“face a far more complex and challenging world for writers than did I when I was elected, but no one could be better qualified for the task,”
- #wikipedia
- #quote
- #trusted-source
- #www.theguardian.com
- #corroborated
Figure timeline
P. D. James
Phyllis Dorothy James White, Baroness James of Holland Park, known professionally as P. D. James, was an English novelist and life peer. Her rise to fame came with her series of detective novels featuring the police commander and poet, Adam Dalgliesh.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
politics · English crime writer (1920–2014) · writer · politician · novelist · science fiction writer · crime fiction writer · also P. D. James, Phyllis Dorothy James, Phyllis Dorothy James, Baroness James of Holland Park, Phyllis James, Baroness Phyllis Dorothy James, James
Born 3 August 1920 · Died 27 November 2014 · Q270648
37 published statements · 0 followers
See & hear
Photos & media
5 photos · 1 audio
Listen
PD James BBC Radio4 Front Row 3 June 2013 b0211jrx
Media from Wikimedia Commons, hotlinked at the source under its own licence — see each file for author and terms.
Live now
In the news
Pulling headlines from trusted outlets — this usually takes a few seconds
Checking the wires…
Feed scan
These are live links, not archived citations — they only join the timeline once a collect run verifies and archives them.
Live pulse
Recent highlights
Most recent outstanding titles, awards, and quotes
- Quote
- Quote
2026· 13 entries
“That was probably a response to the outrage when she went [from Strictly Come Dancing].”
- #wikipedia
- #quote
- #trusted-source
- #www.theguardian.com
- #corroborated
“extraordinarily large salaries”
- #wikipedia
- #quote
- #trusted-source
- #www.theguardian.com
“In one sense, I was very lucky - I”
- #wikipedia
- #quote
- #trusted-source
- #www.theguardian.com
“If there's any sort of existence after death we shall all know it soon enough. If there isn't, we shan't exist to complain that we've been cheated.”
- #wikiquote
- #quote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:en
- #corroborated
“My mother used to say, 'Don't marry for money, but marry where money is! ' There's no harm in looking for money as long as there's kindness as well.”
- #wikiquote
- #quote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:en
- #corroborated
“It isn't what you suspect, it's what you can prove that counts.”
- #wikiquote
- #quote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:en
- #corroborated
“You need to decide what you're interested in.”
- #wikiquote
- #quote
“Old age can be very frightening, Commander. A lawyer whose mind is apt to go blank isn't just inefficient, he's dangerous.”
- #wikiquote
- #quote
“I was glad to give up teaching, at least in London, glad to be rid of noise and violence and staff-room politics, and the constant fight to keep order.”
- #wikiquote
- #quote
“...We have a reputation for being difficult. Chambers is a collection of intelligent, highly independent, idiosyncratic, critical and overworked men and women whose profession is argument. It's a dull set which doesn't contain its share of eccentrics and personalities who could be described as difficult. ...”
- #wikiquote
- #quote
“Hunch is a good servant but a poor master.”
- #wikiquote
- #quote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:en
- #corroborated
“But what is the use of making the world more beautiful if the people who live in it can't love one another?”
- #wikiquote
- #quote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:en
- #corroborated
2018· 1 entry
Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine — for their discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune regulation.
- #nobel
- #award
- #honour
2015· 1 entry
The Guardian: Ruth Rendell and PD James: giants of detective fiction
- #news
- #headline
2014· 4 entries
Died 2014-11-27.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #death
“I don't think writers choose the genre, the genre chooses us. I wrote out of the wish to create order out of disorder, the liking of a pattern.”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:en
“My English teacher, Miss Daisy Dalgliesh, really made Shakespeare live for me, although I didn't see it on stage until I was an adult. I named my detective after her. It was years later that I found out her father was called Adam Dalgliesh.”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:en
“One of my earliest loves was the Book of Common Prayer. I was seduced by it, by its beautiful words and the sense of history.”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:en
2011· 1 entry
That The Private Patient was the final Dalgliesh novel
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2010· 3 entries
Awarded Nick Clarke Award (2010).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Awarded Anthony Award for Talking About Detective Fiction (2010).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Nick Clarke Award for interview with Director-General of the BBC Mark Thompson whilst guest editor of Today radio programme
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2008· 1 entry
Was inducted into the International Crime Writing Hall of Fame at the inaugural ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2003· 1 entry
And The Murder Room in 2004, both as one-off dramas starring Martin Shaw as Dalgliesh
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
2002· 1 entry
Won Bodley Medal (2002).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #trophy
- #achievement
1999· 1 entry
Awarded The Grand Master (1999).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
1996· 1 entry
Was later published in Sleep No More: Six Murderous Tales in 2017
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikipedia
- #event
1993· 1 entry
Awarded Riverton International Honour Prize (1993).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
1991· 1 entry
Career landmark: member of the House of Lords (1991–2014).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #milestone
1988· 1 entry
Awarded Grand Prix de Littérature Policière for A Taste for Death (1988).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
1987· 1 entry
Awarded Cartier Diamond Dagger (1987).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
1983· 2 entries
Awarded Officer of the Order of the British Empire (1983).
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
“The Girl Who Loved Graveyards”
- #wikiquote
- #quote
1979· 1 entry
“Great-Aunt Ellie's Flypapers”
- #wikiquote
- #quote
1964· 1 entry
“but part of me would be observing the scene.”
- #wikipedia
- #quote
- #trusted-source
- #www.theguardian.com
- #corroborated
1920· 1 entry
Born 1920-08-03.
Text from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- #wikidata
- #birth