Beryl Bainbridge, author of “bleakly funny” novels, dies

Beryl Bainbridge, who wrote short, incisive novels based on her own experiences in postwar Liverpool, and later based on historical figures and events, has died at the age of 75 (British newspapers), or 77 (American papers). Two of her stories were made into movies, The Dressmaker (1989) and An Awfully Big Adventure (1994). She was shortlisted for the Booker Prize five times and won the Whitbread Award (now the Costa Award) twice. See these links for more on Beryl Bainbridge: Guardian and New York Times (Mary B, Reader’s Services)