Daphne du Maurier

Daphne du Maurier (1907–89) was born in London, into a family with a rich literary heritage. Her father, Sir Gerald du Maurier, was a prominent actor and theatre manager, while her grandfather, George du Maurier, was a renowned author and illustrator. A voracious reader, she developed a love of storytelling and imaginary worlds from an early age, including creating a male alter ego for herself. 
 
She began writing short stories and articles in 1928 and achieved widespread recognition in 1931 with her first novel, The Loving Spirit. A biography and three other novels followed, including Jamaica Inn, but it was her 1938 novel Rebecca that catapulted du Maurier into international fame. An instant bestseller, it made her one of the most popular authors of her day and was adapted into an acclaimed film by Alfred Hitchcock. Besides novels, du Maurier published short stories, most famously The Birds and Don’t Look Now, plays and biographies, many of which have been adapted for film, television and the stage, and in 1969 she was awarded a DBE. 
 
 In 1932, she married Major Frederick Browning, with whom she had three children. She lived most of her life in Cornwall, which provided the atmospheric setting for many of her books. When she died in 1989, she left behind a remarkable literary legacy, and remains one of the most influential and beloved authors of the twentieth century.