The 1987 Booker Prize was awarded to Moon Tiger, a novel charting the tempestuous life of a woman lying in a hospital bed. Written by Penelope Lively, this work solidified her reputation for examining how memory and personal history intersect with official narratives. Her extensive bibliography spans both children's literature and sophisticated prose for adult readers.
Early Career and Children's Fiction
Born in Cairo in 1933, Penelope Lively is a British writer who first achieved literary success through her contributions to children's fiction. Her debut, Astercote, appeared in 1970, focusing on a village site marked by historical tragedy. She eventually published over twenty books for younger readers, including A Stitch in Time and The Ghost of Thomas Kempe. The latter earned her the Carnegie Medal in 1973, a distinction recognizing it as the year's best children's book by a British subject.
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Lively’s shift toward adult fiction was marked by a fluidity of genre. Her novel Going Back, initially marketed for children, was later reissued for adults due to its complex thematic exploration of World War II, pacifism, and grief. Her first work expressly written for an adult audience, The Road to Lichfield, reached the Booker Prize shortlist in 1977. She repeated this success in 1984 with According to Mark before securing the prize in 1987 with Moon Tiger.
Non-Fiction and Personal History
Throughout her career, Lively has interrogated the past through non-fiction, including the 1994 memoir Oleander, Jacaranda: A Childhood Perceived, which examines her upbringing in Egypt. She later explored personal history in A House Unlocked and the 2013 memoir Ammonites & Leaping Fish: A Life in Time. Beyond books, her professional life has included working as a radio personality and providing television scripts, reviews, and journalistic contributions.
Honours and Legacy
A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, Lively has received numerous professional acknowledgements. Her appointments include Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1989, Commander in 2001, and finally Dame Commander in 2012 for services to literature. She holds honorary doctorates from the University of Warwick and Tufts University. In 2023, the horticultural world recognized her contributions with the introduction of the Penelope Lively Rose.
Fast facts
- Born: 1933, Cairo
- Education: St Anne's College
- Booker Prize Winner: 1987
- Carnegie Medal Winner: 1973
- Appointed DBE: 2012
- Half-brother: Valentine Low
- Known for: Moon Tiger, The Ghost of Thomas Kempe
Questions readers ask
Did Penelope Lively write for children?
What is her most significant literary award?
She won the Booker Prize in 1987 for her novel Moon Tiger.
Achievements
- Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- Carnegie Medal — 1973
- Booker Prize — 1987
- Notable work: Moon Tiger
- Notable work: According to Mark
- Notable work: The Ghost of Thomas Kempe
- Genres: children's literature and fantasy
