Flora Annie Steel
Encyclopedia
Flora Annie Steel was an English
writer. She was the daughter of George Webster. In 1867 she married a member of the Indian civil service, and for the next twenty-two years lived in India
, chiefly in the Punjab
, with which most of her books are connected.
When her husband's health was weak, Flora Annie Steel looked after some of his responsibilities. She acted as school inspector and mediator in local arguments.
She was interested in relating to all classes of Indian society
. The birth of her daughter gave her a chance to interact with local women and learn their language.
She encouraged the production of local handicrafts and collected folk-tales.
Her interest in schools and the education of women gave her a special insight into native life and character.
In 1889 the family moved back to Scotland
, and she continued her writing there.
Some of her best work, according to the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, is contained in two collections of short stories:
Her novel On the Face of the Waters (1896) described incidents of the Indian Mutiny.
She also wrote a popular history of India. Her later works included:
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
writer. She was the daughter of George Webster. In 1867 she married a member of the Indian civil service, and for the next twenty-two years lived in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, chiefly in the Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
, with which most of her books are connected.
When her husband's health was weak, Flora Annie Steel looked after some of his responsibilities. She acted as school inspector and mediator in local arguments.
She was interested in relating to all classes of Indian society
Culture of India
India's languages, religions, dance, music, architecture, food and customs differ from place to place within the country, but nevertheless possess a commonality....
. The birth of her daughter gave her a chance to interact with local women and learn their language.
She encouraged the production of local handicrafts and collected folk-tales.
Her interest in schools and the education of women gave her a special insight into native life and character.
In 1889 the family moved back to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and she continued her writing there.
- From the Five Rivers (1893)
- Tales of the Punjab (1894)
Her novel On the Face of the Waters (1896) described incidents of the Indian Mutiny.
She also wrote a popular history of India. Her later works included:
- In the permanent way, and other stories (1897)
- Voices in the Night (1900)
- The Hosts of the Lord (1900)
- In the Guardianship of God (1903)
- A Sovereign Remedy (1906)
- India through the ages; a popular and picturesque history of Hindustan (1908)
- Mistress of men : a novel (1918)