Elizabeth Taylor (née Coles; 3 July 1912 – 19 November 1975) was an English novelist and short-story writer.

Kingsley Amis Sir Kingsley William Amis (16 April 1922 – 22 October 1995) was an English novelist, poet, critic, and teacher. He wrote more than 20 novels, six volumes of poetry, a memoir, short stories, radio and television scripts, and works of social an ...

described her as "one of the best English novelists born in this century".

Antonia Fraser Lady Antonia Margaret Caroline Fraser, (' Pakenham; born 27 August 1932) is a British author of history, novels, biographies and detective fiction. She is the widow of the 2005 Nobel Laureate in Literature, Harold Pinter (1930–2008), and pr ...

called her "one of the most underrated writers of the 20th century", while

Hilary Mantel Dame Hilary Mary Mantel ( ; born Thompson; 6 July 1952 – 22 September 2022) was a British writer whose work includes historical fiction, personal memoirs and short stories. Her first published novel, '' Every Day Is Mother's Day'', was relea ...

said she was "deft, accomplished and somewhat underrated".

Life and writings

Born in

Reading, Berkshire Reading ( ) is a town and borough in Berkshire, Southeast England, southeast England. Located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the rivers River Thames, Thames and River Kennet, Kennet, the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 mot ...

, the daughter of Oliver Coles, an insurance inspector, and his wife Elsie May Fewtrell, Elizabeth was educated at

The Abbey School, Reading The Abbey School is an independent selective day school for girls, in Reading, Berkshire, England. Overview The Abbey School provides education for girls aged 3 to 18 years. The school is based in the centre of Reading, on Kendrick Road. The c ...

, and then worked as a governess, tutor and librarian. She married in 1936 John Taylor, owner of a confectionery company, after which they lived in

Penn, Buckinghamshire Penn is a village and civil parish in Buckinghamshire, England, about north-west of Beaconsfield and east of High Wycombe. The parish's cover Penn village and the hamlets of Penn Street, Knotty Green, Forty Green, Penn, Forty Green and Winchm ...

for almost all their married life. She was briefly a member of the

British Communist Party The Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) was the largest communist organisation in Britain and was founded in 1920 through a merger of several smaller Marxist groups. Many miners joined the CPGB in the 1926 general strike. In 1930, the CPGB ...

, then a consistent Labour Party supporter. Taylor's first novel, ''At Mrs. Lippincote's'', was published in 1945. It was followed by eleven more. Her short stories were published in magazines and collected in four volumes. She also wrote a children's book. The English critic

Philip Hensher Philip Michael Hensher FRSL (born 20 February 1965) is an English novelist, critic and journalist. Biography Son of Raymond J. and Miriam Hensher, his father a bank manager and composer and his mother a university librarian, Hensher was born in ...

called ''The Soul of Kindness'' a novel "so expert that it seems effortless. As it progresses, it seems as if the cast are so fully rounded that all the novelist had to do was place them, successively, in one setting after another and observe how they reacted to each other.... The plot... never feels as if it were organised in advance; it feels as if it arises from her characters' mutual responses." Taylor's work is mainly concerned with the nuances of everyday life and situations. Her shrewd but affectionate portrayals of middle-class and upper middle-class English life won her an audience of discriminating readers, as well as loyal friends in the world of letters. She was a friend of the novelist

Ivy Compton-Burnett Dame Ivy Compton-Burnett, (; 5 June 188427 August 1969) was an English novelist, published in the original editions as I. Compton-Burnett. She was awarded the 1955 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for her novel ''Mother and Son''. Her works co ...

and of the novelist and critic Robert Liddell. Her long correspondence with the latter forms the subject of one of her short stories, "The Letter Writers" (published in ''The Blush'', 1951), but the letters were destroyed, in line with her general policy of keeping her private life private. A horror of publicity is the subject of another celebrated short story, "Sisters", written in 1969.

Anne Tyler Anne Tyler (born October 25, 1941) is an American novelist, short story writer, and literary critic. She has published twenty-four novels, including '' Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant'' (1982), ''The Accidental Tourist'' (1985), and ''Breathi ...

once compared Taylor to

Jane Austen Jane Austen (; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots of ...

Barbara Pym Barbara Mary Crampton Pym FRSL (2 June 1913 – 11 January 1980) was an English novelist. In the 1950s she published a series of social comedies, of which the best known are ''Excellent Women'' (1952) and '' A Glass of Blessings'' (1958). In 1977 ...

and

Elizabeth Bowen Elizabeth Bowen CBE (; 7 June 1899 – 22 February 1973) was an Irish-British novelist and short story writer notable for her books about the "big house" of Irish landed Protestants as well her fiction about life in wartime London. Life ...

– "soul sisters all," in Tyler's words. Taylor was also a close friend of

Elizabeth Jane Howard Elizabeth Jane Howard, Lady Amis (26 March 1923 – 2 January 2014), was an English novelist, author of 12 novels including the best-selling series ''The'' ''Cazalet Chronicles''. Early life Howard's parents were timber-merchant Major David L ...

, who was asked by Taylor's widower to write a biography following Elizabeth Taylor's death. Howard refused due to what she felt was a lack of incident in Taylor's life. See ''Slipstream'', Elizabeth Jane Howard's memoir, for more details on their friendship. Taylor's editor at the UK publisher Chatto & Windus was the poet D. J. Enright. Elizabeth Taylor died of cancer in

, at the age of 63. In the 21st century a new interest in her work was kindled by film-makers.

Ruth Sacks Caplin Ruth Sacks Caplin (September 5, 1920 – August 5, 2014) was an American screenwriter, arts advocate, therapist and philanthropist known for her adapted screenplay for the film, '' Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont'', starring Joan Plowright and Rup ...

had written a film screenplay based on Taylor's novel '' Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont'' in the 1970s, but it languished for decades until her son, Lee Caplin, purchased the rights to the film in 1999. Ruth Sacks Caplin's film adaptation, '' Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont'', directed by

Dan Ireland Daniel Frederick Ireland (May 11, 1949 – April 14, 2016) was an American-Canadian film producer and director.''. In: cinemawithoutborders.com, July 5, 2012 He was the co-founder of the Seattle International Film Festival. Biography Ireland was b ...

, was finally released in 2005 with British actress

Joan Plowright Joan Ann Olivier, Baroness Olivier, (née Plowright; born 28 October 1929), professionally known as Dame Joan Plowright, is an English retired actress whose career has spanned over seven decades. She has won two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony ...

in the title role. The

New York Review of Books New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

reissued ''Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont'' in 2021 in its

Classics Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

series. In his introduction to this edition,

Michael Hofmann Michael Hofmann (born 25 August 1957) is a German-born poet who writes in English and is a translator of texts from German. Biography Hofmann was born in Freiburg into a family with a literary tradition. His father was the German novelist Ger ...

noted that the novel was nominated for the

Booker Prize The Booker Prize, formerly known as the Booker Prize for Fiction (1969–2001) and the Man Booker Prize (2002–2019), is a Literary award, literary prize awarded each year for the best novel written in English and published in the United King ...

, but that the novelist

Saul Bellow Saul Bellow (born Solomon Bellows; 10 July 1915 – 5 April 2005) was a Canadian-born American writer. For his literary work, Bellow was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, the Nobel Prize for Literature, and the National Medal of Arts. He is the only w ...

, a "celebrity judge, thought he heard a lot of tinkling teacups in Mrs. Palfrey, and there went her chances" – with

V. S. Naipaul Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul (; 17 August 1932 – 11 August 2018) was a Trinidadian-born British writer of works of fiction and nonfiction in English. He is known for his comic early novels set in Trinidad, his bleaker novels of alienati ...

having won that year instead for ''

In a Free State ''In a Free State'' is a novel by V. S. Naipaul published in 1971 by Andre Deutsch. It won that year's Booker Prize. The plot consists of a framing narrative and three short stories – "One out of Many (V.S. Naipaul), One out of Many", "Tell ...

''. Set in 1968 or 1969, with frequent references to popular culture (ranging from the

Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developme ...

, to the novels of

C. P. Snow Charles Percy Snow, Baron Snow, (15 October 1905 – 1 July 1980) was an English novelist and physical chemist who also served in several important positions in the British Civil Service and briefly in the UK government.''The Columbia Encyclope ...

) and changing social tastes, ''Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont'' is a post-imperial novel with the lead character herself having spent most of her adult life in Burma, where her late husband had his job. "The whole country seems to be in a bit of a pother," Hoffman observes, "but oddly, there are

Union Jacks ''Union Jacks'' is The Babys’ fourth album, which peaked at number 42 on the ''Billboard'' 200 in 1980. The lead single "True Love True Confession" failed to chart and was succeeded by the minor hit "Midnight Rendezvous," and finally the hit ...

everywhere." French director

François Ozon François Ozon (; born 15 November 1967) is a French film director and screenwriter. Ozon is considered one of the most important modern French filmmakers. His films are characterized by aesthetic beauty, sharp satirical humor and a free-wheeli ...

made a 2007 film of ''

Angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...

'' with

Romola Garai Romola Sadie Garai (; born 6 August 1982) is a British actress and film director. She appeared in ''Amazing Grace'', ''Atonement'', and '' Glorious 39'', and in the BBC series '' Emma'', '' The Hour'' and ''The Crimson Petal and the White''. I ...

Bibliography

Novels

*'' At Mrs. Lippincote's'' (1945) *''

Palladian Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and ...

'' (1946) shows most clearly the influence of Jane Austen. *''

A View of the Harbour ''A View of the Harbour'' is a novel by Elizabeth Taylor. First published in 1947 in England and the United States, it was her third novel. It is the first of her novels in which one of the main characters is a creative artist. The relationship ...

'' (1947) *'' A Wreath of Roses'' (1949) *'' A Game of Hide and Seek'' (1951) *'' The Sleeping Beauty'' (1953) *''

'' (1957) *'' In a Summer Season'' (1961) is her most sex-infused work, telling the story of a rich woman who marries a man ten years her junior. *'' The Soul of Kindness'' (1964) *'' The Wedding Group'' (1968) *'' Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont'' (1971). The actress

Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...

is probably implied in "the blousy Mrs Burton" coming to stay at the hotel. It was included in

Robert McCrum John Robert McCrum (born 7 July 1953) is an English writer and editor, holding senior editorial positions at Faber and Faber over seventeen years, followed by a long association with ''The Observer''. Early life The son of Michael William McC ...

's 100 Best Novels In English. Shortlisted for the Booker Prize. *'' Blaming'' (1976), posthumous.

Short story collections

*'' Hester Lilly'' (1954) *'' The Blush and Other Stories'' (1958) *'' A Dedicated Man and Other Stories'' (1965) *'' The Devastating Boys'' (1972). Includes "Sisters" and "Flesh" *'' Dangerous Calm'' (1995). A selection of her stories and two previously unpublished short stories *'' Complete Short Stories'' (2012). Collects all of the works in the first five short story collections *'' Elizabeth Taylor: A Centenary Celebration'' (2012). Short stories uncollected in "Complete Short Stories" including unpublished and incomplete stories, and essays and letters *'' You'll Enjoy It When You Get There: The Stories of Elizabeth Taylor'' (2014). A selection of her stories.

Short stories

*"For Thine is the Power", ''Tribune'', 31 March 1944 *"A Nice Little Actress", ''Modern Short Stories'', August 1944 *"Better Not", ''The Adelphi'', October–December 1944 *"A Sad Garden", ''Modern Reading'', March 1945 *"It Makes a Change", ''The Adelphi'', October–December 1945 *"Mothers", ''Here Today'', 1945 *"Husbands and Wives", ''New Short Stories 1945–1946'', ed. John Singer, 1946 *"Ever So Banal", ''Kite'', Spring 1946 *"Simone", ''Writing Today'', Summer 1946 *"The Light of Day", ''The Harpers Monthly'', December 1947 *"Red-letter Day", ''The New Yorker'', 27 November 1948 *"First Death of Her Life", ''The New Yorker'', 19 March 1949 *"After hours of suffering", ''Vogue'', July 1949 *"The Beginning of a Story", ''The New Yorker'', 29 October 1949 *"Nods & Becks & Wreathed Smiles", ''The New Yorker'', 19 November 1949 *"Gravement Endommage", ''he New Yorker'', 7 October 1950 *"Plenty Good Fiesta", ''The New Yorker'', 14 July 1951 *"Oasis of Gaiety", ''The New Yorker'', 18 August 1951 *"The Idea of Age", ''The New Yorker'', 9 February 1952 *"Spry Old Character", ''The New Yorker'', 7 March 1953 *"Swan-Moving", ''The New Yorker'', 26 December 1953 *"Goodbye, Goodbye", ''The New Yorker'', 14 August 1954 *"Poor Girl", ''The Third Ghost Book'', ed. Cynthia Asquith, 1955 *"Hare Park", ''The New Yorker'', 14 April 1956 *"The Ambush", ''The New Yorker'', 2 June 1956 *"The True Primitive", ''The New Yorker'', 11 May 1957 *"The Rose, the Mauve, the White", ''The New Yorker'', 22 June 1957 *"The Blush", ''The New Yorker'', 17 August 1957 *"You'll Enjoy It When You Get There", ''The New Yorker'', 23 November 1957 *"A Troubled State of Mind, ''The Cornhill Magazine'', Spring 1958 *"The Letter-Writers", ''The New Yorker'', 31 May 1958 *"Perhaps a Family Failing", ''The New Yorker'', 5 July 1958 *"Summer Schools", ''The New Yorker'', 6 September 1958 *"The Benefactress", ''The New Yorker'', 5 December 1959 *"The Thames Spread Out", ''The New Yorker'', 19 December 1959 *"Thames-Side Venice", ''The Argosy (UK)'', May 1960 *"A Dedicated Man", ''The New Yorker'', 4 June 1960 *"The Prerogative of Love", ''The New Yorker'', 23 July 1960 *"Girl Reading", ''The New Yorker'', 29 July 1961 *"In a Different Light", ''The New Yorker'', 29 July 1961 *"As If I Should Care", ''The New Yorker'', 19 May 1962 *"Mice and Birds and Boy", ''The New Yorker'', 9 February 1963 *"Mr Wharton", ''The New Yorker'', 8 June 1963 *"The Voices", ''The New Yorker'', 20 July 1963 *"In the Sun", ''The New Yorker'', 18 April 1964 *"Vron and Willie", ''The New Yorker'', 16 January 1965 *"Setting a Scene", ''The Cornhill Magazine'', Autumn 1965 *"Hôtel du Commerce", ''The Cornhill Magazine'', Winter 1965/66 *"The Devastating Boys", ''McCall's'', May 1966 *"Tall Boy", ''The New Yorker'', 31 December 1966 *"In and Out the Houses", ''The Saturday Evening Post'', 14 December 1968 *"The Fly-Paper", ''The Cornhill Magazine'', Spring 1969 *"Sisters", ''The New Yorker'', 21 June 1969 *"Well, Here We Are", ''McCall's'', December 1969 *"The Blossoming", ''Saturday Book Story'', 1972 *"The Wrong Order", ''Winters Tale 19'', 1972 *"Madame Olga", ''McCall's'', August 1973

Children's book

*'' Mossy Trotter'' (1967)

Quotation

*"The whole point is that writing has a pattern and life hasn't. Life is so untidy. Art is so short and life so long. It is not possible to have perfection in life but it is possible to have perfection in a novel."

References

External links

*
From England, A Belated Gift: Elizabeth Taylor's Fiction
at

Rain Taxi ''Rain Taxi'' is a Minneapolis-based book review and literary organization. In addition to publishing its quarterly print edition, ''Rain Taxi'' maintains an online edition with distinct content, sponsors the Twin Cities Book Festival, hosts read ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Elizabeth 1912 births 1975 deaths English women novelists English short story writers writers from Reading, Berkshire People educated at The Abbey School British women short story writers 20th-century English women writers 20th-century English novelists 20th-century British short story writers