Los Angeles Times Book Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 10 (1989) Winner
Fay Weldon
フェイ ウェルドン
Fay Weldon
Pen Names:
Franklin Birkinshaw（birth name）
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1931-09-22 （Birmingham, England）
- Died
- 2023-01-04 （Northampton, England） age 91
- Nationality
- British
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Church of England Baptized in 2000
- Residence History
- Christchurch, New Zealand → Auckland, New Zealand → Acton (London), England → East Compton, Somerset, England → Northampton (later life), England
Career
- Occupations
- author, essayist, playwright
- Active Years
- 1963-2018
- Affiliations
- Brunel University (Professor of Creative Writing), Bath Spa University (Professor of Creative Writing), Writers' Guild of Great Britain (member)
- Influenced By
- Margaret Jepson (mother), Edgar Jepson (grandfather), Selwyn Jepson (uncle)
- Influenced
- Kate Mosse (writer), Maggie Gee (novelist)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of St Andrews | Psychology and Economics | Department of Psychology and Economics | Master of Arts | 1948–1952 | United Kingdom |
University of St Andrews
Psychology and Economics
/ Department of Psychology and Economics
Degree:
Master of Arts
Period:
1948–1952
Year of Graduation:
1952
Country:
United Kingdom
Attended on scholarship
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Writers' Guild Award (Best British TV Series Script) | On Trial (pilot of Upstairs, Downstairs) | テレビ脚本 | Writers' Guild of Great Britain | 受賞 |
| 1979 | Booker Prize (Best Novel) | Praxis | 最優秀小説部門 | Booker Prize | ノミネート |
| 1980 | Society of Authors Travelling Scholarship | — | — | Society of Authors | 受賞 |
| 1989 | Los Angeles Times Book Prize (Fiction) | The Heart of the Country | フィクション | Los Angeles Times | 受賞 |
| 1996 | Whitbread Prize (Best Novel) | Worst Fears | 最優秀小説部門 | Whitbread Prize | ノミネート |
| 1996 | PEN/Macmillan Silver Pen Award | Wicked Women | — | PEN/Macmillan | 受賞 |
| 2001 | Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) | — | — | Order of the British Empire | 授与 |
Writers' Guild Award (Best British TV Series Script)
1973
Work:
On Trial (pilot of Upstairs, Downstairs)
Category:
テレビ脚本
Organization:
Writers' Guild of Great Britain
Result:
受賞
Booker Prize (Best Novel)
1979
Work:
Praxis
Category:
最優秀小説部門
Organization:
Booker Prize
Result:
ノミネート
Society of Authors Travelling Scholarship
1980
Organization:
Society of Authors
Result:
受賞
Los Angeles Times Book Prize (Fiction)
1989
Work:
The Heart of the Country
Category:
フィクション
Organization:
Los Angeles Times
Result:
受賞
Whitbread Prize (Best Novel)
1996
Work:
Worst Fears
Category:
最優秀小説部門
Organization:
Whitbread Prize
Result:
ノミネート
PEN/Macmillan Silver Pen Award
1996
Work:
Wicked Women
Organization:
PEN/Macmillan
Result:
受賞
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
2001
Organization:
Order of the British Empire
Result:
授与
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Puffball
1980 Novel (gothic/fantasy elements)A rural-set novel with gothic elements that explores pregnancy, family relationships and supernatural motifs.
familymotherhoodsupernatural
The Life and Loves of a She-Devil
1983 Novel (feminist, dark humour)The story of a woman deemed unattractive who reinvents herself and enacts revenge, exploring female selfhood and resistance to social expectations.
self-reinventionrevengewomen's status
Adaptations
- [TV series] The Life and Loves of a She-Devil (TV adaptation) (1986)
The Cloning of Joanna May
1989 Novel (with science-fiction elements)A novel addressing cloning and identity, focusing on personal and familial relationships.
identityscience and ethicsfamily
The Bulgari Connection
2000 Novel (satire on commercialism)A novel that drew controversy for its use of product placement, satirising commercialism and the intersection of publishing and advertising.
commercialismmedia criticismmorality and money
Bibliography
- The Fat Woman's Joke (1967)
- Words of Advice (1974)
- Praxis (1978)
- Puffball (1980)
- The Life and Loves of a She-Devil (1983)
- The Cloning of Joanna May (1989)
- Wicked Women (1995)
- The Bulgari Connection (2000)
- Habits of the House (2012)
- Before the War (2017)
- After the Peace (2018)
Adaptations
- Wrote first episode of Upstairs, Downstairs (1971)
- Pride and Prejudice (1980) TV screenplay
- The Life and Loves of a She-Devil (TV adaptation, 1986)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- wry narrative voicedirect critical toneblend of humour and dark humour
- Recurring Motifs
- featured 'overweight/plain' women protagonistsmarriage and identity issuesrebellion against social expectations
Health
-
Knee problems (knee replacement)2011頃Temporary impact on mobility around 2011 due to knee replacement; reportedly recovered and continued writing.
Legacy
Fay Weldon was an influential British writer known for her feminist perspective and wry style. She succeeded as a TV scriptwriter and had several works adapted for screen. Her sharp treatment of commercialism and women's social position earned both acclaim and controversy.
Academic Societies
- Society of Authors
Archives
- Held in major UK library and public archives
- Records held at the Library of Congress
In Popular Culture
- TV adaptation of The Life and Loves of a She-Devil became a notable 1980s cultural work
- The Bulgari Connection controversy over product placement in fiction
Quotes
-
I have written about overweight, plain women—they are the unseen majority.
Source: Fay Weldon (blog 'Plain or pretty' and other writings) (2016)
Trivia
- Birth name: Franklin Birkinshaw.
- Chaired the Booker Prize judges in 1983, a role that provoked discussion.
- The Bulgari Connection (2000) drew controversy for extensive product placement.
- Joined the Church of England and was confirmed in 2000.
- Wrote the first episode of Upstairs, Downstairs (1971) and won a Writers' Guild award.