Anthony Trollope

Biography

Anthony Trollope (1815–1882) was an English novelist and civil servant, one of the most prolific and respected Victorian writers. Born in London to a struggling family, he found stability working for the British Post Office for over 30 years, where he invented the pillar box (public mailbox). He wrote 47 novels, plus short stories, travel books, and an autobiography. His two great novel sequences — the six Barsetshire novels (set in a fictional English county centered on cathedral politics) and the six Palliser novels (following political life in Parliament) — are considered masterpieces of Victorian fiction. Key works include The Warden, Barchester Towers, Can You Forgive Her?, The Way We Live Now, and The Eustace Diamonds. Trollope was renowned for his realistic portrayal of English social, political, and ecclesiastical life, with nuanced characters and gentle irony. He maintained a famously disciplined writing schedule, producing 250 words every 15 minutes before breakfast. After a decline in reputation, he was rediscovered in the mid-20th century and is now considered among the greatest English novelists.