Ellis peters author biography in the back

She brought out very attractive and very readable versions of these well-known Czech works. She also did radio programmes and interviews to publicise her books, which again drew attention to the existence of a literary culture in Czechoslovakia. It was a mixture that she translated, a mixture of classic works and more recent, often rather more controversial Czech works.

Sometimes her Czech friends were not quite sure why she bothered to translate those ones. She also wrote two novels, English novels, which were based in Czechoslovakia. In her later life, she finds fame under the pen-name of Ellis Peters, in particular for her series of books about the crime-solving monk Brother Cadfael. When she is living in Shrewsbury during these years, does she keep up her Czechoslovak enthusiasm?

What is the role of Czechoslovakia in the later stage of her life? She was still extremely close to her Czech friends and contacts. She rejoiced greatly at the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the fall of communism. So, it was the over way around. From the beginning of the CC, her literary work is her own and is based in Britain. She did not see the point of just writing for English speakers.

When he heard that she was failing, he came over, and of course was now able to do so. He was with her in her last moments. She was involved in the British-Czechoslovakia Friendship League as well. Edith Pargeter died at the age of 82 on the 14th of Octoberin her home in Shropshire. Facebook Twitter. Share on social media Facebook X.

Length of audio This was followed by a Masters Degree from Birmingham University. Final Chapter Edith Pargeter died on October 14th following a fall and short illness. A memorial service was held at Shrewsbury Abbey where a memorial stained glass window to St. Benedict can be found above the entrance. Part of the window depicts an open book with a quill pen and the character Brother Cadfael whom Edith produced.

From relative modest beginnings this prolific writer has left a legacy of books which have been translated into many languages. Her ashes were scattered at the crematorium in Shrewsbury with her brother Ellis. New York Times - Edih Pargeter. Shrewsbury Chronicle: October 2nd and 9th Statement of use A A A. Biography of Edith Pargeter.

Lukes as an alto Edith attended school in Dawley, about one mile from her home, to the Dawley Church of England School. Wikipedia - Edith Pargeter. Early Years Edith Pargeter was born on 28th Septemberjust before the start of World War 1 and was the youngest of three children. Through her mother, she grew to love the history and landscape of Shropshire which remained her home for all of her life.

She was a keen writer from an early age, writing verse at the age of seven and contributing articles to the school magazine as a teenager.

Ellis peters author biography in the back

She had a varied career before writing full time. Her first job was a temporary Labour Exchange clerk and later, she worked as a chemist's assistant at Dawley. It is from here that she gathered useful information on medicines that she would draw upon later when tackling crime stories. All her spare time was taken up with writing. Her first short story appeared in a national magazine inthe same year as her first novel Hortensius Friend of Nero, was released.

Her father was a clerk at the local Horsehay Company ironworks. After leaving school she worked as a temporary labour exchange clerk, then as an assistant at a chemist's shop in Dawley, during which time her first novel, Hortensius, Friend of Nerowas published in She worked in an administrative role as a teleprinter operator at Devonportand then at the Western Approaches Headquarters at Derby House, Liverpool.

In Pargeter visited Czechoslovakia in a Workers' Educational Association party and became fascinated by the Czech language and culture. She was an active Labour Party supporter until, with her brother Ellis Pargeter a local councillor in Dawleyshe left the party in because they believed that it had deserted socialist principles. She devoted the rest of her life to writing, both nonfiction and well-researched fiction.

She never attended university but became a self-taught scholar in areas that interested her, especially Shropshire and Wales. Birmingham University gave her an honorary master's degree. She never married, but did fall in love with a Czech man. She remained friends with him after he married another woman. Pargeter wrote under a number of pseudonyms ; it was under the name Ellis Peters that she wrote her later crime stories, especially the highly popular series of Brother Cadfael medieval mysteriesfeaturing a Benedictine monk at the Abbey in Shrewsbury.

That pseudonym was drawn from the name of her brother, Ellis, and a version of the name of the daughter of friends, Petra. Although she won her first award for a novel written inher greatest fame and sales came with the Cadfael Chronicleswhich began in At the time that the 19th novel was published, sales of the series exceeded 6. In an interview inshe mentioned her own work before the Second World War as a chemist's assistant, where they prepared many of the compounds they sold.

You never see that nowadays; those tinctures are never prescribed. They often had bitters of some sort in them, a taste I rather liked. Some of Cadfael's prescriptions come out of those years. Her Cadfael novels show great appreciation for the ideals of medieval Catholic Christianity, but also a recognition of its weaknesses, such as quarrels over the finer points of theology The Heretic's Apprenticeand the desire of the church to own more and more land and wealth Monk's HoodSaint Peter's FairThe Rose Rent.

In her mobility began to decline after a fall during a service being televised for Songs of Praise at Shrewsbury Abbey. She had a further fall in at home that led to the amputation of a leg at Princess Royal Hospital, Telford. She died at her last home in Glendinning Way, Madeley, Shropshirein October at the age of 82, having recently returned home from hospital following a stroke.

On 14 Septembera new stained glass window depicting St Benedict was installed in Shrewsbury Abbey and was dedicated to the memory of Edith Pargeter, with funds raised by donations from admirers of the author. She is remembered in her home town with a residential road named after her. In she won the Cartier Diamond Daggeran annual award given by the CWA to authors who have made an outstanding lifetime contribution to the field of crime and mystery writing.

Pargeter's Cadfael Chronicles are often credited for popularizing what would later become known as the historical mystery. Four novels about Llewelyn the Last :.