Barbara Taylor Bradford was a prolific author whose debut book A Woman Of Substance is one of the best-selling novels of all time, having sold more than 30 million copies since its publication in 1979.

Her own rags-to-riches story mirrored those of many of her resilient heroines, and her dozens of novels helped her amass a fortune of $300 million.

Author Barbara Taylor Bradford, best known for her debut novel "A Woman of Substance," has died at age 91. Her books often starred strong women.

The title of Barbara Taylor Bradford's most celebrated, and first, novel A Woman of Substance could well have been used to describe the author herself. The 1979 story of a young woman's journey from rags to riches went from bestseller to super-seller in a year and stayed on the New York Times list for 43 weeks.

Barbara Taylor Bradford, who has died aged 91, rose from suburban Leeds to become the doyenne of popular fiction, famous for hugely successful blockbusters about strong-willed women who fight back the tears in the face of adversity and emerge rich and happy while reflecting on life,