Adèle Geras
Encyclopedia
Adèle GerasAdèle Geras (born 1944, Jerusalem, is an English writer for young children, teens and adults. She has written more than 74 books, that have either been published or are in waiting. Her husband is Norman Geras
and their daughter Sophie Hannah
is an author.
and so had a varied childhood living in countries such as Nigeria
, Cyprus
, Tanzania
Gambia and British North Borneo in a short space of time.
She attended Roedean School
in Brighton
and then graduated from St. Hilda's College
, Oxford University with a degree in Modern Languages. She was known for her stage and vocal talents, but decided not to pursue that career, instead became a full-time author.
Her novels for adults are:
Facing the Light,
Hester's Story,
Made in Heaven,
and A Hidden Life.
, one the Sydney Taylor Book Award
for the My Grandmother's Stories and the National Jewish Book Award for Golden Windows. She has also won prizes for her adult poetry and was a joint winner of the Smith Doorstop Poetry Pamphlet Award, offered by the publisher of that name.
Norman Geras
Norman Geras is Professor Emeritus of Government at the University of Manchester. In a long academic career, he has contributed substantially to the analysis of the works of Karl Marx, particularly in his book Marx and Human Nature and the article 'The Controversy About Marx and Justice', which...
and their daughter Sophie Hannah
Sophie Hannah
Sophie Hannah is an English-born poet and novelist. From 1997 to 1999 she was Fellow Commoner in Creative Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge, and between 1999 and 2001 she was a junior research fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford...
is an author.
Early life
Geras' father was in the Colonial ServiceColonial Service
The Colonial Service was the British government service which administered Britain's colonies and protectorates, under the authority of the Secretary of State for the Colonies and the Colonial Office in London....
and so had a varied childhood living in countries such as Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
Gambia and British North Borneo in a short space of time.
She attended Roedean School
Roedean School
-Roedeanians in fiction:* Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward * Dawn Drummond-Clayton * Emily James...
in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
and then graduated from St. Hilda's College
St Hilda's College, Oxford
St Hilda's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England.The college was founded in 1893 as a hall for women, and remained an all-women's college until 2006....
, Oxford University with a degree in Modern Languages. She was known for her stage and vocal talents, but decided not to pursue that career, instead became a full-time author.
Work
Geras's first book was Tea at Mrs Manderby's which was published in 1976. Her first full length novel was The Girls in the Velvet Frame. She has written more than 95 books for children, young adults and adults. Her best-known books are Troy ( shortlisted for the Whitbread Prize and Highly commended for the Carnegie Medal) Ithaka, Happy Ever After (previously published as the Egerton Hall Trilogy) and Silent Snow, Secret Snow.As well as"A Thousand Yards of Sea".Her novels for adults are:
Facing the Light,
Hester's Story,
Made in Heaven,
and A Hidden Life.
Awards
Geras won two prizes in the U.S.United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, one the Sydney Taylor Book Award
Sydney Taylor Book Award
The Sydney Taylor Book Award recognizes the best in Jewish children's literature. Medals are awarded annually for outstanding books that authentically portray the Jewish experience. The award was established in 1968 by the Association of Jewish Libraries. It is named in memory of Sydney Taylor,...
for the My Grandmother's Stories and the National Jewish Book Award for Golden Windows. She has also won prizes for her adult poetry and was a joint winner of the Smith Doorstop Poetry Pamphlet Award, offered by the publisher of that name.