Anne Perry
Full Name and Common Aliases
Anne Perry is a pen name used by Juliet Marion Hulme, a renowned New Zealand-British author of historical fiction novels.
Birth and Death Dates
Born: October 28, 1938
Died: April 10, 2019 (aged 80)
Nationality and Profession(s)
Perry was a British novelist, born in London but raised in New Zealand. She is best known for her Thomas Pitt series of mystery novels.
Early Life and Background
Juliet Hulme's early life was marked by tragedy when her father, Henry Miller Hulme, died in 1941 during World War II. Her mother remarried in 1943 to George Firth, who raised Juliet as his own. However, the marriage ended in divorce after a few years. In 1952, Hulme's stepfather was diagnosed with cancer and took his own life rather than suffer through painful treatment.
The traumatic events of her childhood had a lasting impact on Hulme's life. She developed an introverted personality and became fascinated with writing as a way to escape reality. At the age of 15, she began writing her first novel but never finished it.
Major Accomplishments
Anne Perry made significant contributions to the literary world through her historical fiction novels. Her Thomas Pitt series, which includes over 30 titles, follows the life and career of Detective Superintendent Thomas Pitt in Victorian London. The series explores themes of social class, crime, and personal relationships during this period.
Perry's writing has been praised for its meticulous research and immersive storytelling style. Her works often delve into the complexities of human nature and explore the moral ambiguities of the characters' actions.
Notable Works or Actions
Anne Perry published her first novel, _The Cater Street Hangman_, in 1979. However, it was her subsequent Thomas Pitt series that brought her widespread recognition and acclaim. Throughout her career, she wrote over 60 novels across various genres, including mystery, historical fiction, and romance.
Perry's writing also reflects her interest in the lives of women during different eras. Many of her novels focus on female characters navigating challenging circumstances, from poverty to social expectations.
Impact and Legacy
Anne Perry's impact on the literary world is undeniable. Her Thomas Pitt series has been translated into numerous languages and sold millions of copies worldwide. She was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 2008 for her services to literature.
Perry's legacy extends beyond her written works, as she inspired a new generation of writers and readers. Her dedication to research and historical accuracy raised the bar for authors writing about different eras.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Anne Perry is widely quoted and remembered due to her exceptional storytelling ability, meticulous research, and commitment to exploring the complexities of human nature. Her Thomas Pitt series has captured readers' imaginations worldwide, offering a glimpse into Victorian London's social hierarchy and crime-ridden streets.
Through her writing, Perry shed light on the lives of women during different eras, highlighting their struggles, triumphs, and resilience in the face of adversity. As an author who has spent decades crafting engaging stories that transport readers to another time and place, Anne Perry remains a cherished figure in the literary world.
Quotes by Anne Perry
Remember, my dear, you are dealing with the world as it is, not as you believe, maybe rightly, that it ought to be. There will be a great many things you can achieve not by attacking them but with a little patience and a modicum of flattery. Stop to consider what it is you really want, rather than pursuing your anger or your vanity to charge in. So often we leap to passionate judgments – when if we but knew the one thing more, they would be so different.
Your own gown is most delicately suitable, both to the occasion and to yourself,′ to be translated: Your gown is insipid and entirely forgettable. If you wear it on every other occasion this entire season, no one will notice or care.
Was a great enemy as much a part of a man’s life as a great friend? Surely it must be. It must be the cross thread in the fabric of emotions.
Be aware that you can truly help people only by aiding them to become what they are, not what you are.
Here in England there’s a glass wall between you and the taste of reality. I don’t want to see the last true passion tamed by railways, and men with Bibles telling everyone to cover their bodies.” He spread his powerful, elegant hands. “Play your string quintets, by all means, Mr. Narraway, but don’t silence the drums simply because you don’t understand them. The men who play violins have steel and gunpowder, and the men who play drums don’t.
Whether you are happy or not depends to some degree upon outward circumstances, but mostly it depends how you choose to look at things yourself, whether you measure what you have or what you have not.
You deliberately don’t ask the questions to which you would rather not know the answers. You call it trust. You know too late that it is cowardice.
That is the magical thing about books. You can listen to all the greatest people who have ever lived, anywhere in the world, in any civilization. You can see what is completely different about them, things you never imagined.
The imagination conjures so many things, and one feels the pain of them all, until one knows.
If we can still surmount what is natural and believe what we wish to believe, in spite of the force of evidence, then for a while at least we are masters of our fate, and we can paint the world we want.