Barbara Cartland ​

Dame Mary Barbara Hamilton Cartland was an English novelist who wrote romance novels, one of the best-selling authors as well as one of the most prolific and commercially successful worldwide of the twentieth century. Her 723 novels were translated into 38 languages and she continues to be referenced in the Guinness World Records for the most novels published in a single year in 1976.

Quick Facts ​

• Has written over 723 novels and holds the Guinness World Record for the most novels published in a single year (23).
• Sold over a billion copies of her novels worldwide.
• Her work has been translated into 36 languages.
• Writing career spanned more than seventy years.
• Known as the "Queen of Romance".

Background ​

Cartland was born in 1901 in Edgbaston, England to a wealthy British family. However, her father's death when she was young and subsequent squandering of the family fortune by her stepfather left the family impoverished. Forced to leave their comfortable lifestyle, Cartland began writing to support the family. She published her first book, 'Jigsaw', an instant bestseller, in 1925. Known for her romantic novels which often combined historical facts and fiction, she wrote over 700 novels and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's top selling author. In her later years, she was a noted philanthropist and advocate for traditional values, causes which she expressed through her various nonfiction works. She passed away in 2000 at the age of 98.

Writing Style and Impact ​

Cartland's writing style can be considered romantic and fantastical, often centered on pure, innocent heroines and strong, heroic men. Known for her clean, historical romances, her work often promoted traditional values and strict moral codes. While her work has been criticized for being formulaic and unrealistic, Cartland’s novels were hugely popular and she has been credited with shaping the modern genre of the romance novel.

Notable Works ​

• Jigsaw (1974)
• The Duke and I (1979)
• A Hazard of Hearts (1981)
• The Reluctant Suitor (2003)