Rose Tremain facts for kids

Dame Rose Tremain, born on August 2, 1943, is a well-known English writer. She writes novels and short stories. She also used to be the Chancellor of the University of East Anglia, which is a very important role at a university. She has received many special honors for her writing.

About Rose Tremain's Life

Rosemary Jane Thomson, who later became known as Rose Tremain, was born in London, England, on August 2, 1943. Her parents were Viola Mabel Thomson and Keith Nicholas Home Thomson. Her great-grandfather on her father's side was William Thomson, who was a very important church leader called the Archbishop of York many years ago.

Education and Teaching

Rose Tremain went to several schools, including Francis Holland School. She also studied at the Sorbonne in France from 1961 to 1962. Later, she earned a degree in English Literature from the University of East Anglia.

After finishing her studies, Rose Tremain taught creative writing at the University of East Anglia. She taught there from 1988 to 1995. In 2013, she was chosen to be the Chancellor of the university. This is a special leadership position.

Family and Home

Rose Tremain married Jon Tremain in 1971. They had a daughter named Eleanor in 1972, who grew up to be an actress. This marriage lasted about five years. Later, she married theatre director Jonathan Dudley in 1982. That marriage lasted about nine years. Since 1992, she has been with Richard Holmes. Today, Rose Tremain lives in Thorpe St Andrew, which is a town near Norwich in Norfolk, England.

Rose Tremain's Writing Style

Rose Tremain's writing has been influenced by other famous authors. One of these is William Golding, who wrote Lord of the Flies. She was also inspired by Gabriel García Márquez's book 100 Years of Solitude and a style of writing called magical realism. Magical realism mixes real-world events with magical or dream-like elements.

Historical Novels

Rose Tremain is known for writing historical novels. This means her stories are set in the past. She often tells these stories from new and interesting points of view. She likes to focus on characters who might not be famous or powerful, often called "outsiders."

Short Stories and Honors

In 2009, Rose Tremain wrote a short story called The Jester of Astapovo. She donated this story to a special project by Oxfam called "Ox-Tales." This project collected stories from many UK authors to raise money for charity. Her story was part of the "Earth" collection.

In 1983, she became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. This is a special honor for writers. Later, she received an even higher honor. In 2020, she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her great contributions to writing. This means she is now called "Dame Rose Tremain."

Awards and Special Recognitions

Rose Tremain has won many important awards for her books and plays. Here are some of them:

• 1984 Dylan Thomas Prize
• 1984 Giles Cooper Award, for her play Temporary Shelter
• 1989 Sunday Express Book of the Year, for her novel Restoration
• 1989 Booker Prize, she was shortlisted for Restoration
• 1992 James Tait Black Memorial Prize, for Sacred Country
• 1994 Prix Femina Étranger, for Sacred Country
• 1999 Whitbread Award, for Music and Silence
• 2008 Orange Prize, for The Road Home
• 2012 Wellcome Trust Book Prize, she was shortlisted for Merivel: A Man of His Time
• 2013 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, she was shortlisted for Merivel: A Man of His Time
• 2016 National Jewish Book Award for The Gustav Sonata
• 2016 Costa Book Awards (novel), she was shortlisted for The Gustav Sonata
• 2017 Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction, she was longlisted for The Gustav Sonata
• 2017 Ribalow Prize for The Gustav Sonata
• 2024 Walter Scott Prize, she was shortlisted for Absolutely and Forever