Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, an Oscar winning screenwriter and celebrated novelist, has died at the age of 85 from complications caused from a pulmonary condition.
Jhabvala was a prolific writer. She wrote 31 stories in The New Yorker, the most recent, The Judge’s Will, was published just a few short weeks ago. She wrote many novels including Heat and Dust in 1975 which won the Booker Prize and was later adapted into a film in 1983.
Beyond writing fiction, Jhabvala was also an insanely prolific screenwriter. She wrote over 20 screenplays–a majority of which were in collaboration with Ismail Merchant and James Ivory of Merchant-Ivory. She wrote some of the most acclaimed Merchant Ivory films including Remains of the Day, Howard’s End and A Room With A View. She was nominated for an Academy Award for all three, and won for two.
Jhabvala was truly a trailblazer for women film writers. Be sure to experience her writings in The New Yorker, as they have unlocked six of her short stories for people to enjoy.
Award-winning author Ruth Prawer Jhabvala dies at age 85
(Reuters)
Merchant-Ivory screenwriter Jhabvala dies at 85 (USA Today)
Ruth Prawer Jhabvala’s Stories (The New Yorker)
