Nuala O'Faolain facts for kids
Nuala O'Faolain (born March 1, 1940 – died May 9, 2008) was an Irish journalist, TV producer, book reviewer, teacher, and writer. She became very well known after her books Are You Somebody? and Almost There were published. She also wrote a book about a famous Irish person named Chicago May and two novels.
About Nuala's Life
Nuala O'Faolain was born in Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland. She was the second oldest of nine children in her family. Her father, known as 'TerryO', was also a well-known journalist. He wrote a social column for the Dublin Evening Press newspaper.
Nuala studied at several universities, including University College Dublin, the University of Hull, and Oxford University. After her studies, she taught for a while at Morley College. She also worked as a television producer for the BBC and Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), which are big broadcasting companies.
Nuala chose to focus on her career and never married or had children. She often wrote about her experiences and choices in her books. She lived part of her time in Ireland and part in New York City.
Nuala became ill and passed away on May 9, 2008. A few years later, in 2012, RTÉ announced they would make an important new documentary about her life.
Nuala's Writings
Nuala O'Faolain became famous around the world for her two memoir books. Memoirs are like true stories about a person's own life. These books were called Are You Somebody? and Almost There. She also wrote a novel, My Dream of You. Another important book she wrote was The Story of Chicago May, which was a history book with her own thoughts and comments.
All three of these books were so popular that they appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list. After she passed away, another novel she wrote, called Best Love, Rosie, was published in 2009.
Nuala was very good at showing how women's roles were changing during her lifetime. She believed strongly in fairness for everyone. She often shared her own experiences in her writing. This made her books very honest and brave.
Awards Nuala Won
- 1985: She won a Jacob's Award for being the producer of the Plain Tales TV show on RTÉ.
- 2006: She received the Prix Femina étranger award for her book The Story of Chicago May.
Nuala's Books
- Are You Somebody? The Accidental Memoir of a Dublin Woman, 1996.
- My Dream of You, 2001.
- Almost There: The Onward Journey of a Dublin Woman, 2003.
- The Story of Chicago May, 2005.
- Best Love, Rosie, 2009.
- A More Complex Truth, 2010 (also reprinted as A Radiant Life: The Selected Journalism of Nuala O’Faolain, 2011).
