Ann Radcliffe

1764–1823

5 standalone books

Ann Radcliffe (born Ann Ward, 9 July 1764 – 7 February 1823) was an English author and pioneer of Gothic fiction. She is known for her technique of explaining supernatural elements in her novels, which contributed to the respectability of Gothic fiction in the 1790s. Radcliffe was the most popular writer of her time and received widespread admiration, with contemporary critics referring to her as the mighty enchantress and the Shakespeare of romance-writers. Her popularity endured throughout the 19th century. In the early 21st century, interest in her work revived, marked by the publication of paperback reprints and three biographies.

Born

1764