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In many ways the life of Daphne du Maurier resembles
that of a fairy tale. Born into a family with a rich artistic and historical
background, the daughter of a famous actor-manager, she was indulged as
a child and grew up enjoying enormous freedom from financial and parental
restraint. She spent her youth sailing boats, travelling on the Continent
with friends, and writing stories. A prestigious publishing house accepted
her first novel when she was in her early twenties, and its publication
brought her not only fame but the attentions of a handsome soldier, Major
(later Lieutenant-General Sir) Frederick Browning, who married her.
Her subsequent novels became bestsellers, earning her
enormous wealth and fame. While Alfred Hitchcock's film based upon her
novel proceeded to make her one of the best-known authors in the world,
she enjoyed the life of a fairy princess in a mansion in Cornwall called
Menabilly, which served as the model for Manderley in Rebecca.
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What makes Rebecca special?
the way Daphne du Maurier presents her, says Nilanjana S Roy. Obliquely,
insidiously, always offstage, and always at the centre of the action. |
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Rebecca's Tale
- a few years ago, Sally Beauman, author of the best-selling Destiny,
wrote an article for the New Yorker on Daphne du Maurier, an author she
has always admired. Subsequently, Sally came to the 1998 du Maurier Festival
and had supper with Daphne's son Christian Browning.
Sally expressed her admiration for Rebecca, and commented that, despite
the title, we never actually hear the story from Rebecca's point of view.
Christian Browning was intrigued and immediately suggested to Sally
that she should write it; and so Rebecca's Tale was born.
At the 2001 Festival, the pair were reunited together with Professor
Helen Taylor, University of Exeter, to disc
uss this daring and brilliant novel which is making
a huge impact across the world.
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The Daphne du Maurier Guestbook
- this Guestbook is provided to enable those interested
in du Maurier and her works to add comments, messages and contributions.
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Bibliography
- a comprehensive listing of novels, short stories,
non-fiction, biographies and related books, video's and films, mostly with
a short review.
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Reminiscences of Menabilly
- A number of readers have been so kind as to send
us their own memories of Menabilly - the family seat of the Rashleigh family
near to Fowey, and Daphne's home for many years. It was also the basis
for Manderley in the novel Rebecca.
Anthony C. R. Paul visited a deserted Menabilly whilst on army exercises
at the beginning of World War II.
Frank Dyer, born near Fowey in 1875, worked as a house boy for the
Rashleigh family at Menabilly, until emigrating for the USA in 1892. A
fascinating extract from his Autobiography, by kind permission of his grandson,
Martin Dye.
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An Obituary
- by Richard Kelly.
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Requiem
- Daphne du Maurier, 1907-1989
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