D. E. Stevenson
Dorothy Emily Stevenson, commonly known as D. E. Stevenson, was a Scottish author born in 1892 in Edinburgh. She was the daughter of civil engineer David Alan Stevenson and a cousin of the famous writer Robert Louis Stevenson. Educated at home, Stevenson began her writing journey at a young age, eventually publishing her first novel, *Peter West*, in 1923. Throughout her career, she became known for her engaging novels of manners, which often explored themes of friendship, family, and love, rather than traditional romances. Many of her works featured recurring characters, adding depth and continuity to her storytelling.
Among her notable series are the *Mrs. Tim* series, inspired by her experiences as a military wife, and the *Miss Buncle* series, which gained considerable popularity. During World War II, she wrote several works reflecting the challenges faced by those on the home front. Despite battling arthritis in her later years, Stevenson maintained a prolific output, publishing consistently until her husband's death in 1969 and releasing her final novel in 1971. She passed away in 1973 at the age of 81. Stevenson's work has been well-received internationally, with many of her novels translated into multiple languages and recognized by institutions such as Boston University.
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D. E. Stevenson
- Born: November 18, 1892
- Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Died: December 30, 1973
- Place of death: Moffat, Dumfriesshire, Scotland
Biography
Dorothy Emily Stevenson was born in 1892 in Edinburgh, Scotland, to David Alan Stevenson, a civil engineer and cousin of writer Robert Louis Stevenson, and Anne Roberts Stevenson. Educated at home by a governess, she began writing stories and poems at the age of eight. In 1916, she married James Reid Peploe, a captain in the British army. The couple had four children, Patricia (who died at age eleven), James, Rosemary, and John. The bombing during World War II forced the family to leave its home in Glasgow in 1943 and move to Moffatt, in Dumfriesshire, Scotland; Stevenson and her husband lived in Moffatt until their deaths.
Stevenson had a long and prolific career, publishing numerous novels, beginning with Peter West in 1923. Her books, which are often called romances, are more accurately described as novels of manners, depicting everyday life and dealing with friendship, family, and love. To the delight of her many fans, she often featured the same characters in successive novels in either major or minor roles. Her successful Mrs. Tim series evolved from the diaries she kept as a military wife and included Mrs. Tim of the Regiment, Mrs. Tim Gets a Job, and Mrs. Tim Flies Home. She also created the popular Miss Buncle series, including Miss Buncle’s Book and Miss Buncle, Married. She wrote several books during World War II, depicting the toll of war on the home front, including Celia’s House and The Two Mrs. Abbotts, in which the popular figure of Miss Buncle makes an appearance.
Although Stevenson suffered from arthritis in her later years, she still published a novel a year between 1952 and 1969, when her husband died. She published her last novel, The House of the Deer, in 1971. Stevenson died in 1973 at the age of eighty-one and was buried in Moffatt. Boston University created a D. E. Stephenson Room in its library and several of her books have been selected by the Christian Herald Family Bookshelf. Nearly all of her novels have been published in both England and the United States and have been translated into several languages, including German, Dutch, and Swedish.