Margaret Rumer Godden
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Margaret Rumer Godden (December 10 1907–November 8 1998), often simply Rumer Godden, was an English author of over 60 books.
Born in Sussex, England, Margaret Rumer Godden grew up with her three sisters in Narayanganj, India. She returned to England with her sisters in her early 20s, training as a ballet dancer before returning to India to teach. Following an unhappy marriage of 8 years, she moved with her two daughters to Kashmir. Remarrying again in 1949, she returned to England to concentrate on writing, retiring to Dumfriesshire in her 70s.
Among her works are:
- Chinese Puzzle (1936), her first published work
- Black Narcissus (1939), her first book to be made into a film in 1947
- Breakfast with the Nikolides (1942)
- The River (1946), made into a film in 1949
- The Doll's House (1947), a children's book
- In Noah's Ark (1949), a translation from the French of children's poetry
- The Mousewife (1951), a children's book
- Miss Happiness and Miss Flower (1961), a children's book
- Kingfishers Catch Fire (1953)
- An Episode of Sparrows (1955)
- Greengage Summer (1958), again made into a film
- The Battle of the Villa Fiorita (1963)
- Two Under the Indian Sun (1966)
- In This House of Brede (1969)
- The Diddakoi (1972), winner of the Whitbread Award
- Shiva's Pigeons (1972)
- The Peacock Spring (1975), adapted for television in 1995
- Five For Sorrow, Ten For Joy (1979)
- The Dark Horse (1981)
- A Time to Dance, No Time to Weep (1987), an autobiography
- A House with Four Rooms (1989), an autobiography
- Coromandel Sea Change (1991)
- Cromartie vs. the God Shiva (1997), her 21st and last novel
In 1993 she was appointed OBE. Her sister Jon Godden also wrote two novels.
External links
- The Rumer Godden Literary Trust (http://www.rumergodden.com/)