Michèle Roberts
Encyclopedia
Michèle Brigitte Roberts (born 20 May 1949, Bushey, Hertfordshire) is a British
writer, novelist and poet. Roberts was the daughter of a French Catholic teacher mother (Monique Caulle) and English Protestant father (Reginald Roberts); she has dual UK-France nationality.
, Middlesex
and educated at a convent, expecting to become a nun, before reading English at Somerville College, Oxford
, where she lost her Catholic faith, and also studied at University College London
training to be a librarian. She worked for the British Council
in Bangkok, Thailand in this role from 1973 to 1974.
, Michelene Wandor
and Zoe Fairbairns. At this time she was the Poetry Editor (1975-7) at Spare Rib
, the feminist magazine and later at City Limits (1981–83). Her first novel A Piece of the Night was published in 1978 and Daughters of the House (1992) was shortlisted for the Booker Prize
.
She is a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
, awarded by the French government, but has turned down an OBE
as a consequence of her republican views.
Michèle Roberts is an Emeritus Professor of Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia
and was Visiting Professor in Writing at Nottingham Trent University
for several years.
Paper Houses, a memoir of her life since 1970, was published in 2007.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
writer, novelist and poet. Roberts was the daughter of a French Catholic teacher mother (Monique Caulle) and English Protestant father (Reginald Roberts); she has dual UK-France nationality.
Early life
She was raised in EdgwareEdgware
Edgware is an area in London, situated north-northwest of Charing Cross. It forms part of both the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of Harrow. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
and educated at a convent, expecting to become a nun, before reading English at Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and was one of the first women's colleges to be founded there...
, where she lost her Catholic faith, and also studied at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
training to be a librarian. She worked for the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
in Bangkok, Thailand in this role from 1973 to 1974.
Career
Active in socialist and feminist politics (the Women's Liberation Movement) since the early 1970s, she formed a writers' collective with Sara MaitlandSara Maitland
Sara Maitland is a British writer and feminist. An accomplished novelist, she is also known for her short stories. Her work has a magic realist tendency.-Biography:...
, Michelene Wandor
Michelene Wandor
Michelene Dinah Wandor is an English playwright, critic, broadcaster, poet, lecturer, and musician...
and Zoe Fairbairns. At this time she was the Poetry Editor (1975-7) at Spare Rib
Spare Rib
Spare Rib was a second-wave feminist magazine in the United Kingdom that emerged out of the counter culture of the late 1960s as a consequence of meetings involving, amongst others, Rosie Boycott and Marsha Rowe.-Description:...
, the feminist magazine and later at City Limits (1981–83). Her first novel A Piece of the Night was published in 1978 and Daughters of the House (1992) was shortlisted for the Booker Prize
Man Booker Prize
The Man Booker Prize for Fiction is a literary prize awarded each year for the best original full-length novel, written in the English language, by a citizen of the Commonwealth of Nations, Ireland, or Zimbabwe. The winner of the Man Booker Prize is generally assured of international renown and...
.
She is a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is an Order of France, established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and confirmed as part of the Ordre national du Mérite by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963...
, awarded by the French government, but has turned down an OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
as a consequence of her republican views.
Michèle Roberts is an Emeritus Professor of Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia
University of East Anglia
The University of East Anglia is a public research university based in Norwich, United Kingdom. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities.-History:...
and was Visiting Professor in Writing at Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University is a public teaching and research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as a new university in 1992 from the existing Trent Polytechnic , however it can trace its roots back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design...
for several years.
Paper Houses, a memoir of her life since 1970, was published in 2007.
Novels
- A Piece of the Night, 1978, Women's Press
- The Visitation, 1978, Women's Press
- The Wild GirlThe Wild GirlThe Wild Girl is a 1984 novel by Michèle Roberts. This work tells a fictional story about the discovery of an apocryphal fifth Gospel in Provence, France. This gospel tells the tale of Jesus Christ and the period before his crucifiction, known as the Passion, from the perspective of Mary Magdalene...
(Also known as The Secret Gospel of Mary Magdalene), 1984, Methuen - The Book of Mrs Noah, 1987, Methuen
- In the Red Kitchen, 1990, Methuen
- Psyche and the Hurricane, 1991, Methuen
- Daughters of the House, 1992, Virago and Morrow (USA)
- During Mother's Absence, 1992, Virago
- Flesh & Blood, 1994, Virago
- Impossible Saints. Hopewell, 1998, Ecco Press
- Fair Exchange, 1999, Little, Brown
- The Looking Glass, 2000, Little, Brown
- The Mistressclass, 2002, Little, Brown
- Reader, I Married Him, 2006, Little, Brown
Poetry
- The Mirror of the Mother, 1986, Methuen
- Psyche and the Hurricane , 1991, Methuen
- All the Selves I Was, 1995, Virago
Short stories
- Your Shoes, 1991
- During Mother's Absence, 1993, Virago
- Playing Sardines, 2001, Virago
- Mud: Stories of Sex and Love, 2010, Virago