By Nava Atlas | On October 2, 2018 | Updated August 1, 2026 | Comments (0)
Dame Rebecca West (December 21, 1892 – March 15, 1983) was a noted British novelist, journalist, and essayist who wrote across several genres.
Born Cicely Isabel Fairfield in London, England, her mother was a pianist; her father, a failed journalist and ne’er-do-well, abandoned his family when she was eight years old, after which they moved to Edinburgh, Scotland. There she was educated at George Watson’s Ladies College, though contrary to its name, was a secondary school.
At age fourteen, she survived tuberculosis, and had to end her education at age sixteen for lack of finances. Some time later she studied drama at a London academy. With her unhappy childhood behind her, at age twenty, she assumed the name Rebecca West after a strong-willed woman in Rosmersholm, a play by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. “Live, work, act,” says this Ibsen heroine.
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By Nava Atlas | On September 27, 2018 | Updated September 20, 2025 | Comments (0)
Dodie Smith (May 3, 1896 – November 24, 1990), born Dorothy Gladys Smith in Lancashire, England, was one of the most successful female dramatists of her generation.
The British novelist and playwright is even better known for her novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians (later better known as The 101 Dalmatians) and the young adult novel I Capture the Castle.
Dodie Smith came to her love of theatre early, with many of her family members either enthusiasts or amateurs in that realm. She studied at the Academy of Dramatic Art, exploring a short career in acting before becoming a successful playwright and novelist. Read More→
By Nava Atlas | On September 15, 2018 | Updated September 22, 2026 | Comments (2)
Katherine Mansfield (October 14, 1888 – January 9, 1923), best known for her mastery of the short story form and for revolutionizing the modern English short story.
Born Katherine Mansfield Beauchamp in Wellington, New Zealand, she enjoyed a comfortable childhood as part of a well-to-do family.
A serious student of the cello, she first expected that music would be her career. Still, she found the colonial Edwardian atmosphere stifling and was inspired by rebels like Oscar Wilde. Read More→
By Nava Atlas | On August 18, 2018 | Updated March 10, 2025 | Comments (0)
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (August 30, 1797 – February 1, 1851) born Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, is renowned for her classic thriller, Frankenstein. Her work crossed several genres, including essays, biographies, short stories, and dramas.
Born in London, England, she was the daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft (early feminist best known for A Vindication of the Rights of Woman) and philosopher and political writer William Godwin.
She and her half-sister, Fanny Imlay (Wollstonecraft’s daughter from an affair she had with an American entrepreneur and adventurer) were raised mainly by her father; her mother, the early feminist and philosopher Mary Wollstonecraft, died days after giving birth to her. Read More→
By Nava Atlas | On August 15, 2018 | Updated August 20, 2022 | Comments (2)
Maud Hart Lovelace (April 25, 1892 – March 11, 1980) was an American author best known for the nostalgic Betsy-Tacy series of books for girls.
Born and raised in Mankato, Minnesota, she enjoyed a happy childhood filled with friends, culture, and a loving family. As soon as she could hold a pencil, she began writing stories and poems.
Maud Hart started her college studies at the University of Minnesota but shortly thereafter had to withdraw when she was diagnosed with appendicitis. More than willing to take a break from her studies and continue her recuperation at her maternal grandmother’s home, she escaped to the sun and warmth of California to rest and recover. Read More→
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