Candace Bushnell

"Man may have discovered fire, but women discovered how to play with it."

Candace Bushnell is the critically acclaimed, international best-selling novelist whose first book, Sex and the City, was the basis for the HBO hit series and subsequent blockbuster movie. Her fourth novel,Lipstick Jungle became a popular television series on NBC. Bushnell’s novels include Four Blondes (2000), Trading Up (2003), Lipstick Jungle (2005), One Fifth Avenue (2008) and The Carrie Diaries (2010). Bushnell grew up in Glastonbury, Ct, and moved to New York City at age 19. She attended Rice University and New York University, and began her professional career at 19 when she wrote a children’s book for Simon & Schuster.

Throughout her twenties, Bushnell developed her trademark style as a freelancer, writing darkly humorous pieces about women, relationships and dating for Mademoiselle, Self Magazine, and Esquire. In 1990, she wrote a column that would become a precursor for Sex and the City, called "The Human Cartoon", a fictional serial published in Hamptons Magazine. She began writing for the New York Observer in 1993; in November of 1994 she created the column Sex and the City, which ran in the New York Observer for two years. The column was bought as a book in 1995, and sold to HBO as a series in 1996. Through her books and television series, Bushnell’s work has influenced and defined two generations of women.

What are Candace Bushnell's most notable books?

Notable titles include Sex and the City; Four Blondes; Trading Up; Lipstick Jungle; One Fifth Avenue; The Carrie Diaries; and Killing Monica.

Which of her books were adapted for television or film?

Sex and the City was adapted into the HBO television series and later a feature film. Lipstick Jungle was adapted into a television series on NBC.

What genres and themes does she write about?

Bushnell writes contemporary women's fiction with a darkly humorous, satirical tone. Common themes include women, relationships, dating and New York social life.

Where should I start reading her work?

Begin with Sex and the City to experience her signature voice and the material that brought her wide recognition. If you prefer later novels, try Lipstick Jungle or One Fifth Avenue.

Are her books part of a series or mostly standalone?

Most of her books are standalone novels or collections of columns. Several titles were later adapted for television or film, but her novels are generally read independently.