Hilary Mantel

Hilary Mantel
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Name	Hilary Mantel
Birth date	July 6, 1952
Birth place	Glossop, Derbyshire, England
Death date	September 22, 2022
Occupation	Novelist, short story writer, essayist

Hilary Mantel was a renowned English novelist, short story writer, and essayist, best known for her Wolf Hall trilogy, which won numerous awards, including the Man Booker Prize. Her works often explored the lives of historical figures, such as Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII, and Anne Boleyn, and were praised for their meticulous research and vivid storytelling. Mantel's writing was influenced by her interests in English history, French history, and the works of authors like Geoffrey Chaucer and Jane Austen. She was also a fan of the Brontë sisters and often visited the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth.

● Early Life and Education

Hilary Mantel was born in Glossop, Derbyshire, England, to a family of Roman Catholics, and grew up in a small village near Hadfield. She attended Harrytown Convent in Romiley and later studied at the London School of Economics, where she developed an interest in sociology and psychology. Mantel's early life was also influenced by her love of reading, which was encouraged by her parents and teachers, including those at St. Louis Convent School in Manchester. She was particularly fond of the works of Charles Dickens, George Eliot, and Thomas Hardy, and often visited the British Library to research their lives and writings.

● Career

Mantel began her writing career in the 1980s, publishing short stories and novels, including Every Day is Mother's Day and Vacant Possession, which explored themes of family relationships and social class. Her breakthrough novel, A Place of Greater Safety, was published in 1992 and told the story of the French Revolution through the eyes of Georges Danton, Maximilien Robespierre, and Camille Desmoulins. Mantel's subsequent novels, such as The Giant, O'Brien and The Queen's Gambit, demonstrated her ability to blend historical fact and fiction, and were praised by critics like The New York Times and The Guardian. She was also a frequent contributor to The London Review of Books and The New Yorker.

● Major Works

Mantel's most famous works are the Wolf Hall trilogy, which includes Wolf Hall, Bring Up the Bodies, and The Mirror and the Light. These novels follow the life of Thomas Cromwell, an advisor to Henry VIII, and explore the complexities of Tudor politics and English Reformation. The trilogy was widely acclaimed, with The New York Times describing it as a "masterpiece" and The Guardian praising its "dazzling" prose. Mantel's other notable works include A Change of Climate, which explores the lives of British colonialists in South Africa, and Beyond Black, a novel about a psychic medium living in London. She was also a fan of the works of Shakespeare and often attended performances at the Globe Theatre.

● Awards and Recognition

Mantel won numerous awards for her writing, including the Man Booker Prize for Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies. She was also awarded the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction and the National Book Critics Circle Award. In 2014, Mantel was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her services to literature, and in 2015, she was awarded the Bodley Medal by the Bodleian Library at University of Oxford. She was a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

● Personal Life

Mantel was married to Gerald McEwen, a geologist, and lived in Devon and London. She was a fan of hiking and gardening, and often found inspiration for her writing in the countryside. Mantel was also a supporter of various charities, including the Royal Literary Fund and the Society of Authors. She was a frequent visitor to Paris and Rome, and often attended literary festivals like the Hay Festival and the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

● Style and Legacy

Mantel's writing style was characterized by her meticulous research, vivid descriptions, and complex characters. Her use of historical fiction allowed her to explore themes of power, politics, and identity, and her novels were often praised for their nuance and depth. Mantel's legacy as a writer continues to be felt, with her works being widely studied and admired by scholars and readers alike. She was often compared to other notable authors, such as Hilary Clinton's favorite writer, Doris Lessing, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Don DeLillo. Her influence can be seen in the works of authors like Sarah Waters and Kate Atkinson, who have also explored themes of historical fiction and social commentary.