Barbara Taylor Bradford, the British journalist-turned-literary sensation whose novel A Woman of Substance captivated millions and launched a decades-long career as one of the world’s most successful authors, has died at the age of 91, The Associated Press reports.
Bradford passed away Sunday at her home in New York City, a spokesperson confirmed Monday. Her death marks the end of a remarkable life that saw her rise from humble beginnings in Leeds, England, to become a multi-millionaire author whose works were translated into 40 languages and sold over 90 million copies globally. Her estimated net worth exceeded $200 million, a testament to her enduring popularity and prolific output. In recognition of her contributions to literature, she was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II in 2007 and even had her image featured on a postage stamp in 1999.
Her breakthrough came with the publication of A Woman of Substance in 1979. This multi-generational saga chronicling the life of retail magnate Emma Harte became an instant bestseller, spawning several sequels and a highly successful 1984 miniseries starring Jenny Seagrove and Deborah Kerr. The book alone sold over 30 million copies.
Bradford maintained a remarkably consistent output, averaging nearly a book a year throughout her career. She specialized in compelling stories centered on women navigating love and power in a male-dominated world, with titles such as Breaking the Rules and Act of Will reflecting her themes. Her personal favorite, The Women in His Life, drew inspiration from her husband’s escape from Nazi Germany.
She was married for 56 years to film producer Robert Bradford, who died in 2019. A native of Leeds, Bradford’s early life reflected her working-class roots. An avid reader from a young age, she published her first story in a local magazine as a girl. At 16, she defied her parents’ wishes to pursue a career in journalism, working for the Yorkshire Evening Post and later holding positions such as fashion editor at Woman’s Own magazine and a syndicated interior design columnist in the United States.
The connection between Bradford and her most famous character, Emma Harte, ran deeper than just financial success. Both women harbored family secrets; Bradford, later in life, discovered her own mother had been born out of wedlock, a fact believed to connect her maternal grandfather to the second Marquess of Ripon.
Jenny Seagrove, who starred in the A Woman of Substance miniseries and became a friend of Bradford’s, described the author as a “powerhouse of glamour and warmth,” a “force of nature” who remained deeply connected to her working-class origins.
