Alice Thomas Ellis
Alice Thomas Ellis, born Anna Margaret Lindholm in Liverpool in 1932, was a notable British author renowned for her contributions to literature under her pseudonym. After a brief stint in a nunnery following her conversion to Roman Catholicism during her teenage years, she pursued a career in publishing as a fiction editor at Duckworth and Company in London. In the 1980s, Ellis became part of the literary collective known as the Duckworth Gang, alongside other prominent female authors, creating engaging novels that reflected modern domestic life in Britain.
Her first novel, "The Sin Eater," explores complex family dynamics in the face of impending death, while "The Birds of the Air" delves into familial grief during the holiday season. Throughout her career, she received several accolades, including the 1977 Arts Council of Wales Literature Award and nominations for the Booker-McConnell Prize. Ellis was celebrated for her sharp wit, strong character development, and ability to vividly depict everyday experiences. In addition to her fiction, she wrote extensively on Catholic themes and published works under the name Brenda O' Casey. Her writing continues to resonate with readers for its humor and insightful observations on contemporary life.
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Alice Thomas Ellis
- Born: September 9, 1932
- Birthplace: Liverpool, England
- Died: March 8, 2005
- Place of death: London, England
Biography
Anna Margaret Lindholm was born in Liverpool, England, in 1932. While a teenager, she converted to Roman Catholicism and entered a nunnery for a short time. She worked as a fiction editor for publishers Duckworth and Company in London, married publisher Colin Haycraft in 1956, and had seven children.
In the 1980’s, the prestigious Duckworth publishing house became the center of a literary group called the Duckworth Gang, recognized for their distinctive “Duckworth style.” Lindholm, in addition to novelists Beryl Bainbridge, Caroline Blackwood, and Patrice Chaplin, was a prominent member. The group produced small entertaining novels of about 150 pages, written by women and set in Britain. The plots of the Duckworth novels centered on modern domestic life. Better known to her readers under the pseudonym Alice Thomas Ellis, Lindholm excelled in this form of novel and received high critical acclaim for her witty entertaining literary style.
Her first novel, the satirical The Sin Eater, set in Wales, realistically demonstrates modern family life as the impending death of a father reunites his troubled family. Her The Birds of the Air, set in England, also deals with family grief, this time during Christmas. The widowed Mrs. Marsh feels no one appreciates her. Her daughter Mary grieves for her son Robin while her daughter Barbara suffers deep hurt over her husband Sebastian’s infidelity and her rebellious son Sam’s green hair.
Numbered among the author’s awards is the 1977 Arts Council of Wales Literature Award for The Sin Eater, making the 1982 shortlist for the Booker-McConnell Prize for The Twenty-Seventh Kingdom and for Unexplained Laughter in 1986, and the 1990 best fiction Writers’ Guild Award for The Inn at the Edge of the World. Her The Clothes in the Wardrobe was adapted to film as The Summer House in 1992.
Ellis was recognized for her highly satirical, witty literary style, her strong characterization and her vivid portrayal of common everyday modern life. She wrote numerous books and essays on Catholicism. In addition to the pseudonym Alice Thomas Ellis, Lindholm wrote under the pseudonym Brenda O’ Casey.