Diana Athill

Athill's voice in a 2013 BBC interview

Diana Athill OBE (21 December 1917 – 23 January 2019) was a British literary editor, novelist and memoirist. She was born in Norfolk, England. She worked with some of the greatest writers of the 20th century at the London-based publishing company Andre Deutsch Ltd.[1] She retired from Deutsch in 1993 at the age of 75, after more than 50 years in publishing.

Athill was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours.[2]

In 2008, she won the Costa Book Award for her memoir Somewhere Towards The End, a book about old age.[3]

Athill died on 23 January 2019 at the age of 101.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "'Getting things right': Recalling her life as one of the 20th century's most acclaimed editors, Diana Athill, who has just turned 90, was a pioneer of the confessional memoir. Her new book is about ageing". The Guardian, 5 January 2008.
  2. ↑ Athill. London Gazette. 31 December 2008. p. 9.
  3. ↑ "Costa Winners 2006 – present" (PDF). costabookawards.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 October 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  4. ↑ Diana Athill dies