Catherine Cookson

Catherine Cookson was born in Tyne Dock, the illegitimate daughter of a poverty-stricken woman, Kate, whom she believed to be her older sister. She began work in service but eventually moved south to Hastings, where she met and married Tom Cookson, a local grammar-school master.

Although she was originally acclaimed as a regional writer - her novel The Round Tower won the Winifred Holtby Award for the best regional novel of 1968 - her readership quickly spread throughout the world, and her many best-selling novels established her as one of the most popular of contemporary women novelists.

After receiving an OBE in 1985, Catherine Cookson was created a Dame of the British Empire in 1993. She was appointed an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, in 1997. For many years she lived near Newcastle upon Tyne. She died shortly before her ninety-second birthday, in June 1998.

What genres does Catherine Cookson write in?

She is primarily known as a regional novelist and a writer of popular women's fiction; her work appealed widely to readers of contemporary women's novels.

Which book is a good place to start with her work?

A good starting point is The Round Tower, which won the Winifred Holtby Award and is often cited as representative. Other accessible entry points include The Fifteen Streets or one of the Mary Ann omnibus editions.

Are there series or omnibus editions I should follow in order?

Yes. Some storylines are collected in omnibus editions, for example the Mary Ann omnibus volumes. Look for omnibus or series labels to read linked novels in publication sequence.

What notable awards and honours did Catherine Cookson receive?

Her novel The Round Tower won the Winifred Holtby Award in 1968. She was appointed OBE in 1985, created a Dame in 1993, and became an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford in 1997.

Are her books still available and how prolific was she?

She was a very prolific and bestselling novelist with many titles to her name. Numerous paperback and omnibus editions remain in print and are widely available.