Doris Leslie
Doris Leslie, originally named Doris Oppenheim, was a prominent British novelist born around 1902 in London. She received her education in London and Brussels before briefly working in the theater where she met her first husband, actor John Leslie. Following his untimely death, Leslie moved to Florence, Italy, to pursue art but soon shifted her focus to writing after the success of her debut novel, *The Starling*. Her literary breakthrough came with her 1934 bestseller, *Full Flavour*, which garnered international recognition and adaptations.
Leslie specialized in historical fiction, drawing inspiration from historical figures in many of her works, including *Crown of Thorns* and *The Warrior King*. Her novel *Peridot Flight* was later adapted into a television series by the BBC. During World War II, she contributed to civil defense efforts and was wounded in service. In 1946, she married Sir Walter Fergusson Hannay, subsequently becoming known as Lady Doris Fergusson-Hannay. Recognized for her contributions to literature, Leslie was awarded accolades such as the Best Historical Novel by *Books and Bookmen* in 1958 and the title of Woman of the Year for Literature by the Catholic Women's League in 1970. She continued to publish numerous works until her death in 1982, leaving a lasting impact on the genre of historical fiction.
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Doris Leslie
Writer
- Born: c. 1902
- Birthplace: London, England
- Died: May 31, 1982
- Place of death:
Biography
Doris Leslie was born Doris Oppenheim around 1902 in London, England, and she was educated privately in London and in Brussels, Belgium. She worked briefly in the London theater, where she met her first husband, the actor John Leslie. After his early death, she moved to Florence, Italy, to study art. However, the success of her first novel, The Starling, set in Florence, convinced her to turn her full attention to writing.
Leslie followed her first book with several other novels but marked her first real success as a writer with the publication of her novel, Full Flavour, 1n 1934. This book became a best- seller, was adapted for the stage, and was translated into five languages. Her forte was historical fiction, and she produced numerous novels before her death in 1982. Peridot Flight: A Novel Reconstructed from the Memoirs of Peridot, Lady Mulvarnie, 1872-1955 was adapted as a ten-part television series produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation in 1960. Many of her novels were based on the lives of historical figures, including Crown of Thorns: The Life of Richard II, The Warrior King: The Reign of Richard the Lionhearted, and I Return: The Story Of François Villon.
During World War II, Leslie worked for the civil defense service in London and was wounded while on duty. In 1946, she married Walter Fergusson Hannay, a physician who was knighted in 1951, after which she was known as Lady Doris Fergusson-Hannay. Her historical novel, As the Tree Falls, was selected as the Best Historical Novel by Books and Bookmen in 1958, and she was named Woman of the Year for Literature by the Catholic Women’s League in 1970. At her height, she was one of the most popular historical novelists in Britain, and she often was praised for the historical detail in her work which enabled her readers to recapture an accurate sense of the past.