Dorothy Gilman (1923–2012)
Author of The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax
About the Author
Dorothy Gilman was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey on June 25, 1923. She studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Under her married name, Dorothy Gilman Butters, she began publishing children's books in the late 1940s including Enchanted Caravan and The Bells of Freedom. In 1966, she show more published The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax, which became the first novel in the Mrs. Pollifax Mystery series. The series concluded in 2000 with Mrs. Pollifax Unveiled. The series was the basis of two movies: the 1971 feature film Mrs. Pollifax - Spy starring Rosalind Russell and the 1999 television movie The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax starring Angela Lansbury. Her other works include The Clairvoyant Countess, Incident at Badamya and Kaleidoscope. A Nun in the Closet won a Catholic Book Award. She died due to complications of Alzheimer's disease on February 2, 2012 at the age of 88. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Unattributed photo at BasicFamousPeople.com
Series
Works by Dorothy Gilman
The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax | The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax | The Elusive Mrs. Pollifax (1993) 109 copies
A Palm for Mrs. Pollifax | Mrs. Pollifax on Safari | Mrs. Pollifax on the China Station (1991) 67 copies
Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief | Mrs. Pollifax Pursued | Mrs. Pollifax and the Lion Killer | Mrs. Pollifax, Innocent Tourist (1995) 60 copies, 1 review
The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax | The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax | A Palm for Mrs. Pollifax | Mrs. Pollifax on Safari (1985) 43 copies, 1 review
Around the World with Mrs. Pollifax: The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax / Mrs. Pollifax on Safari / Mrs Pollifax and the Golden Triangle (1988) 27 copies
Masquerade 4 copies
GIL El safari de la señora Pollifax (Biblioteca de Selecciones Reader's Digest, tomo compartido) 1 copy
Surprising Antonia 1 copy
Clairvoyant 1 copy
The Amazing Mrs. Polllifax 1 copy
Associated Works
Reader's Digest Condensed Books 1970 v04: Lone Woman / The Homecoming / Papillon / Whitewater / The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (1970) — Contributor — 48 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books 1972 v01: The Amazing Mrs Pollifax / The Winds of War / The Runaways (1972) — Contributor — 48 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books 1994 v01: I'll Be Seeing You / Honor Among Thieves / Alex Haley's Queen / Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief (1994) — Author — 42 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books 1995 v06: Let Me Call You Sweetheart / Children of the Dust / Mrs Pollifax and the Lion-Killer / The Magic Bullet (1995) — Author — 38 copies, 1 review
Reader's Digest Condensed Books 1983 v03: Mrs. Pollifax on the China Station / The Brea File / Growing Up / Octavia's Hill (1983) — Contributor — 36 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books 1991 v01: Trial / September / The White Puma / Mrs Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish (1991) — Contributor — 30 copies, 1 review
Reader's Digest Condensed Books 1977 v01: Mrs. Pollifax on Safari / The R Document / Home Before Dark / The Glory Boys / The Spuddy (1977) — Contributor — 28 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books 1986 v01: Mrs. Pollifax and the Hong Kong Buddha / Wildfire / Arnie and a House Full of Company / Take Away One / The Two Farms (1986) — Author — 27 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books 1973 v02: A Palm for Mrs Pollifax / The Camerons / The Japanese / Green Darkness (1973) — Author — 27 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books 1979 v05: Hungry as the Sea / The Tightrope Walker / The Passing Bells / Flesh and Spirit (1979) — Author — 19 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books 1988 v01: Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle / Not Without My Daughter / The Seizing of Yankee Green Mall / O Come Ye Back to Ireland (1988) — Contributor; Contributor; Contributor; Contributor — 19 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: To Catch a King • But There Are Always Miracles • Shadow of the Moon • The Tightrope Walker (1980) 8 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: Jaws • A Palm for Mrs. Pollifax • The Fearful Void • Pied Piper • End Play (1974) 7 copies
Livros Condensados: O comboio bala | A busca de Johnie | O sol da Pérsia | A comenda de Mrs. Pollifax (1991) — Author — 6 copies
Reader's Digest Best Sellers 1991: The Eagle Has Flown | Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish (1991) — Author — 6 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: As the Crow Flies • Hard Fall • Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish • Hunter in the Dark (1993) — Contributor — 5 copies
Elenis Kinder / Der weisse Puma / Schuss in die Sonne / Mrs. Pollifax und der tanzende Derwisch (1992) — Author — 5 copies
Livros Condensados: O Cliente | Rios de Ouro | Mrs. Pollifax e o Segundo Ladrão | Até à Vista (1995) — Contributor — 5 copies
Reader's Digest Auswahlbücher 91 - Harlekin. Mrs. Pollifax macht weiter. Mystische Jagd. Der Engel mit der Posaune (1975) 4 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: The Judgment • Mrs Pollifax and the Golden Triangle • Anne Frank Remembered • To Kill the Potemkin (1988) — Author — 4 copies
Reader's Digest Auswahlbücher 151 - Red Fox. Ein Junge namens Bracken. Die Uhr aus der Seife. Mrs. Pollifax und der Hongkong-Buddha (1987) 3 copies
Det Bästas Bokval vol 183: Pengars onda makt / Hårda bud / Miraklet i öknen / Mrs Pollifax och den andra tjuven (1995) — Author — 3 copies
Livros Condensados: O Testamento | Navegando Pelas Estrelas | O Rapto | A Casa Misteriosa (2001) 3 copies
Livros Condensados: Aguía No Céu | Vierama Para Sempre | Dois Amigos | A Incrível Mrs. Pollifax — Contributor — 3 copies
Der Weiße Hai 2 / Mrs. Pollifax auf Safari / Oliver's Story / Am Ende der Flut (1978) — Contributor — 3 copies
Reader's Digest Auswahlbücher 171 - Daddy / Gorillas im Nebel / Rückenflug / Mrs. Pollifax und das Goldene Dreieck (1990) 3 copies
Newfield Mystery Suspense Collection: Original Sin / Mrs. Pollifax Pursued / Dead, Mr Mozart — Contributor — 3 copies
Het Beste Boek 149: Daddy / Grazige weiden, vruchtbaar land / Tsoenami! / Mevrouw Pollifax en de dansende derwisj (1991) 3 copies, 1 review
Het Beste Boek 133: Kapitein Marie / Herinneringen van een onzichtbare man / Mevrouw Pollifax en de gouden driehoek / Bracken (1988) 3 copies, 1 review
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: The Incredible Journey / Ice Brothers / Mrs Pollifax on the China Station / Rough Diamond (1977) — Author — 3 copies
Salz im Kaffee. - Bredow, Ilse G von: Kartoffeln mit Stippe. - Higgins, Jack: Königsjagd. - Gilman, Dorothy: Das Geheim (1981) 3 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: Winged Escort • Ghost Fox • Mrs. Pollifax on Safari • The Naked Country (1978) — Author — 2 copies
Livros Condensados: A Chave de Rebeca | O Safari de Mrs. Pollifax | Um Dia Feliz | Malevil (1982) — Contributor — 2 copies
RDCBLP Mrs. Pollifax on the China Station | The Last Gas Station | The Girl of the Sea of Cortez 2 copies
Mysteries by Female Authors: Margin of Error / Mrs. Pollifax and the Lion Killer / The Cereal Murders [Abridged Audio Book] (2002) — Contributor — 2 copies
Livros condensados: Ema E Eu | Aeroporto | Na Corda Bamba | Aconteceu Em Hawk's Hill — Author — 2 copies
De vos, de hond en... de man; Papillon; Keerpunt in een jongensleven; De spionne met het hoedje — Author — 2 copies, 1 review
RDCBLP Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief | Our Summer Visitor | Riding the White Horse Home (1994) — Contributor — 2 copies
Det bästas bokval : Tecken i skyn; Att höra gräset växa...; Mrs Pollifax i Kina; Prövningen — Contributor — 2 copies
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: The Devil's Alternative • The Education of Little Tree • The Tightrope Walker • The North Runner — Author — 2 copies
Het Beste Boek: Koorts; Mevrouw Pollifax en de boeddha van Hong Kong; Landgenoten; Nop, een hondeleven 2 copies, 1 review
Het Beste Boek 169: Frederik Hendrik en Amalia van Solms / Mevrouw Pollifax en de tweede dief / De zwarte dood / Kai lacht weer (1994) 2 copies, 1 review
Selecciones del Reader's Digest 1972: La sorprendente señora Pollifax, Vientos de guerra, La aurora blanca (1973) — Contributor — 2 copies
Det Bästas Bokval (2001) vol 214 : Dollar; Hoppets färg är vit; Sista satsningen; Salvia och makterna — Author — 2 copies
Het Beste Boek 82: Mevrouw Pollifax op safari / Het teken van de draak / Een tijdloos oord / Jan Maarten 2 copies, 1 review
Het Beste Boek 112: Mevrouw Pollifax in China / Vlucht voor de wind / De bruid van Scheveningen / Hond over de vloer 2 copies, 1 review
Reader's Digest Condensed Book: Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle — Contributor — 1 copy
Det Bedstes Bøger: Min smukke pige sover, Redningshunden, Hvis lille pige er du, Mrs. Pollifax i ilden (1992) 1 copy
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: Wolf Winter • The Queen's Secret • Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle • The Judgment (1988) — Author — 1 copy
Het Beste Boek 96: Horowitz en Mevrouw Washington / Het lijk in de Haarlemmer huittuinen / De koorddanseres / Bim Zwartoor 1 copy, 1 review
Livros Condensados: Águia No Céu / Vieram Para Sempre / Dois Amigos / A Inesperada Mrs. Pollifax — Author — 1 copy
Readers Digest: Den skjulte kvinde, Papillon, Den ukuelige mrs. Pollifax, Kim - en gave fra Vietnam (1971) — Author — 1 copy
Reader's Digest Condensed Book: Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish — Author — 1 copy
RDCBLP Arnie and a House Full of Company | Mrs. Pollifax and the Hong Kong Buddha (1987) — Author — 1 copy
Reader's Digest Auswahlbücher 76 - Der Mann auf der Kanzel, Die Ausreisser, Ernstfall 1000, Mrs. Pollifax lebt gefährlich (1973) 1 copy
Sélection du Livre 1979: Fortune de France ; Lovey ; Le safari de Madame Pollifax ; Bel Ria (1979) 1 copy
Het Beste Boek: Een lintje voor Mevrouw Pollifax; De inspecteur; Menfreya in de morgen; De dertiende maan — Author — 1 copy, 1 review
RDSELP Winter of the White Sea | Mrs. Pollifax on the China Station — Author — 1 copy
Sélection du Livre No. 76 : (1) Au nom de tous les miens - (2) Opération Sippacik - (3) Course contre la vie - (4) Le retour de Madame Pollifax — Contributor — 1 copy
Selecciones de la Narrativa Mundial del Reader's Digest. Nº 18: La Volatinera. Nena. Avurnave — Contributor — 1 copy
Readers Digest Condensed Books: The Odessa File • The Waltz Kings • Rendezvous South Atlantic • The Unexpected Mrs Pollifax (1972) 1 copy
Il settimo segreto - Richiamo selvaggio - Una voce al telefono - La signora Pollifax e il Budda di Hong Kog — Contributor — 1 copy
Livros Condensados: A ilha do medo | Para sempres | Reação em cadeia | O solar da tia Harriet — Contributor — 1 copy
Reader's Digest Condensed Books: The Client • Home Ground • Elephant Song • Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief (1994) 1 copy
Het Beste Boek: Je koninkrijk, liefste; Vlammen in de nacht; De onstuitbare mevrouw Pollifax; Het ridderkruis — Contributor — 1 copy, 1 review
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Gilman Butters, Dorothy
- Other names
- Butters, Dorothy Gilman
- Birthdate
- 1923-06-25
- Date of death
- 2012-02-02
- Gender
- female
- Education
- Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (1940-1945)
University of Pennsylvania (1963-64)
Art Students League of New York - Occupations
- art teacher
creative writing teacher
spy novelist
children's book author
novelist - Organizations
- Authors Guild
- Awards and honors
- MWA Grand Master (2010|Mystery Writers of America)
- Short biography
- Dorothy Edith Gilman was born in New Brunswick, NJ, the daughter of James Bruce, a minister, and Essa (Starkweather) Gilman, and said she decided on a writing career as a child. She attended university as well as fine art schools and became an art teacher and an instructor in creative writing. In 1945, she married Edgar Butters, Jr., a teacher; the couple had two children before divorcing in 1965. Under her married name, Dorothy Gilman Butters, she began publishing children’s books in the late 1940s.
The New York Times said in her obituary: "[Her] best-known heroine, Mrs. Pollifax, is very likely the only spy in literature to belong simultaneously to the Central Intelligence Agency and the local garden club."
The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (1966) was the first novel in what would become a highly popular 14-book series about Mrs. Emily Pollifax, a bored 60-something retired grandmother in search of a bit of adventure in an otherwise mundane life. - Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Places of residence
- Norwalk, Connecticut, USA
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
Portland, Maine, USA - Place of death
- Rye Brook, New York, USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- USA
Members
Reviews
Originally, I read this book when I was 11 or 12 years old, and since then, I've always remembered two things: first, the great title (I do like a nice long title), and second, the gnawing sensation that it went a little bit over my head at that time. Nearly two decades later, I decided to give it another try, along with its companion volume, The Tightrope Walker. The Maze in the Heart of the Castle is a strange meta-fictional conceit in that quotes from it, and descriptions of sequences show more from it, first appear in Tightrope Walker five years earlier, where Gilman treats it as the product of another author and the protagonist's favorite book. It's made out to be a sort of ur-children's book, a beautiful old tome with important allegories to return to again and again.
By actually sitting down and writing Maze for real, then, Gilman fashioned a pretty good rod for her own back. This is a very slim book, really - it's 220 pages of large print - but it's clearly written to be "weighty." The prose has a vaguely Arthurian tone that tends to be reserved for much shorter fables and legends; it's more than a little pompous in places, and there are parts where Gilman is baldly saying, "Hey kids! You should be learning something important about life here." It's not subtle at all, and it frankly lacks the engaging quality of The Phantom Tollbooth or The Last Unicorn, which I think it may be trying to emulate. (There are sequences that bring both of those earlier novels to mind.)
That said, it's not awful. It does actually pick up as it goes on and more dialogue becomes involved. There's at least one encounter that I really enjoyed - one with a character called the Conjurer. (They're all named things like that.) Overall, though, I can't shake that feeling that Gilman was trying to write a philosophical book for kids, and because she set out with that goal, the result got bogged down with its own importance. It's really too heavy for a small child - say, under 10 - but the story is too simplistic for most preteens. I can completely see, now, why it left me discomfited in my own childhood. While I had expected that to be an indicator of my own inexperience at that age - emotionally, I was a very "young" 11 or 12 - I think, really, it just showed up the limitations of the novel. I probably needed a Last Unicorn at that age (a book I never actually read as a child) - not The Maze in the Heart of the Castle. show less
By actually sitting down and writing Maze for real, then, Gilman fashioned a pretty good rod for her own back. This is a very slim book, really - it's 220 pages of large print - but it's clearly written to be "weighty." The prose has a vaguely Arthurian tone that tends to be reserved for much shorter fables and legends; it's more than a little pompous in places, and there are parts where Gilman is baldly saying, "Hey kids! You should be learning something important about life here." It's not subtle at all, and it frankly lacks the engaging quality of The Phantom Tollbooth or The Last Unicorn, which I think it may be trying to emulate. (There are sequences that bring both of those earlier novels to mind.)
That said, it's not awful. It does actually pick up as it goes on and more dialogue becomes involved. There's at least one encounter that I really enjoyed - one with a character called the Conjurer. (They're all named things like that.) Overall, though, I can't shake that feeling that Gilman was trying to write a philosophical book for kids, and because she set out with that goal, the result got bogged down with its own importance. It's really too heavy for a small child - say, under 10 - but the story is too simplistic for most preteens. I can completely see, now, why it left me discomfited in my own childhood. While I had expected that to be an indicator of my own inexperience at that age - emotionally, I was a very "young" 11 or 12 - I think, really, it just showed up the limitations of the novel. I probably needed a Last Unicorn at that age (a book I never actually read as a child) - not The Maze in the Heart of the Castle. show less
Mrs. Emily Pollifax of New Brunswick, New Jersey is a widow whose children have grown up and married. She is tired of her garden club, volunteer work and life in general. Her doctor advises her to do something fun. So Mrs. Pollifax goes to the CIA and asks if they need a spy, something she's always longed to do. Down the hall, CIA Chief Carstairs is looking for a courier. He wants someone unknown and innocent looking who will be able to pass for a tourist. When he accidentally meets Mrs. show more Pollifax, he knows he has found his agent. The fact that she has no training is fine since, while the situation is dangerous, she shouldn't be in any real danger. She's given a three-week vacation to Mexico. Her only job is to walk into a bookstore on a certain day, communicate a few code phrases, and bring the package with her back to America. Unfortunately when the day arrives, she walks into the bookstore and is promptly kidnapped. Soon she finds herself on a plane to Albania.
This is a very entertaining book. Mrs. Pollifax is a great character and it's so much fun to see how she deals with her kidnappers. I think it's important to remember the book was written in 1966, in the middle of the Cold War, so references to Cuba, Russia and “Red China” may seen a bit strange to readers who didn't live thorough that period.
Mrs. Pollifax is one of those characters that jumps off the page in vivid color and I can't wait to read the next book in the series, The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax. show less
This is a very entertaining book. Mrs. Pollifax is a great character and it's so much fun to see how she deals with her kidnappers. I think it's important to remember the book was written in 1966, in the middle of the Cold War, so references to Cuba, Russia and “Red China” may seen a bit strange to readers who didn't live thorough that period.
Mrs. Pollifax is one of those characters that jumps off the page in vivid color and I can't wait to read the next book in the series, The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax. show less
Emily Pollifax is widowed, getting older and getting bored. She decides to go from her home in New Jersey to Washington, D.C. and offer her services to the CIA. They can't just take anyone off the street, of course, but when a series of misunderstandings gives her a job as a courier, Mrs. Pollifax finds herself on the way to Mexico.
In many ways, this is a spy novel of its time, where the Cold War, Cuba, and China were very much at the fore of United States' foreign interests in 1966. At its show more heart, though, it's about the invisibility of women of a certain age (still true, I would argue, in this day and age), and how Mrs. Pollifax is able to use it to her advantage to make a very good spy indeed. It's over the top, amusing, and cringy at times. show less
In many ways, this is a spy novel of its time, where the Cold War, Cuba, and China were very much at the fore of United States' foreign interests in 1966. At its show more heart, though, it's about the invisibility of women of a certain age (still true, I would argue, in this day and age), and how Mrs. Pollifax is able to use it to her advantage to make a very good spy indeed. It's over the top, amusing, and cringy at times. show less
I really enjoyed my first visit with Mrs. Pollifax and fully expect to continue on dipping into this adventurous and amusing series. Mrs. Pollifax is a sixtyish widow who decides to follow up on her ambition to become a spy. She presents herself at CIA headquarters and it just so happens that an elderly tourist is required to courier information from Mexico City to Washington and Mrs. Pollifax would be perfect in the role.
Almost before she knows it, she finds herself in Mexico City and this show more is where things start to go pear-shaped. She and another CIA agent are captured and spirited to a prison cell in Albania. Mrs. Pollifax then shows her true colors, she never gives up, always looks to the positive and actually enjoys meeting new people.
Of course the story is highly unbelievable, but the author has supplied a great setting and some wonderful characters so while you are reading the book, you fully accept what is happening. Mrs. Pollifax is the spy that we all wish we could be and I am already looking forward to her next adventure. show less
Almost before she knows it, she finds herself in Mexico City and this show more is where things start to go pear-shaped. She and another CIA agent are captured and spirited to a prison cell in Albania. Mrs. Pollifax then shows her true colors, she never gives up, always looks to the positive and actually enjoys meeting new people.
Of course the story is highly unbelievable, but the author has supplied a great setting and some wonderful characters so while you are reading the book, you fully accept what is happening. Mrs. Pollifax is the spy that we all wish we could be and I am already looking forward to her next adventure. show less
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