Anthony Trollope, (
1815 -
1882), was a successful
English novelist of the
Victorian era, whose popularity continues into the present day (his most famous fan being ex-
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom,
John Major).
Trollope was born on
April 24,
1815 in
London, England, the son of a barrister, and educated at various public schools until his family moved to
Belgium. Following his father's death, Trollope's mother, Frances, embarked on a writing career to make ends meet. Trollope himself obtained a job in the
Post Office in
1834, and was sent to work in
Ireland in
1841. On the numerous long train trips Trollope had to take to fulfil his postion at the post office, he began writing, partially as a way to pass his time, and set very firm goals about how much he would write per day, earning Trollope the title of being one of the most prolific writers of his time. He wrote his earliest novels, while working as a post man, occasionally dipping into the 'lost-letter' box for ideas. During the period of his employment as a Post Office official, Trollope is credited with having introduced the pillar box, a bright red mail box in the
United Kingdom
After leaving the service and failing to be elected to parliament, he became a full-time writer, working as editor of the St Paul's Magazine. It was through this magazine that several of his novels were published. His first major success came with The Warden (1855) - the first in the series of six novels set in the mythical county of "Barsetshire". The best-known of these, and probably Trollope's most enduring work, is the comic masterpiece, Barchester Towers (1857). Trollope's other major sequence of novels, serialised in the 1970s by the BBC under the title, The Pallisers[?], deals with politics, mainly in the shape of Plantagenet Palliser (although, like the Barsetshire series, many other characters feature in each novel). By the time of his death, in 1882, Trollope had completed dozens of novels.
Anthony Trollope died on December 6, 1882 and was interred in Kensal Green Cemetery, London, England.
There is a thriving Trollope Society in the UK.
Works
- The Macdermots of Ballycloran, 1847
- The Kellys and the O'Kellys, 1848
- La Vendee, 1850
- The Three Clerks, 1858
- The West Indies and the Spanish Main, 1859
- The Bertrams, 1859
- Castle Richmond, 1860
- Tales of All Countries--1st Series, 1861
- Tales of All Countries--2nd Series, 1863
- Tales of AllCountries--3rd Series 1870
- Orley Farm, 1862
- North America, 1862
- Rachel Ray, 1863
- Miss Mackenzie, 1865
- The Belton Estate, 1866
- The Claverings, 1867
- Nina Balatka, 1867
- Linda Tressel, 1868
- He Knew He Was Right, 1869
- Brown, Jones, and Robinson, 1870
- The Vicar of Bullhampton, 1870
- An Editor's Tales, 1870
- Caesar (Ancient Classics), 1870
- Sir Harry Hotspur of Humblethwaite, 1871
- Ralph the Heir, 1871
- The Golden Lion of Granpere, 1872
- Australia and New Zealand, 1873
- Harry Heathcote of Gangoil, 1874
- Lady Anna, 1874
- The Way We Live Now[?] 1875
- The American Senator, 1877
- Is He Popenjoy? 1878
- South Africa, 1878
- John Caldigate, 1879
- An Eye for an Eye, 1879
- Cousin Henry, 1879
- Thackeray, 1879
- Life of Cicero, 1880
- Ayala's Angel, 1881
- Doctor Wortle's School, 1881
- Frau Frohmann and other Stories, 1882
- Lord Palmerston, 1882
- The Fixed Period, 1882
- Kept in the Dark, 1882
- Marion Fay, 1882
- Mr. Scarborough's Family, 1883
Barsetshire series
Pallisers series
External Links
e-texts of some of Anthony Trollope's works:
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