Alexandra Ripley ( Braid; January 8, 1934 – January 10, 2004) was an American writer best known as the author of '' Scarlett'' (1991), written as a sequel to ''

Gone with the Wind Gone with the Wind most often refers to: * Gone with the Wind (novel), ''Gone with the Wind'' (novel), a 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell * Gone with the Wind (film), ''Gone with the Wind'' (film), the 1939 adaptation of the novel Gone with the Wind ...

''. Her first novel was ''Who's the Lady in the President's Bed?'' (1972). ''Charleston'' (1981), her first historical novel, was a bestseller, as were her next books ''On Leaving Charleston'' (1984), ''The Time Returns'' (1985), and ''New Orleans Legacy'' (1987).

Biography

Born Alexandra Elizabeth Braid in

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...

, she attended the elite Ashley Hall and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States. The college be ...

Poughkeepsie, New York Poughkeepsie ( ) is a city within the Poughkeepsie (town), New York, Town of Poughkeepsie, New York (state), New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, New York, Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsie i ...

in 1955 with a major in the Russian language. She was married three times: from 1958 to 1963 to Leonard Ripley, an early partner and recording engineer at

Elektra Records Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the ...

, from 1971 to 1981 to Thomas Martin Garlock (1929–2008), and in 1981 to John Vincent Graham (1926–2007), a former professor at the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson and contains his The Lawn, Academical Village, a World H ...

, from whom she was legally separated at the time of her death. She died of natural causes at her home in

Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...

, and is survived by two daughters.

Selected works

Novels

*1972: ''Who's the Lady in the President's Bed?'' (as B.K. Ripley) *1981: ''Charleston'' *1984: ''On Leaving Charleston'' *1985: ''The Time Returns'' *1987: ''New Orleans Legacy'' *1991: '' Scarlett'' *1994: ''From Fields of Gold'' *1997: ''A Love Divine''

Non-fiction

*1974: ''Caril'' (as B.K. Ripley, with Nanette Beaver & Patrick Trese)

References

External links

* 1934 births 2004 deaths Writers from Charleston, South Carolina Vassar College alumni American women novelists 20th-century American novelists 20th-century American women writers Novelists from South Carolina 21st-century American women {{US-novelist-1930s-stub