Act of Will

Written by Barbara Taylor Bradford

Narrated by Maggie Mash

From the internationally bestselling author of A Woman of Substance

Three generations of beautiful women and their journey from rags to riches

Audra is an impoverished children’s nanny from Leeds who sacrificed everything for her only daughter.

Christina is a talented art student who won world renown as a fashion designer – yet who has known pain and heartache.

Kyle is a rebellious young woman who chafes against her mother’s success – and in whom her grandmother’s spirit of duty and sacrifice is reborn.

Moving from the Yorkshire Dales, through London, to the glamorous world of haute couture, this classic novel sparkles as it entertains.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Sep 7, 2017
• ISBN: 9780008252199

Barbara Taylor Bradford

Barbara Taylor Bradford, OBE, is one of the world's best loved storytellers. Her 1979 debut novel, A Woman of Substance, ranks as one of the top-ten bestselling books of all-time, with more than 30 million copies in print. All her novels to date have been major worldwide bestsellers. Barbara was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, the only child of Freda and Winston Taylor. She grew up in the Leeds suburb of Armley and left school at 15 for the typing pool at the Yorkshire Evening Post. At 16 she was a reporter, and at 18 she became the paper’s first woman’s page editor. By the time she was 20, she had moved to London where she became a fashion editor and columnist on Fleet Street. Barbara started writing fiction when she was just seven, and sold her first short story to a magazine for seven shillings and sixpence when she was ten years old. Barbara’s books have sold more than 91 million copies worldwide in more than 90 countries and 40 languages. Ten of her books were made into Emmy-nominated miniseries and television movies by her late husband, the film producer Robert Bradford. In 2007, Barbara was awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II in the Queen's Birthday Honours list for her contributions to literature. A passionate supporter of literacy, she is an ambassador for the National Literacy Trust; in 2019 she was made an ambassador for Women in Journalism and in the same year she was presented with The Leeds Award, which recognised her loyalty to, and depiction of, her Yorkshire roots. Her original manuscripts are archived at the Brotherton Library at Leeds University, alongside the works of the Brontë sisters. She lives in New York City. Her official website is: www.barbarataylorbradford.com

Reviews for Act of Will

[elkehannover · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Inhaltsangabe:Audra Kenton lernt schon früh, auf eigenen Beinen zu stehen. Als Vollwaise kommt sie zu ihrer Tante, die sie jedoch blutjung in ein Krankenhaus zum Arbeiten schickt und sich somit jeglicher Verantwortung für Audra entzieht.Audra lernt dann in Leeds den attraktiven Vincent kennen und sie heiraten. Doch die Zeichen stehen auf Sturm. Ihre Ehe erweist sich als sehr schwierig, Audra möchte gern wieder arbeiten und dann verlieren sie auch noch ihren Sohn Alfi.Als Audra ihre Tochter Christina zur Welt bringt, schwört sie sich, ihrem Kind alles zu ermöglichen, was ihr verwehrt geblieben ist. Sie gönnt sich keine Minute der Ruhe, bis Christina eine erwachsene junge Frau ist.Doch Christina begeht einen anderen Weg als Audra für ihre Tochter geplant hatte und somit wird klar, das sich Unnachgiebigkeit, Ehrgeiz und Pflichtbewußtsein sogar bis in die dritte Generation fortsetzt.Mein Fazit:Auch dieser Roman ist für mich die klassische Weltliteratur, wie ich sie liebe. Spannend und doch mit klaren Worten erzählt die Autorin die Geschichte um zwei starke Frauen. Da ich auch den Roman „Des Lebens bitte Süße“ gelesen habe, weiß ich, das das Kaufhaus „Harte’s“ von dort stammt – es taucht in diesem Roman auch mehrmals auf. Vielleicht eine kleine Besonderheit!!!Ich kann dieses Buch nur empfehlen, es ist Unterhaltung im hohen Maße!Anmerkung: Die Rezension stammt von Februar 2002.Veröffentlicht am 03.10.14!

[sueincyprus · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The story opens with a mother and daughter at loggerheads, and grandma called in to mediate. Most of the novel is a flashback. It's fast-moving and very readable, but difficult situations seem to get resolved rather too quickly, and the conclusion - returning to the time-frame of the prologue - is rather obvious.