Author. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland to an anglican mother and a Jewish father, she was educated at Gillespie's School for Girls and Heriot-Watt College. Some of her poems were published by the time she won her first poetry prize, at the age of just twelve years old. During World War 11 she served in intelligence. Her earliest works were documents for the British Political Intelligence Office, at the end of the war. After the war she moved to London. Her actual literary career began after winning a fiction writing contest in 1951. She wrote studies on Mary Shelly, John Masefield and the Bronte sisters. Her first novel, "The Comforters" (1957), was published, "a book of extraodinary originality", as one critic citing. Among her many works include: "Robinson" (1958), "The Go-Away Bird and Other Stories" (1958), "The Balland of Peckham Rye" (1969). Her most famous novel, "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" (1962), received much critical acclaim, and established her reputation. Her many other works include: "The Mandelbaum Gate" (1965), "The Hothouse by the East River" 1973), "Not to Disturb" (1971), "The Only Problem" (1984), "Aiding and Abetting" (2001), among books of poetry. She became Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1993 in recognition of her services to literature. In 2001, she received the David Cohen British Literature Prize for lifetime achievement and the T. S. Elliot prize in 1992, among many other accolades. After living for some years in New York City, she settled in Italy where she remained for the rest of her life.
Author. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland to an anglican mother and a Jewish father, she was educated at Gillespie's School for Girls and Heriot-Watt College. Some of her poems were published by the time she won her first poetry prize, at the age of just twelve years old. During World War 11 she served in intelligence. Her earliest works were documents for the British Political Intelligence Office, at the end of the war. After the war she moved to London. Her actual literary career began after winning a fiction writing contest in 1951. She wrote studies on Mary Shelly, John Masefield and the Bronte sisters. Her first novel, "The Comforters" (1957), was published, "a book of extraodinary originality", as one critic citing. Among her many works include: "Robinson" (1958), "The Go-Away Bird and Other Stories" (1958), "The Balland of Peckham Rye" (1969). Her most famous novel, "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" (1962), received much critical acclaim, and established her reputation. Her many other works include: "The Mandelbaum Gate" (1965), "The Hothouse by the East River" 1973), "Not to Disturb" (1971), "The Only Problem" (1984), "Aiding and Abetting" (2001), among books of poetry. She became Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1993 in recognition of her services to literature. In 2001, she received the David Cohen British Literature Prize for lifetime achievement and the T. S. Elliot prize in 1992, among many other accolades. After living for some years in New York City, she settled in Italy where she remained for the rest of her life.
Bio by: s.canning
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