British ‘Aga saga’ author Joanna Trollope dies aged 82
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Joanna Trollope was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her services to literature in 2019.
PHOTO: AFP
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- Joanna Trollope, the acclaimed author of over 40 novels, died peacefully at 82 in Oxfordshire, as announced by her daughters on Dec 12.
- Known for "Aga sagas" exploring middle-class family life, her works like "The Rector's Wife" tackled adoption, divorce and blended families.
- Tributes poured in, citing her wit, wisdom, and social commentary, with publisher Jeremy Trevathan noting her "keen eye for human foibles."
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LONDON – Best-selling author Joanna Trollope – renowned for her “Aga sagas” set in rural England – has died at the age of 82, her family said on Dec 12.
Trollope, a fifth-generation niece of 19th-century English novelist Anthony Trollope, wrote more than 40 books, some under the pseudonym Caroline Harvey.
She disliked the Aga saga label inspired by the upmarket Aga cookers often found in the country houses where her stories unfolded, but her fans did not care.
Her work, including the novels Other People’s Children, Daughters-in-Law and A Village Affair, centred on middle-class family life and relationships, tackling issues such as adoption, marital breakdown and blended families.
The TV adaptation of her 1991 novel The Rector’s Wife starred Scottish actor Lindsay Duncan.
Her most recent work, Mum & Dad, published in 2020, chronicled three siblings and their families who gather after their father suffers a stroke.
Trollope died peacefully at her home in central Oxfordshire, her daughters Antonia and Louise said.
“It is with great sadness that we learn of the passing of Joanna Trollope, one of our most cherished, acclaimed and widely enjoyed novelists,” her literary agent James Gill said.
Mr Jeremy Trevathan, Trollope’s publisher at Pan Macmillan, paid tribute to a “witty, wise and empathetic” author who was also “just lots of fun to be with”.
“She leaves us all a wonderful legacy of compelling, insightful social commentary, portraying family dynamics with warmth, intelligence and a keen eye for human foibles,” he was quoted as saying by The Bookseller magazine.
Trollope was honoured in 2019 by the late Queen Elizabeth II, who made her a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to literature. AFP
