Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor (3 July 1912 – 19 November 1975)

Elizabeth Taylor was a British author, who wrote about ordinary people and situations in a most compelling way.  Her characterizations are superb.  Taylor wrote twelve novels and five short story collections, which have all been published as Virago Modern Classics.   She was a very private person, and overshadowed during her lifetime by the actress who shared her name.  As Benjamin Schwarz wrote in The Atlantic, she “is best known for not being better known.”  Further biographical information can be found on Wikipedia.

Nicola Beauman published an excellent biography, The Other Elizabeth Taylor, which I reviewed here.

Reviews of Elizabeth Taylor’s work (in order of publication):

• At Mrs Lippincote’s (1945) , read November 2010
• Palladian  (1946)  , read April 2011
• A View of the Harbour (1947) , read July 2008
• A Wreath of Roses (1949) , read April 2012
• A Game of Hide and Seek (1951) , read May 2012
• The Sleeping Beauty (1953) , , read June 2012
• Angel (1957), , read July 2012
• In a Summer Season (1961) , read January 2009
• The Soul of Kindness (1964), , read September 2012
• The Wedding Group (1968), , read October 2012
• Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont (1971) , read December 2007
• Blaming (1975)  , read November 2012