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MAY'S JOURNAL

August 6th, 2008

Cheers to a Woman's Legacy
POSTED AT 09:53 AM in Reading for substance as a favorite post

BARBARA TAYLOR BRADFORD A woman of words, a woman of emotions, a woman of beauty, a woman of experience, a woman of virtue, a woman of influence, a woman of great substance...

A true-blooded Yorkshire woman, Barbara grew up as an only child, with her values and principles influenced by her mother who introduced her to the wonders of books at the early age of 4. Thus, at age 12, Barbara can already make her own reviews of all the books of Dickens and the Bronte sisters, her all-time favorite collection. From then on, she never stopped conquering the world of fiction and imagnation by publishing in over 90 countries through 40 languages. She made her mark with various literary awards such as joining Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, John Steinback and others in the Writers Hall of Fame in America in 2003 and receiveing the Order of the British Empire from Queen Elizabeth II in 2007. yes, BTB has landed.

I started becoming a BTB fan right after reading the first chapter of her first book (the first book that I read from her collection) - A Woman of Substance which was published in 1979. Then I found myself looking for her name in every book store that I raided. I've read and owned 15 out of her 24 books, all of which are dedicated to her husband Bob, and I'm still counting. I intend to read and collect all her books. Let's see, I read the Voice of the Heart (1983) which portrays Katherine Tempest and all the heartbreaks (she gave and she received) of following one's Hollywood dreams. Then there's Act of Will (1986), a heart-breaking story of 3 women from different generations -- Audra, Christina and Kyle in their struggles for love, power and personal resolve. The Women in His Life (1990) came next in the list. Now BTB is writing about a man's life as well. Maximilian West -- a figure of potency and power who has to remember every women who made him as he is. Next in line is Everything to Gain (1994) which tells of Mallory Keswick's tests and trials in her way to becoming a strong woman. Now, BTB suddenly starts writing about death and mystery when she published Dangerous to Know (1995), a thrilling and nerve-wracking story behind the death of the world's greatest philanthropist -- Sebastian Locke. Her Own Rules (1996) is a story of a woman's strength when God is calling the shots. It tells of Meredith Stratton's victorious bout over an illness and the healing power of love. I also read A Sudden Change of Heart (1999), a powerful and heart-warming story of friendship and overcoming adversities in life. Then there's Where You Belong (2000) is a story of a woman's passion and her lost love in her road to discovering the place where she truly belongs. Then here's another death and mystery story The Triumph of Katie Bryne (2001), which tells of Katie Bryne's struggles to achieve success even when she's haunted by tragedy. And of course there's Three Weeks in Paris (2002) a poignant story of friendship destroyed and rekindled in an unexpected reunion.