Bestselling novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford, author of 'A Woman of Substance', dies at 91

Barbara Taylor Bradford, the British journalist-turned-bestselling novelist who achieved global fame in her 40s with the iconic saga "A Woman of Substance," has passed away at the age of 91.

She died Sunday at her home in New York City, as confirmed by a spokesperson.

Starting with "A Woman of Substance," published in 1979, Bradford averaged nearly a book a year as one of the world's most popular and wealthiest writers, her net worth estimated at more than $200 million and her fame so high that her image appeared on a postage stamp in 1999.

Her books were published in 40 languages and sold more than 90 million copies around the world. In 2007, Queen Elizabeth II even awarded her an OBE (The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire).

With titles like “Breaking the Rules'' and ”Act of Will,'' she specialised in stories of women fighting for love and power in a man's world. Her favourite among her books was "The Women In His Life," inspired by her husband's escape from the Nazis.

Bradford was married to German-born film producer Robert Bradford for 56 years until his death in 2019.

Early years and rise to fame

Born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, Bradford was the only child of a working-class family and discovered a love for books early. By 16, she defied her parents to become a reporter at the Yorkshire Evening Post.

She later worked as fashion editor for Woman's Own Magazine, covered various beats for the London Evening News, and wrote a syndicated column about interior design in the United States. But her dreams was to write novels.

"A Woman of Substance", a multi-generational chronicle of retail magnate Emma Harte, became a global sensation, selling more than 30 million copies and inspiring a 1984 TV miniseries starring Jenny Seagrove and Deborah Kerr.

“If you want to meet the real Emma, meet me,” Bradford told the Telegraph of London in 2009. "Emma had to be tough and ruthless at times: but then so am I. I have to be, as a businesswoman. And I'm a bloody good businesswoman."

Her own life mirrored Emma's in many ways, including family secrets. Bradford discovered through her biographer that her mother had been born out of wedlock, and it is believed that her maternal grandfather was the second Marquess of Ripon, the owner of the Studley Royal estate.

Bradford was known for her strict writing routine, working behind her IBM Lexmark typewriter from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. She enjoyed the fruits of her success with an apartment overlooking Manhattan's East River, a collection of Impressionist art, and luxurious living. When the Bradfords put their apartment up for sale in 2010, the asking price was just under $19 million. (They sold it to Uma Thurman in 2013 for $10 million).

Over the years, she met many other celebrities. Bradford befriended Sean Connery before he appeared in his first James Bond movie and remembered advising him, thankfully in vain, that he should lose his Scottish accent if he wanted to succeed.