Sophie Kinsella facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sophie Kinsella
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| Born | Madeleine Sophie Townley 12 December 1969 Wandsworth, England |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Period | 1995–present |
| Genre | Romantic comedy |
| Notable works | The Shopaholic series |
| Spouse |
Henry Wickham
(m. 1991) |
Madeleine Sophie Wickham, who writes under the name Sophie Kinsella, is a popular English author. She is famous for her best-selling Shopaholic book series. The first two books in this series, The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic and Shopaholic Abroad, were made into a movie called Confessions of a Shopaholic in 2009. Her books have sold more than 40 million copies in over 60 countries and have been translated into more than 40 different languages!
Her Early Life
Madeleine Sophie Wickham was born in Wandsworth, England, on December 12, 1969. She is the oldest sister of two other writers, Gemma and Abigail Townley. Sophie went to schools like Putney High School and St Mary's School. She later studied at New College, Oxford. She first studied Music, but after a year, she changed her focus to Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. Before she became a full-time writer, she worked as a journalist, writing about financial topics.
Her Writing Journey
Sophie Kinsella wrote her first novel when she was 24 years old, and it was published when she was 26. This book, The Tennis Party, was very successful and became a top ten bestseller. She then wrote six more novels using her real name, Madeleine Wickham. Some of these books include A Desirable Residence and The Wedding Girl.
Later, she started writing under the pen name Sophie Kinsella. She chose this name from her middle name and her mother's maiden name. Her first book as Sophie Kinsella was sent to publishers without her real name attached, and they loved it! She didn't reveal her true identity until her book Can You Keep a Secret? was published in December 2003.
Sophie Kinsella is most famous for her Shopaholic series. These books are about a character named Becky Bloomwood, a financial journalist who has trouble managing her own money because she loves shopping so much! The series follows Becky's adventures and the funny problems her shopping habit causes. As mentioned, the first two Shopaholic books were turned into a movie in 2009.
She has continued to write many popular books. "Shopaholic to the Rescue" was released in October 2015, and "Christmas Shopaholic" came out in October 2019. Her recent standalone novels include My Not So Perfect Life (2017), Surprise Me (2018), I Owe You One (2019), Love Your Life (2020), The Party Crasher (2021), The Burnout (2023), and What Does It Feel Like? (2024). In 2015, she also wrote her first book for young adults, called Finding Audrey.
One of her earlier novels, Sleeping Arrangements, was even turned into a musical in London in 2013.
Awards and Recognition
Sophie Kinsella has received recognition for her writing. In 2025, she was nominated for "Author of the Year" at the British Book Awards. Her novel What Does It Feel Like? was chosen as one of The New York Times' 100 Notable Books of the Year in 2024. It was also listed as one of the five best books of the year by The Guardian.
Her Family Life
In 1991, Sophie Kinsella married Henry Wickham, whom she met while studying at Oxford. Henry, who used to be a school headmaster, now helps manage her business. They live in both Dorset and London and have four sons and one daughter.
In 2024, Sophie shared that she was diagnosed with a type of brain cancer in late 2022. She has been open about her health journey with her readers.
See also
In Spanish: Sophie Kinsella para niños
