- guardian.co.uk,
- Tuesday July 22 2008 15:40 BST
1934-
"I spend half my time calculating how big the pages are, how many words on each, so I'll know when I've done enough."
Birthplace
Liverpool, England
Education
Merchant Taylors' School, Liverpool, England
Other jobs
Began her career as an actor.
Did you know?
She has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize five times, but has never won.
Critical verdict
She has experimented in many genres - drawing on a Liverpool childhood for her early work, writing a travel book (English Journey) and recently excelling at historical fiction (Every Man For Himself was a brilliant retelling of the Titanic story, The Birthday Boys charted the Scott expedition, Master Georgie follows Liverpudlians in the Crimean War). Overlooked at the beginning of her career, her no-word-wasted style and tight plotting have now won her critical acclaim and a committed following.
Recommended works
Every Man for Himself, Young Adolf
Influences
I think the author who most influenced me was DH Lawrence - in particular, Sons And Lovers." Francois Mauriac was a stylistic inspiration.
Now read on
Rachel Cusk has a similar lyrical spareness and concern for social interaction masking deeper feelings.
Adaptations
Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant starred in An Awfully Big Adventure (dir Mike Newell, 1995).
Recommended biography
See An Awfully Big Adventure for an evocation of England's dusty - and now disappeared - rep circuit, which Bainbridge experienced as a young woman.
Useful links and work online
Background
· Bibliography
· Critical perspective
