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Nina Bawden

CBE, FRSL, JP
Bawden in 2003
Bawden in 2003
Born (1925-01-19)19 January 1925
Ilford, Essex, England
Died 22 August 2012(2012-08-22) (aged 87)
North London, England
Occupation Writer
Nationality English
Period 1953–2004
Genre Novels, Children's literature
Spouse
Harry Bawden
​
​
(m. 1946; div. 1954)​

Austen Kark
​
​
(m. 1954; died 2002)​
Children 3

Nina Mary Bawden (born January 19, 1925, died August 22, 2012) was a famous English writer. She wrote many books for both adults and children. She was even nominated for the important Booker Prize and won the Golden PEN Award for her great writing.

About Nina Bawden's Life

Her Early Years

Nina Bawden was born in 1925 in a town called Ilford, in Essex, England. Her birth name was Nina Mary Mabey. Her mother was a teacher, and her father worked in the Royal Marines.

When she was 14, during World War II, Nina had to leave her home for safety. She was sent to Aberdare, Wales, as part of the wartime evacuations. During school holidays, she would visit a farm in Shropshire with her mother and brothers.

Her Education

Nina went to Ilford County High School for Girls. Later, she studied at Oxford University, specifically at Somerville College. She earned a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics.

Her Family Life

Nina Bawden was married twice. Her first marriage was to Harry Bawden from 1946 to 1954. They had two sons together.

In 1954, she married Austen Kark. He was a reporter who later became the managing director of the BBC World Service. Nina and Austen had a daughter. She also had two stepdaughters.

In 2002, Nina was badly hurt in a train accident called the Potters Bar rail crash. Sadly, her husband, Austen Kark, died in this accident. Nina's experience and her thoughts on what caused the crash were even featured in a play called The Permanent Way.

Nina Bawden passed away at her home in London on August 22, 2012.

Nina Bawden's Books and Awards

Nina Bawden wrote 55 books during her career. Many of her books have been turned into TV shows by the BBC for children. Her stories have also been translated into many different languages.

Famous Books

Some of her well-known novels include:

The Peppermint Pig won the 1976 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. This is a special award given by a group of British children's writers.

Carrie's War is one of her most famous books. It won the 1993 Phoenix Award. This award is given to great English-language children's books that didn't win a major award when they were first published. The award is named after the mythical bird phoenix, which rises from ashes, showing how the book became popular again.

Awards and Recognition

In 2010, Nina Bawden's book The Birds on the Trees was nominated for the Lost Man Booker Prize. This was for books published in 1970, a year when the main Booker Prize was not given out.

In 2004, she received the Golden PEN Award from English PEN. This award honors a writer for their "Lifetime's Distinguished Service to Literature," meaning their excellent work in writing over many years.

Nina Bawden was also nominated for other important awards:

  • 1987: Shortlisted for the Booker Prize for her book Circles of Deceit.
  • 1995: Shortlisted for the WH Smith Mind-Boggling Book Award for The Real Plato Jones.
  • 1996: Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Granny the Pag.

List of Nina Bawden's Works

  • Who Calls the Tune? (1953)
  • The Old Flamingo (1954)
  • Change Here for Babylon (1955)
  • The Solitary Child (1956)
  • Devil by the Sea (1957)
  • Just Like a Lady (1960)
  • In Honour Bound (1961)
  • The Secret Passage (1963)
  • Tortoise by Candlelight (1963)
  • The House of Secrets (1963)
  • On the Run (1964); US title, Three on the Run
  • Under the Skin (1964)
  • A Little Love, A Little Learning (1965)
  • The White Horse Gang (1966)
  • The Witch's Daughter (1966)
  • A Handful of Thieves (1967)
  • A Woman of My Age (1967)
  • The Grain of Truth (1969)
  • The Runaway Summer (1969)
  • The Birds on the Trees (1970)
  • Squib (1971)
  • Anna Apparent (1972)
  • Carrie's War (1973) — winner of the 1993 Phoenix Award
  • George Beneath a Paper Moon (1974)
  • The Peppermint Pig (1975) — winner of the 1976 Guardian Prize
  • Afternoon of a Good Woman (1976)
  • Solitary Child (1976)
  • Rebel on a Rock (1978)
  • Familiar Passions (1979)
  • The Robbers (1979)
  • Walking Naked (1981)
  • William Tell (1981), a picture book
  • Kept in the Dark (1982)
  • The Ice House (1983)
  • Saint Francis of Assisi (1983), a picture book
  • The Finding (1985)
  • On the Edge (1985)
  • Princess Alice (1986)
  • Circles of Deceit (1987)
  • Henry (1988)
  • Keeping Henry (1988)
  • The Outside Child (1989)
  • Family Money (1991)
  • Humbug (1992)
  • The Real Plato Jones (1993)
  • In My Own Time: Almost an Autobiography (1994)
  • Granny the Pag (1995)
  • A Nice Change (1997)
  • Off the Road (1998)
  • The Ruffian on the Stair (2001)
  • Dear Austen (2005)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Nina Bawden para niños

  • List of winners and shortlisted authors of the Booker Prize for Fiction
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