Biography

Rebecca West was born on December 21, 1892 in London, England, UK. She was a writer and actress, known for Reds (1981), They Forgot to Read the Directions (1924) and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962). She was married to Henry Maxwell Andrews. She died on March 15, 1983 in London, England, UK.

She had a 10 year relationship with the author H.G. Wells. They had a son, Anthony West, born on August 4, 1914. He was also an author.

She was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1949 King's Birthday Honours List and the DBE (Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1959 Queen's New Year Honours List for her services to literature.

Aunt of the writer and television critic Alison Selford .

She took her professional name from a character in the play "Rosmersholm", by Henrik Ibsen.

West was one of the judges of the first Booker Prize in 1969, and according to Frank Kermode, the judging process was made easier by the rest of the panel being too scared to disagree with her. "The choice of PH Newby's Something to Answer For was the result of a compromise. Dame Rebecca didn't dislike it as much as nearly all the others".

On style: He is every other inch a gentleman.

On truth: The trouble about man is twofold. He cannot learn truths which are too complicated; he forgets truths which are too simple.

[on the novels of Margaret Drabble] Anyone can do the washing-up; just get a big bowl and some liquid; so why complain about it?