Home / Arts and Entertainment / Leeds honors literary icon Barbara Taylor Bradford
Leeds honors literary icon Barbara Taylor Bradford
26 Feb
Summary
- A blue plaque honors Leeds-born author Barbara Taylor Bradford.
- Her debut novel, A Woman of Substance, sold over 32 million copies.
- The plaque is installed at Armley Library, where she spent her youth.
A blue plaque has been unveiled in Leeds to honor the city's own bestselling author, Barbara Taylor Bradford OBE. This marks the 207th installation by the Leeds Civic Trust, recognizing her immense international literary achievements.
Bradford's first novel, 'A Woman of Substance,' published in 1979, achieved remarkable success, selling over 32 million copies and becoming one of the top-selling fiction works of all time. It stayed on The New York Times bestseller list for an impressive 43 weeks.
Martin Hamilton, director of Leeds Civic Trust, noted that while Bradford later moved to New York, she remained deeply connected to her Armley roots. The plaque is strategically placed at Armley Library, a location where Bradford spent considerable time during her formative years, fostering her imagination and ambition.
Throughout her career, Bradford penned 40 novels, all of which became international bestsellers. Many of her works featured strong female characters and were adapted into successful television programs and films. A new adaptation of 'A Woman of Substance' is set to air on Channel 4 in March 2026.
