Joan Brady (writer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joan Brady Masters
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|---|---|
| Born | Joan Brady 4 December 1939 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Died | 18 June 2024 (aged 84) |
| Pen name | Joan Brady |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | American |
| Citizenship | British |
| Period | 1979–2024 |
| Genre | Biography, suspense fiction |
| Notable works | Theory of War |
| Spouse |
Dexter Masters
(m. 1963; died 1989) |
| Children | Alexander Masters |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Judy Brady Syfers (sister) |
Joan Brady (born December 4, 1939 – died June 18, 2024) was an amazing American-British writer. She made history by becoming the first woman and first American to win the prestigious Whitbread Book of the Year Award. She won this big award for her novel called Theory of War.
Contents
About Joan Brady's Life
Early Life and Education
Joan Brady was born on December 4, 1939, in San Francisco, California. Her parents were Mildred Edie Brady and Robert A. Brady. She also had a sister named Judy.
Before she became a famous author, Joan was a talented dancer. She danced with the San Francisco Ballet and the New York City Ballet. Later, she decided to study philosophy at Columbia University in New York City.
Family and Moving to England
In 1963, Joan married another author named Dexter Masters. A few years later, in 1965, they moved to England.
Together, Joan and Dexter had a son named Alexander Masters. Alexander also grew up to be a writer, known for his book Stuart: A Life Backwards. Joan's husband, Dexter, passed away in 1989. Towards the end of her life, Joan lived in Oxford, England.
Joan Brady's Books and Awards
First Books and Autobiography
Joan Brady's first book, The Impostor, was published in 1979. A few years later, in 1982, she shared her own life story in an autobiography. This book was released with two different titles: The Unmaking of a Dancer and Prologue: An Unconventional Life.
Winning Awards with Theory of War
Her third book, Theory of War, was a novel that became very famous. People called it a "modern work of genius." This book won two major awards: the Whitbread Novel of the Year award and the top prize, the Whitbread Book of the Year award.
Theory of War also won the French Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger and a special grant from the US National Endowment for the Arts. After this success, Joan wrote two more novels: Death Comes for Peter Pan and The Emigre.
Writing Thrillers
Joan Brady later started writing exciting thriller novels. Her first thriller was called Bleedout. This book tells a story about political and business problems. It follows two men as the action unfolds.
In 2010, she published a sequel to Bleedout called Venom. This book explored the idea of companies trying to find cures for serious health issues.
