Danielle Steel
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| Danielle Fernande Dominique Schuelein-Steel | |
| Pseudonym: | Danielle Steel |
|---|---|
| Born: | August 14, 1947 San Francisco, California (USA)  |
| Occupation: | Novelist |
| Nationality: | American |
| Writing period: | 1973 - Present |
| Genres: | Romance, Drama |
| Debut works: | Going home |
| Website: | www.daniellesteel.com [1] |
Danielle Fernande Dominique Schuelein-Steel (born on August 14, 1947 in New York City, New York), is best known as Danielle Steel, and is one of the best selling authors in the United States and around the world.
Best known for her drama-romance novels, Steel has sold more than 530 million copies of her books (as of 2005). Her novels have been on the New York Times bestseller list for over 390 consecutive weeks and 21 have been adapted for television.
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[edit] Biography
Danielle Fernande Dominique Schuelein-Steel born on August 14, 1947 in New York City, New York.
Danielle Steel is one of the most widely read authors in history, having sold more books than any other living author. Her novels have been translated into 28 languages and can be found in over 40 countries across the globe.
Steel started writing stories as a child, and by her late teens had begun writing poetry. A graduate of the Lycée Français de New York, class of 1965, she went on to study at New York University and in Europe. At age nineteen, she completed her first novel but it remained unpublished until 1973.
Since 1981, Steel has been a permanent fixture on the New York Times hardcover and paperback bestsellers lists. In 1989, she was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for having a book on the New York Times Bestseller List for the most consecutive weeks of any author--381 consecutive weeks at that time. Though critics have often panned her work, her novels continue to be on bestseller lists and produce healthy sales.
Twenty-one of her books have been adapted for television, including two that have received Golden Globe nominations. One is "Jewels", the story of the survival of a woman and her children in World War II Europe, and the family's eventual rebirth as one of the greatest jewelry houses in Europe. Adaptations continue to be produced.
In addition to adult fiction, Steel has written the "Max and Martha" series for young readers. These 10 illustrated books aim to help children face real life problems: new baby, new school, loss of loved one, etc. In addition, Steel has authored the "Freddie" series. These 4 books address other real life situations: first night away from home, trip to the doctor, etc.
Danielle Steel has also written two non-fiction books: His Bright Light (the life and death of her son, Nicholas Traina. Nicholas, who had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, committed suicide in 1997.) and Having a Baby. She has also written a book of poetry entitled Love: Poems.
In 2002, Steel was decorated by the French government as a "Chevalier" of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, for her contributions to world culture.
As a mother of nine children (Beatrix, Nick (deceased), Trevor, Todd, Samantha, Victoria, Vanessa, Maxx and Zara) Steel maintains a strong interest in the well-being of children and has dedicated many books to her own. She has been married five times and is currently single. Her husbands are: Claude-Eric Lazard, Danny Zugelder, William Toth, John Traina, and Tom Perkins.
She was first married to banker Lazard at age eighteen and had one daughter, Beatrix. This was followed by a brief second marriage to convicted felon Zugelder, who was later convicted of a series of rapes. Steel soon found herself pregnant out of wedlock with her second child, by the heroin-addicted William Toth. She married him shortly before giving birth to their son, whom she named Nicholas, but they divorced soon after.
She married for the fourth time to vintner John Traina in 1981. He already had two sons of his own, Trevor and Todd (with Dede Wilsey). Traina subsequently adopted Nick and gave him his family name, and Steel adopted his two sons. With John Traina, Steel gave birth to four daughters and a son, but that marriage also ended in divorce, in 1996. John Traina, known for one of the world's largest Faberge collections, gained some recent fame due to the controversial memoir by San Francisco high society matron Dede Wilsey's estranged stepson "Oh the Glory of it All".
Her fifth marriage, to the Silicon Valley financier Tom Perkins, lasted less than two years, ending in 1999. In 2006, Perkins dedicated his novel "Sex and the Single Zillionaire"to Steel.
In addition to writing, Danielle Steel has founded and still runs two foundations. The Nick Traina Foundation, dedicated to the son she lost to suicide in 1997, funds organizations dedicated to treating mental illness and child abuse. Feeling that Nick could have survived had his bi-polar disorder been diagnosed earlier in life, Steel tirelessly fights for increased compassion for the mentally ill. From lobbying for legislation in Washington to holding an annual fundraiser (known as The Star Ball) in San Francisco, Steel has become a spokesperson for many who struggle with the disease.
In 2003 Steel opened an art gallery in San Francisco, where she lives, to exhibit the paintings and sculptures of emerging artists. She also maintains a residence in France where she spends several months of each year. Despite her public image and varied pursuits, Steel is known to be shy and rarely grants interviews or public appearances. She is a Christian Scientist and is of German, Jewish, and Portuguese heritage.
[edit] Bibliography
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[edit] Filmography
- The Ring (1996)
- Full Circle (1996)
- Remembrance (1996)
- No Greater Love (1996)
- Mixed Blessings (1995)
- Family Album (1994)
- A Perfect Stranger (1994)
- Once in a Lifetime (1994)
- Message from Nam (1993)
- Star (1993) (TV)
- Heartbeat (1993)
- Jewels (1992)
- Secrets (1992)
- Daddy (1991)
- Palomino (1991)
- Changes (1991)
- Fine Things (1990)
- Kaleidoscope (1990)
- Crossings (1986)
- Now and Forever (1983)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Danielle Steel at Internet Book List
- An October 2000 review of His Bright Light by Dr. Jeffrey L. Geller on a American Psychiatric Association website
- The Danielle Steel Title Generator
- Danielle Steel at the Internet Movie Database
- Steel Gallery
- The Nick Traina Foundation
- WorldCat Identities page for 'Steel, Danielle.'
