Kate O'Brien
Kate O'Brien ( born December 3, 1897 in Limerick, † August 13 1974 in Canterbury, England) was an Irish writer.
Life and work
O'Brien was educated at University College Dublin; later she worked as a translator at the " Manchester Guardian" as well as a nanny in Spain. After returning to England in 1923 she married a Dutch journalist. The marriage did not even think one year; a second time did not marry O'Brien.
Their first release was a play: "Distinguished Villa " was performed in 1926 and has been relatively successful. A year later she published the piece "The Bridge".
O'Brien's first novel, " Without My Cloak " was released in 1931 and won two literary awards ( Hawthornden Prize and James Tait Black Memorial Prize ). The book is considered the " Irish " Forsythe Saga. '" His theme also determines subsequent novels O'Brien: the struggle (especially Irish women) to individual freedom and love against the restrictions of family, civil society and Catholicism.
More novels from her were "The Ante - Room" (1934 ), " Pray for the Wanderer " (1938 ) and "The Last of Summer" ( 1943). The novels " Mary Lavelle " (1936) and " The Land of Spices " (1942 ) were banned by the Irish State.
" That Lady " (1946 ), O'Brien's most successful novel, plays in Spain in the 16th century. There was a Broadway version and a movie ( 1955).
On her return to Ireland Kate O'Brien " The Flower of May" (1953 ) and "As Music and Splendour " wrote (1958 ), which plays in Italy in the 19th century. Both novels were not very successful.
O'Brien also wrote " Farewell Spain" (1937 ). For this political Travelogue being given to the Franco regime a travel ban. It was followed by " English Diaries and Journals " (1943) and " My Ireland " (1962).
Furthermore, she wrote an autobiography entitled " Presentation Parlour " (1963 ) and the Holy Vita " Teresa of Avila " (1951).
1960 O'Brien had to sell their house in Ireland. She went back to England, where she died in 1974.
O'Brien today
Ten years after her death, Kate O'Brien was "rediscovered" by the feminist -oriented literature. Since 1984 there are in Limerick an annual "Kate O'Brien Weekend". A few years later some of her books have been published in the women's series " Virago Modern Classics ": " The Land of Spices ", " Without My Cloak ," " Mary Lavelle ," Farewell Spain ", " The Last of Summer ", " That Lady " and" The Ante - Room ".
Also, the general public finds Kate O'Brien in the English-speaking world today attention. " Mary Lavelle " was filmed under the title " Talk of Angels" in 1998; Kate O'Brien works her heroine Mary Lavelle as a nanny for a Spanish family, the eldest daughter played by Penelope Cruz. More Starring: Polly Walker, Vincent Perez, Frances McDormand, Franco Nero, Marisa Paredes, Leire Berrocal, Ariadna Gil.
Bibliography
- House on the river, OT: Without my Cloak (1931 ), Translator Eduard Thorsch, Hallwag Publisher 1945
- Mary Lavelle, OT: Mary Lavelle / Talk of Angels (1936 ), Hallwag Publisher Re: Angel talks, Translator Julia Riesz, Econ & List Verlag 2000, ISBN 3-612-27673-5
Not translated works
- The Ante - Room, 1936
- Farewell Spain, 1937
- Pray for the Wanderer, 1938
- As Music and Splendour, 1958
- My Ireland 1962
- Presentation Parlour, 1963