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Elizabeth Taylor (1) (1912–1975)

Author of Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont

For other authors named Elizabeth Taylor, see the disambiguation page.

30+ Works 6,874 Members 283 Reviews 60 Favorited

About the Author

Image credit: Author Elizabeth Taylor Courtesy of the NYPL Digital Gallery (image use requires permission from the New York Public Library)

Works by Elizabeth Taylor

Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont (1971) 1,233 copies
Angel (1957) 865 copies
A View of the Harbour (1947) 575 copies
A Game of Hide and Seek (1951) 575 copies
In a Summer Season (1961) 488 copies
Blaming (1976) 411 copies
At Mrs Lippincote's (1945) — Author — 395 copies
The Soul of Kindness (1964) 389 copies
A Wreath of Roses (1949) 284 copies
Palladian (1946) 282 copies
The Sleeping Beauty (1953) 256 copies
The Wedding Group (1968) 255 copies
The Devastating Boys (1972) 177 copies
The Blush (1958) 158 copies
Complete Short Stories (2012) 127 copies
Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont [2005 film] (2010) — Original book — 41 copies
Dangerous Calm (1995) 34 copies
Mossy Trotter (1967) 22 copies
Angel [2007 film] (2007) — Original novel — 15 copies
Modern Short Stories 2: 1940-1980 (1982) — Contributor — 12 copies
Penguin Modern Stories 6 (1970) — Contributor — 7 copies
Poor Girl (1955) 1 copy
Sisters 1 copy

Associated Works

Short Story Masterpieces (1954) — Contributor — 675 copies
The 40s: The Story of a Decade (2014) — Contributor — 275 copies
The Oxford Book of English Short Stories (1998) — Contributor — 190 copies
Black Water 2: More Tales of the Fantastic (1990) — Contributor — 152 copies
The Penguin Book of Modern Women's Short Stories (1990) — Contributor — 100 copies
Stories from The New Yorker, 1950 to 1960 (1958) — Contributor — 80 copies
The Oxford Book of Twentieth-Century Ghost Stories (1996) — Contributor — 70 copies
The Third Ghost Book (1955) — Contributor — 56 copies
Infinite Riches (1993) — Contributor — 54 copies
The Norton Book Of Ghost Stories (1994) — Contributor — 49 copies
The Secret Self: A Century of Short Stories by Women (1995) — Contributor — 33 copies
A Different Sound: Stories by Mid-Century Women Writers (2023) — Contributor — 17 copies
Women Writing: An Anthology (1979) — Contributor — 12 copies
Cricket Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 11, July 1975 — Contributor — 2 copies

Tagged

Common Knowledge

Other names
Coles, Elizabeth (born)
Birthdate
1912-07-03
Date of death
1975-11-19
Gender
female
Nationality
England
Country (for map)
UK
Birthplace
Reading, Berkshire, England, UK
Place of death
Penn, Buckinghamshire, England, UK
Places of residence
Reading, Berkshire, England, UK
Penn, Buckinghamshire, England, UK
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, UK
Education
The Abbey School, Reading
Leopold Hall
Occupations
governess
librarian
novelist
tutor
Relationships
Kingham, Joanna (daughter)
Howard, Elizabeth Jane (friend)
Compton-Burnett, Ivy (friend)
Short biography
Elizabeth Taylor, née Coles, was born in Reading, Berkshire, the daughter of Oliver Coles, an insurance inspector, and his wife, Elsie May Fewtrell. She was educated at The Abbey School, Reading and after graduation worked as a governess, tutor, and librarian. In 1936, she married John Taylor, the owner of a confectionery company. She was briefly a member of the British Communist Party, then a lifelong supporter of Labour. Her debut novel, At Mrs. Lippincote's, was published in 1945 and was followed by 11 more. She also wrote short stories that were published in magazines and collected in four volumes, and a children's book.

Members

Discussions

Group Read, July 2021: Blaming in 1001 Books to read before you die (July 2021)
Elizabeth Taylor Centenary: General Discussion in Virago Modern Classics (January 2013)
Elizabeth Taylor Centenary: Blaming in Virago Modern Classics (December 2012)
Elizabeth Taylor Centenary: Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont in Virago Modern Classics (December 2012)
Elizabeth Taylor Centenary: At Mrs. Lippincote's in Virago Modern Classics (December 2012)
Elizabeth Taylor Centenary: The Soul of Kindness in Virago Modern Classics (October 2012)
Elizabeth Taylor Centenary: In a Summer Season in Virago Modern Classics (October 2012)
Elizabeth Taylor Centenary: The Wedding Group in Virago Modern Classics (October 2012)
Elizabeth Taylor Centenary: A Game of Hide and Seek in Virago Modern Classics (August 2012)
Elizabeth Taylor Centenary: Angel in Virago Modern Classics (August 2012)
Elizabeth Taylor Centenary: The Sleeping Beauty in Virago Modern Classics (June 2012)
Elizabeth Taylor Centenary: A Wreath of Roses in Virago Modern Classics (May 2012)
Elizabeth Taylor Centenary: A View of the Harbour in Virago Modern Classics (April 2012)
Elizabeth Taylor Centenary: Palladian in Virago Modern Classics (March 2012)
Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont in Orange January/July (September 2011)

Reviews

A bit slow off the mark, this novel rewards the reader's perseverance with Taylor's usual cold-blooded portrayal of human nature. Her ordinary people are so full of common quirks, uncommon eccentricities, pettiness and occasionally a dash of generosity that one almost has to squirm with recognition as they play their roles out on the page.
 
Flagged
laytonwoman3rd | 32 other reviews | Mar 5, 2024 |
Rereading this for my RL book group. Probably read about 10 years ago, didn't remember it a bit.

For me one of her least engaging novels, over the years I have read all bar 1. I really didn't warm to any of the characters, except maybe Lou (Louise) the 19 year old daughter. I didn't feel I really knew the central character Kate, but maybe that was the point, and her annoying younger 2nd husband Dermot ... why, I kept asking myself.

The older characters: Edwina, Aunt Ethel (I hate when writers give characters names beginning with the same letter) and Charles were more fully drawn. Not the novel to start with I'd suggest.

My favourite of hers is [A View of the Harbour] which I have read several times (I love the tone), and started me reading her work.
… (more)
 
Flagged
Caroline_McElwee | 20 other reviews | Mar 5, 2024 |
My second Elizabeth Taylor novel, I enjoyed it as much as the first (Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont), it is more character study and less plot. I love her character's dialogue saying one thing but their thoughts say the complete opposite...can be quite funny at times. Her dinner table conversations are numerous and she switches between conversations so smoothly I was never confused as to who was talking.

I listened to a podcast about Taylor, her grandson revealed that she would go to restaurants alone so she could eavesdrop on conversations as part of her research. She definitely honed that skill....

The intoduction (I usually read those after I've read the book as I think sometimes they spoil the story) was confusing and added nothing to my enjoyment of the book.

Recommend...
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Flagged
almin | 20 other reviews | Feb 28, 2024 |
Excellent character study of a totally self-absorbed "Edwardian" novelist who unaccountably inspired great loyalty in a number of people who saw her flaws and loved her anyway, through thick and thin.
2008
½
 
Flagged
laytonwoman3rd | 31 other reviews | Feb 19, 2024 |

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Elizabeth Bowen Contributor
R. K. Narayan Contributor
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Joanna Kingham Afterword, Introduction
Jane Scovell Ghostwriter
Emma Pike Actor
Roddy McDowall Photographer
Sam Neill Actor
Paul Bailey Introduction
Susannah Clapp Introduction
Michael Hoffman Introduction
Hilary Mantel Introduction
Giovanni Boldini Cover artist
Sarah Waters Introduction
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Tim Waterstone Introduction
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Statistics

Works
30
Also by
17
Members
6,874
Popularity
#3,559
Rating
4.0
Reviews
283
ISBNs
257
Languages
12
Favorited
60

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