Evelyn Anthony
She transformed from a writer of historical romances into a master of Cold War thrillers, with one novel becoming a major Hollywood film.
1928–2018 (age 90)·British writer·Birthday: July 3·The Silent Generation
Biography
Evelyn Anthony began her writing life immersed in the past, crafting detailed historical novels that often centered on European royalty and intrigue. Born Evelyn Bridget Patricia Ward-Thomas in London, she published her first book in 1949 and built a loyal readership with her lush, dramatic storytelling. In a bold mid-career pivot, she turned her gaze to the contemporary shadows of the Cold War, producing a string of bestselling espionage thrillers that captured the paranoia and high stakes of the era. Her 1971 novel, 'The Tamarind Seed,' became her most famous work, its tale of a love affair between a British civil servant and a Soviet officer proving so cinematic it was adapted into a film starring Julie Andrews and Omar Sharif. Anthony wrote with a steady, compelling voice for nearly five decades, her books translated into numerous languages, ensuring her place as a durable and adaptable figure in popular fiction.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Evelyn was born in 1928, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Evelyn Was Born
The biggest hits of 1928
#1 Movie
The Singing Fool
Best Picture
Wings
Evelyn's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1928Born
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1933Started school
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1941Became a teenager
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Could drive
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1946Could vote
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1949Turned 21
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1958Turned 30
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 40
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 50
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 60
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 70
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 80
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Died at 90
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
Key Achievements
- Her 1971 espionage novel 'The Tamarind Seed' was adapted into a major 1974 film starring Julie Andrews.
- Published her first novel, 'Imperial Highness,' in 1949, launching a writing career that spanned over 40 years.
- Her body of work was translated into at least 19 languages, giving her an international readership.
- Successfully transitioned from writing historical fiction to becoming a prominent author of Cold War thrillers.
Did You Know?
She wrote under the pen name Evelyn Anthony; her full married name was Evelyn Bridget Patricia Ward-Thomas.
She was a direct descendant of the 1st Viscount Gough, a British field marshal.
Anthony was one of the founding members of the Crime Writers' Association in the United Kingdom.
“History is not a backdrop; it's a living, treacherous character.”
