British historian and novelist (–)
Reay Tannahill | |
|---|---|
| Born | ()9 December Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Died | 2 November () (aged&#;77) London, England, United Kingdom |
| Pen name | Reay Tannahill, Annabel Laine |
| Occupation | Historian, writer, novelist |
| Nationality | British |
| Period | – |
| Genre | Non-fiction, historical fiction, romance |
| Notable awards | RoNA Award |
| Spouse | Michael Edwardes () |
Reay Tannahill[pronunciation?] (9 December – 2 November ) was a British historian, non-fictionwriter, and novelist, best known perhaps for two non-fiction bestsellers: Food in History and Sex in History. She also wrote under the pseudonym Annabel Laine.[1] Her novel Passing Glory won in the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association.[2]
Reay Tannahill was born on 9 December [3] in Glasgow, Scotland,[4] where she was brought up.[5] Her forename was the maiden name of her mother, Olive Reay.[4] She was educated at Shawlands Academy, and obtained an MA in history and a postgraduate certificate in Social Sciences at the University of Glasgow.[5]
In , she married Michael Edwardes; the marriage ended in divorce in and he died in [3]
Until her death on 2 November she lived in a terraced house in London near Tate Britain.[4]
Before she started to write, she worked as a probation officer, advertising copywriter, newspaper reporter, historical researcher and graphic designer.[3] She published her first non-fiction book in With the international success that came with the book Food in History, her publisher suggested a companion volume on the second great human imperative, Sex in History. For her revised edition of Food in History, she won the Premio Letterario Internazionale Chianti Ruffino Antico Fattore.[4]
She also wrote historical romance novels, and in , her novel Passing Glory won in the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association.[2]
She belonged to the Arts Club and the Authors' Club, and was chairman of the latter from to [4]
[6]