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. This book was a semi-autobiographical story about a young person growing up in a strict religious community in England.

Jeanette Winterson's other novels often explore big ideas about people and technology. She also works as a journalist and teaches creative writing. She has won many important awards for her books and plays, like the Whitbread Prize and a BAFTA Award. She has also received special honors for her contributions to literature. Her books have been translated into nearly 20 different languages, showing how popular her stories are around the world.

Early Life and Education

Jeanette Winterson was born in Manchester, England. She was adopted by Constance and John William Winterson in January 1960. She grew up in a town called Accrington in Lancashire. Her family raised her in the Elim Pentecostal Church, a Christian faith. From a very young age, she was taught to become a missionary. She even started writing sermons and sharing her faith when she was only six years old.

When she was 16, Jeanette left home. Soon after, she attended Accrington and Rossendale College. From 1978 to 1981, she worked different jobs to support herself. During this time, she studied English at St. Catherine's College, which is part of the famous University of Oxford.

Writing Career and Achievements

After finishing college, Jeanette Winterson moved to London. She worked in theater for a while, including at the Roundhouse. It was during this time that she wrote her first novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit. This book tells a story about a sensitive teenager who goes against what is expected of her.

First Novel Success

In 1985, her first novel was published by Pandora Press. It quickly won the Whitbread Prize for a First Novel, which is a big award for new writers. Later, in 1990, Jeanette Winterson helped turn her book into a TV series. Her novel The Passion was set during the time of Napoleon in Europe.

Exploring New Ideas in Books

Jeanette Winterson's later novels often look at the limits of what is real and what is imagined. They also explore different sides of identity. These books have won many literary awards. In 2002, her stage play based on her book The PowerBook opened at the Royal National Theatre in London.

She also bought and fixed up an old house in Spitalfields, East London. She used it as a place to live sometimes and opened a shop on the ground floor. This shop, called Verde's, sold organic food.

Contributions to Literature and Teaching

In 2009, Jeanette Winterson wrote a short story called "Dog Days." She donated this story to a project by Oxfam, a charity organization. The project was called Ox-Tales, and it featured stories from many different UK authors. She also supported the reopening of the Bush Theatre in London. She wrote and performed work for a project called Sixty Six Books, which was inspired by chapters from the King James Bible.

In 2012, Jeanette Winterson wrote a short novel called The Daylight Gate. This story was based on the Pendle Witch Trials from 1612. The main character, Alice Nutter, was based on a real person from history. Critics praised the book for its powerful storytelling.

In 2012, Jeanette Winterson became a Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Manchester. She teaches students how to write their own stories. Her novel Frankissstein: A Love Story, published in 2019, was considered for the Booker Prize, another very important literary award. In October 2023, her book Night Side of the River was published.

Awards and Recognition

Jeanette Winterson has received many awards and honors for her writing:

• 1985: Whitbread Prize for a First Novel for Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
• 1987: John Llewellyn Rhys Prize for The Passion
• 1989: E. M. Forster Award
• 1992: BAFTA Award for Best Drama for the Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit TV series
• 1994: Winner, Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction, for Written on the Body
• 2006: Received the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to literature
• 2013: Winner, Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Memoir or Biography, for Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?
• 2014: St. Louis Literary Award
• 2016: Chosen as one of BBC's 100 Women
• 2016: Became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
• 2018: Gave the 42nd Richard Dimbleby Lecture, celebrating 100 years of women's right to vote in the UK
• 2018: Received the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her services to literature
• 2019: Longlisted for the Booker Prize for Frankissstein: A Love Story

See also

In Spanish: Jeanette Winterson para niños