Allison Pearson: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
expanding description in intro
 
(27 intermediate revisions by 21 users not shown)
Line 8: Line 8:
| birth_place = [[Carmarthen]], [[Carmarthenshire]], Wales
| birth_place = [[Carmarthen]], [[Carmarthenshire]], Wales
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1960|07|22}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1960|07|22}}
| nationality = British
| education = [[Robert Smyth School|Market Harborough Upper School]]<br/>[[Lincoln Christ's Hospital School]]
| education = [[Robert Smyth School|Market Harborough Upper School]]<br/>[[Lincoln Christ's Hospital School]]
| alma_mater = [[Clare College, Cambridge]]
| alma_mater = [[Clare College, Cambridge]]
Line 18: Line 17:
Pearson has worked for British newspapers such as the ''[[Daily Mail]]'', ''[[The Independent]]'', the ''[[Evening Standard]]'', ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', and the ''[[Financial Times]]''. She has also worked as a presenter for [[Channel 4]] and [[BBC Radio 4]]. Pearson's [[chick lit]] novel was published in 2002; a film adaptation with the same title, ''[[I Don't Know How She Does It]]'', was released in 2011.
Pearson has worked for British newspapers such as the ''[[Daily Mail]]'', ''[[The Independent]]'', the ''[[Evening Standard]]'', ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', and the ''[[Financial Times]]''. She has also worked as a presenter for [[Channel 4]] and [[BBC Radio 4]]. Pearson's [[chick lit]] novel was published in 2002; a film adaptation with the same title, ''[[I Don't Know How She Does It]]'', was released in 2011.


Pearson campaigned in favour of [[Brexit]] and in 2016 described [[Brussels]] as the [[jihadist]] capital of Europe. She has criticised the [[Gender Recognition Act 2004]], and opposed [[transgender rights]].
Pearson campaigned in favour of [[Brexit]] and in 2016 described [[Brussels]] as the [[jihadist]] capital of Europe. She has criticised the [[Gender Recognition Act 2004]], and opposed [[transgender rights]], describing them as a "an evil trans ideology".


==Early life==
==Early life==
Born in [[Carmarthen]], Pearson moved to [[Burry Port]], Carmarthenshire as a young child.<ref name=WOL/> She attended [[Market Harborough]] Upper School (now [[Robert Smyth School]]), then [[Lincoln Christ's Hospital School]], both comprehensive schools. She studied English at [[Clare College, Cambridge]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clarealumni.com/?sid=845&gid=1&pgid=252&cid=1662&ecid=1662&crid=0&calpgid=15&calcid=778 |title=Hollywood stardom for novel by Clare alumna |date=26 January 2011 |publisher=Clare College Alumni Association |access-date=7 July 2011}}</ref>{{fv|date=December 2021}} graduating with a [[2:2|lower second class degree]] (2:2).<ref>{{cite book |title=The Historical Register of the University of Cambridge, Supplement 1981–1985 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |pages=354}}</ref>
Born in [[Carmarthen]], Pearson moved to [[Burry Port]], [[Carmarthenshire]] as a young child.<ref name=WOL/> She lived in [[Leicestershire]], and attended [[Market Harborough]] Upper School (now [[Robert Smyth School]]). Her family moved to Washdyke Lane in [[Nettleham]], where she attended [[Lincoln Christ's Hospital School]],<ref>''[[Lincolnshire Echo]]'' Monday 20 February 1978, page 6</ref> and won a prize for History in the sixth form;<ref>''[[Lincolnshire Echo]]'' Thursday 23 March 1978, page 7</ref> she gained A-levels in English, History and French.<ref>''[[Lincolnshire Echo]]'' Saturday 19 August 1978, page 7</ref> Her sister Kathryn, born in 1964, four years below her at school, took A-levels in the same subjects.<ref>''[[Lincolnshire Echo]]'' Friday 21 July 1978, page 7</ref><ref>''[[Lincolnshire Echo]]'' Saturday 28 August 1982, page 10</ref>

She studied English at [[Clare College, Cambridge]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clarealumni.com/?sid=845&gid=1&pgid=252&cid=1662&ecid=1662&crid=0&calpgid=15&calcid=778 |title=Hollywood stardom for novel by Clare alumna |date=26 January 2011 |publisher=Clare College Alumni Association |access-date=7 July 2011}}</ref>{{fv|date=December 2021}} graduating with a [[2:2|lower second class degree]] (2:2).<ref>{{cite book |title=The Historical Register of the University of Cambridge, Supplement 1981–1985 |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |pages=354}}</ref>


== Career ==
== Career ==
Line 27: Line 28:
Pearson began her career with the ''[[Financial Times]]'', where she was a sub-editor, before moving to ''[[The Independent]]'' and then ''The Independent on Sunday'' in 1992. There she was assistant to [[Blake Morrison]] before becoming a [[television critic]], winning the award for Critic of the Year at the [[British Press Awards]] in 1993.
Pearson began her career with the ''[[Financial Times]]'', where she was a sub-editor, before moving to ''[[The Independent]]'' and then ''The Independent on Sunday'' in 1992. There she was assistant to [[Blake Morrison]] before becoming a [[television critic]], winning the award for Critic of the Year at the [[British Press Awards]] in 1993.


Pearson was a columnist with London's <!-- Long before 2009, when prefix added. -->''[[London Evening Standard|Evening Standard]]'' and ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', then took over from [[Lynda Lee-Potter]] at the ''[[Daily Mail]]''. Pearson ended her column for the ''Daily Mail'' in April 2010, when it was said that she was to join ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]''.<ref>{{cite news |author=Roy Greenslade |author-link=Roy Greenslade |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2010/apr/19/dailymail-dailytelegraph |title=''Telegraph'' woos Oborne and Pearson to quit the ''Daily Mail'' |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=19 April 2010 }}</ref> In September 2010, Pearson resumed her role as a columnist with ''The Daily Telegraph''.<ref>{{cite news |author=Eleanor Black |title=Women on the verge |page=32 |work=Next |date=September 2010 }}</ref> As of 2015, Pearson was a columnist and chief interviewer of ''The Daily Telegraph''.<ref name="telegraph-columnists">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/allison-pearson/ |title=Allison Pearson |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=22 January 2016}}</ref> Pearson has presented [[Channel 4]]'s {{lang|fr|J'Accuse|italic=yes}} and [[BBC Radio 4]]'s ''The Copysnatchers''. She participated as a panellist on ''[[Late Review]]'', the predecessor of ''[[Newsnight Review]]''.
Pearson was a columnist with London's <!-- Long before 2009, when prefix added. -->''[[London Evening Standard|Evening Standard]]'' and ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', then took over from [[Lynda Lee-Potter]] at the ''[[Daily Mail]]''. Pearson ended her column for the ''Daily Mail'' in April 2010, when it was said that she was to join ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]''.<ref>{{cite news |author=Roy Greenslade |author-link=Roy Greenslade |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2010/apr/19/dailymail-dailytelegraph |title=''Telegraph'' woos Oborne and Pearson to quit the ''Daily Mail'' |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=19 April 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=30 April 2010 |title=Allison Pearson returns to Daily Telegraph |url=https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/nationals/allison-pearson-returns-to-daily-telegraph/ |access-date=23 April 2024 |website=[[Press Gazette]]}}</ref> In September 2010, Pearson resumed her role as a columnist with ''The Daily Telegraph''.<ref>{{cite news |author=Eleanor Black |title=Women on the verge |page=32 |work=Next |date=September 2010 }}</ref> As of 2015, Pearson was a columnist and chief interviewer of ''The Daily Telegraph''.<ref name="telegraph-columnists">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/allison-pearson/ |title=Allison Pearson |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=22 January 2016}}</ref> Pearson has presented [[Channel 4]]'s {{lang|fr|J'Accuse|italic=yes}} and [[BBC Radio 4]]'s ''The Copysnatchers''. She participated as a panellist on ''[[Late Review]]'', the predecessor of ''[[Newsnight Review]]''.


Pearson is on the Media/PR Advisory Council of [[Toby Young]]'s [[Free Speech Union]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=7 August 2020|title=Who We Are – The Free Speech Union|url=https://freespeechunion.org/about/who-we-are/|access-date=4 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807132243/https://freespeechunion.org/about/who-we-are/|archive-date=7 August 2020}}</ref>
Pearson is on the Media/PR Advisory Council of [[Toby Young]]'s [[Free Speech Union]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=7 August 2020|title=Who We Are – The Free Speech Union|url=https://freespeechunion.org/about/who-we-are/|access-date=4 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807132243/https://freespeechunion.org/about/who-we-are/|archive-date=7 August 2020}}</ref>


===Books===
===Books===
Pearson's first novel, ''I Don't Know How She Does It'' (2002), is a "[[chick lit]]" examination of the pressures of modern motherhood. The book was a bestseller in the UK and the US, selling four million copies, and was made into [[I Don't Know How She Does It|a film]].<ref name=WOL/>
Pearson's first novel, ''I Don't Know How She Does It'' (2002), was a "[[chick lit]]" examination of the pressures of modern motherhood. The book was a bestseller in the UK and the US, selling four million copies, and was made into [[I Don't Know How She Does It|a film]].<ref name=WOL/>


Pearson was sued by [[Miramax]] for non-delivery of a second novel, ''I Think I Love You'', for which she received a US$700,000 advance in 2003. Delivery was due in 2005:<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/industry-lawsuit-book-pearson-dc-idUSN1137860320080811 |title=Miramax says British columnist failed to deliver book |date=11 August 2008 |work=[[Reuters]] }}</ref> it was published in 2010.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk">{{cite news |author=Chloe Rhodes |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/7835849/I-Think-I-Love-You-by-Allison-Pearson-review.html |title=''I Think I Love You'' by Allison Pearson: review |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=21 June 2010 }}</ref> The novel was about a teenager's passion for [[David Cassidy]] in the 1970s and the man writing the so-called replies from David Cassidy to the teenage fans, who meet up 20 years later after marriage, divorce, and children. Her newspaper, ''The Telegraph'', praised the novel for its warmth and sincerity;<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/> ''[[The Guardian]]'' described it as an "unrealistic and sappy romance".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/jun/20/i-think-i-love-you-allison-pearson |title=''I Think I Love You'', Book review |author=Carole Cadwalladr |author-link=Carole Cadwalladr |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=21 March 2018 }}</ref>
Pearson was sued by [[Miramax]] for non-delivery of a second novel, ''I Think I Love You'', for which she received a US$700,000 advance in 2003. Delivery was due in 2005:<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/industry-lawsuit-book-pearson-dc-idUSN1137860320080811 |title=Miramax says British columnist failed to deliver book |date=11 August 2008 |work=[[Reuters]] }}</ref> it was published in 2010.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk">{{cite news |author=Chloe Rhodes |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/7835849/I-Think-I-Love-You-by-Allison-Pearson-review.html |title=''I Think I Love You'' by Allison Pearson: review |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=21 June 2010 }}</ref> The novel was about a teenager's passion for [[David Cassidy]] in the 1970s and the man writing the so-called replies from David Cassidy to the teenage fans, who meet up 20 years later after marriage, divorce, and children. ''The Daily Telegraph'' praised the novel for its warmth and sincerity;<ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/> however, ''[[The Guardian]]'' described it as an "unrealistic and sappy romance".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/jun/20/i-think-i-love-you-allison-pearson |title=''I Think I Love You'', Book review |author=Carole Cadwalladr |author-link=Carole Cadwalladr |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=21 March 2018 }}</ref>


A sequel to ''I Don't Know How She Does It'' was published in September 2017. The novel, ''How Hard Can It Be'',<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/books/how-hard-can-it-be-by-allison-pearson-review-a3635146.html |title=''How Hard Can It Be?'' by Allison Pearson – review |author=Charlotte Edwardes |work=[[London Evening Standard]] |date=14 September 2017 |access-date=25 October 2017 }}</ref> continues the story of the protagonist Kate Reddy, now approaching 50 and struggling with bias against older women in the workplace. The book attracted considerable publicity but was not a bestseller.<ref name="Flood"/>
A sequel to ''I Don't Know How She Does It'' was published in September 2017. The novel, ''How Hard Can It Be'',<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/books/how-hard-can-it-be-by-allison-pearson-review-a3635146.html |title=''How Hard Can It Be?'' by Allison Pearson – review |author=Charlotte Edwardes |work=[[London Evening Standard]] |date=14 September 2017 |access-date=25 October 2017 }}</ref> continues the story of the protagonist Kate Reddy, now approaching 50 and struggling with bias against older women in the workplace. The book attracted considerable publicity, but was not a bestseller.<ref name="Flood"/>


== Views ==
== Views ==
Line 43: Line 44:


=== Transgender issues ===
=== Transgender issues ===
Pearson views [[transgender]] identity as "a warped ideology".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=20 October 2017|title=Telegraph columnist lashes out at "spineless" pro-LGBT politicians|url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/10/20/telegraph-columnist-lashes-out-at-spineless-pro-lgbt-politicians/|access-date=4 January 2021|website=PinkNews|language=en-GB}}</ref> In 2017 she described a review of the [[Gender Recognition Act]] as "spineless politicians, pathetically eager to be on-trend" and that the review was due to "biological science lies".<ref name=":0" /><ref name="auto">{{Cite news|last=Pearson|first=Allison|date=17 October 2017|title=Will our spineless politicians' love affair with LGBT ever end?|language=en-GB|work=The Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/will-spineless-politicians-love-affair-lgbt-ever-end/|access-date=4 January 2021|issn=0307-1235}}</ref>
Pearson views [[transgender]] identity as "an evil trans ideology" and "a warped ideology".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pearson |first=Allison |date=2024-03-15 |title=The evil trans ideology is in retreat, at last |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/03/15/the-evil-trans-ideology-is-in-retreat-at-last/ |access-date=2024-04-13 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=20 October 2017|title=Telegraph columnist lashes out at "spineless" pro-LGBT politicians|url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/10/20/telegraph-columnist-lashes-out-at-spineless-pro-lgbt-politicians/|access-date=4 January 2021|website=PinkNews|language=en-GB}}</ref> In 2017 she described a review of the [[Gender Recognition Act]] as "spineless politicians, pathetically eager to be on-trend" and that the review was due to "biological science lies".<ref name=":0" /><ref name="auto">{{Cite news|last=Pearson|first=Allison|date=17 October 2017|title=Will our spineless politicians' love affair with LGBT ever end?|language=en-GB|work=The Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/will-spineless-politicians-love-affair-lgbt-ever-end/|access-date=4 January 2021|issn=0307-1235}}</ref>


=== Covid-19 pandemic ===
=== Covid-19 pandemic ===
Line 51: Line 52:


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Pearson was married to fellow journalist Simon Pearson,<ref name=Eye/> in May 1988 in [[Lincoln, Lincolnshire|Lincoln]]. She subsequently lived with [[Anthony Lane]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/3608486/A-writers-life-Anthony-Lane.html |title=A writer's life: Anthony Lane |author=Will Cohu |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=14 December 2003 |access-date=3 July 2007 }}</ref> film critic for ''[[The New Yorker]]''.
Pearson was married to fellow journalist Simon Pearson,<ref name=Eye/> in May 1988 in [[Lincoln, Lincolnshire|Lincoln]]. She subsequently lived with [[Anthony Lane]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/3608486/A-writers-life-Anthony-Lane.html |title=A writer's life: Anthony Lane |author=Will Cohu |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=14 December 2003 |access-date=3 July 2007 }}</ref> a film critic for ''[[The New Yorker]]''.


Allison Pearson was declared [[bankrupt]] following a personal insolvency order made by the [[High Court of Justice]] in London on 9 November 2015. The bankruptcy petitioner was the Commissioners for [[HM Revenue and Customs]].<ref name=independent-20160110>{{cite news |author=Andy McSmith |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/andy-mcsmiths-diary-the-ideal-figure-to-bring-discipline-to-unruly-blairites-a6768691.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128071949/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/andy-mcsmiths-diary-the-ideal-figure-to-bring-discipline-to-unruly-blairites-a6768691.html |archive-date=2016-01-28 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |title=Diary: The ideal figure to bring discipline to unruly Blairites |work=[[The Independent]] |date=10 January 2016 |access-date=22 January 2016}}</ref><ref name=thegazette-20151123><!-- Don't use [[Template:London Gazette]], as it links to the image reader, whereas the URL below links to the plain text: {{London Gazette |issue=61417 |date=23 November 2015 |page=23080 |title=Bankruptcy Orders – Pearson, Allison }} -->{{cite news |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2436738 |title=Bankruptcy Orders – Pearson, Allison |newspaper=[[The London Gazette]] |issue=61417 |page=23080 |date=23 November 2015 |access-date=22 January 2016}}</ref>
Allison Pearson was declared [[bankrupt]] following a personal insolvency order made by the [[High Court of Justice]] in London on 9 November 2015. The bankruptcy petitioner was the Commissioners for [[HM Revenue and Customs]].<ref name=independent-20160110>{{cite news |author=Andy McSmith |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/andy-mcsmiths-diary-the-ideal-figure-to-bring-discipline-to-unruly-blairites-a6768691.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128071949/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/andy-mcsmiths-diary-the-ideal-figure-to-bring-discipline-to-unruly-blairites-a6768691.html |archive-date=2016-01-28 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |title=Diary: The ideal figure to bring discipline to unruly Blairites |work=[[The Independent]] |date=10 January 2016 |access-date=22 January 2016}}</ref><ref name=thegazette-20151123><!-- Don't use [[Template:London Gazette]], as it links to the image reader, whereas the URL below links to the plain text: {{London Gazette |issue=61417 |date=23 November 2015 |page=23080 |title=Bankruptcy Orders – Pearson, Allison }} -->{{cite news |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2436738 |title=Bankruptcy Orders – Pearson, Allison |newspaper=[[The London Gazette]] |issue=61417 |page=23080 |date=23 November 2015 |access-date=22 January 2016}}</ref>
Line 68: Line 69:


==External links==
==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
*{{IMDb name|1308026}}
*{{IMDb name|1308026}}


Line 86: Line 88:
[[Category:Daily Mail journalists]]
[[Category:Daily Mail journalists]]
[[Category:The Daily Telegraph people]]
[[Category:The Daily Telegraph people]]
[[Category:People from Cambridge]]
[[Category:Writers from Cambridge]]
[[Category:People from Carmarthen]]
[[Category:People from Carmarthen]]
[[Category:People from West Lindsey District]]
[[Category:People from West Lindsey District]]
Line 97: Line 99:
[[Category:The Independent people]]
[[Category:The Independent people]]
[[Category:British television critics]]
[[Category:British television critics]]
[[Category:British women critics]]
[[Category:Women television critics]]
[[Category:Women television critics]]
[[Category:London Evening Standard people]]
[[Category:London Evening Standard people]]

Latest revision as of 13:02, 26 April 2024

For the American scholar, see Allison W. Pearson. For the accused witch, see Alison Pearson (accused witch).

Allison Pearson
Born
Judith Allison Lobbett

(1960-07-22) 22 July 1960 (age 63)
Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire, Wales
EducationMarket Harborough Upper School
Lincoln Christ's Hospital School
Alma materClare College, Cambridge
EmployerThe Daily Telegraph
Spouse
Simon Pearson
​
(m. 1988)​

Judith Allison Pearson (née Lobbett;[1] born 22 July 1960) is a British columnist and author.[2][3]

Pearson has worked for British newspapers such as the Daily Mail, The Independent, the Evening Standard, The Daily Telegraph, and the Financial Times. She has also worked as a presenter for Channel 4 and BBC Radio 4. Pearson's chick lit novel was published in 2002; a film adaptation with the same title, I Don't Know How She Does It, was released in 2011.

Pearson campaigned in favour of Brexit and in 2016 described Brussels as the jihadist capital of Europe. She has criticised the Gender Recognition Act 2004, and opposed transgender rights, describing them as a "an evil trans ideology".

Early life[edit]

Born in Carmarthen, Pearson moved to Burry Port, Carmarthenshire as a young child.[2] She lived in Leicestershire, and attended Market Harborough Upper School (now Robert Smyth School). Her family moved to Washdyke Lane in Nettleham, where she attended Lincoln Christ's Hospital School,[4] and won a prize for History in the sixth form;[5] she gained A-levels in English, History and French.[6] Her sister Kathryn, born in 1964, four years below her at school, took A-levels in the same subjects.[7][8]

She studied English at Clare College, Cambridge,[9][failed verification] graduating with a lower second class degree (2:2).[10]

Career[edit]

Journalism[edit]

Pearson began her career with the Financial Times, where she was a sub-editor, before moving to The Independent and then The Independent on Sunday in 1992. There she was assistant to Blake Morrison before becoming a television critic, winning the award for Critic of the Year at the British Press Awards in 1993.

Pearson was a columnist with London's Evening Standard and The Daily Telegraph, then took over from Lynda Lee-Potter at the Daily Mail. Pearson ended her column for the Daily Mail in April 2010, when it was said that she was to join The Daily Telegraph.[11][12] In September 2010, Pearson resumed her role as a columnist with The Daily Telegraph.[13] As of 2015, Pearson was a columnist and chief interviewer of The Daily Telegraph.[14] Pearson has presented Channel 4's J'Accuse and BBC Radio 4's The Copysnatchers. She participated as a panellist on Late Review, the predecessor of Newsnight Review.

Pearson is on the Media/PR Advisory Council of Toby Young's Free Speech Union.[15]

Books[edit]

Pearson's first novel, I Don't Know How She Does It (2002), was a "chick lit" examination of the pressures of modern motherhood. The book was a bestseller in the UK and the US, selling four million copies, and was made into a film.[2]

Pearson was sued by Miramax for non-delivery of a second novel, I Think I Love You, for which she received a US$700,000 advance in 2003. Delivery was due in 2005:[16] it was published in 2010.[17] The novel was about a teenager's passion for David Cassidy in the 1970s and the man writing the so-called replies from David Cassidy to the teenage fans, who meet up 20 years later after marriage, divorce, and children. The Daily Telegraph praised the novel for its warmth and sincerity;[17] however, The Guardian described it as an "unrealistic and sappy romance".[18]

A sequel to I Don't Know How She Does It was published in September 2017. The novel, How Hard Can It Be,[19] continues the story of the protagonist Kate Reddy, now approaching 50 and struggling with bias against older women in the workplace. The book attracted considerable publicity, but was not a bestseller.[3]

Views[edit]

Islamic terrorism[edit]

Shortly after the first of the 22 March 2016 Belgian bombings, Pearson suggested that the attacks were a justification for the Brexit cause in the then-upcoming referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union, writing on Twitter that "Brussels, de facto capital of the EU, is also the jihadist capital of Europe. And the Remainers dare to say we're safer in the EU!" Her tweet was criticised by Kay Burley and The Guardian columnist Owen Jones.[20][21][22] Following the May 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, Pearson called for terror suspects in the United Kingdom to be interned.[23]

Transgender issues[edit]

Pearson views transgender identity as "an evil trans ideology" and "a warped ideology".[24][25] In 2017 she described a review of the Gender Recognition Act as "spineless politicians, pathetically eager to be on-trend" and that the review was due to "biological science lies".[25][26]

Covid-19 pandemic[edit]

Pearson said during the COVID-19 pandemic that she would not wear a protective face mask because she considered it demeaning.[27] In September 2020, Pearson suggested purposely infecting young people with COVID-19 to create herd immunity within the population.[28] In January 2021, Pearson drew censure from Twitter users after outing a critic's employer on Twitter, following her claim that National Health Service (NHS) bed occupancy during the pandemic was lower than suggested.[29]

According to The Guardian, Pearson has made misleading claims about COVID-19.[27] In December 2020, she wrote in her Telegraph column that "Last week, Sir Patrick Vallance and Prof Chris Whitty presented another of their Graphs of Doom; this one cherry-picked several hospitals on course to run out of beds." However, this was false, and no such data was presented in the period stated.[30] In July 2021, she misleadingly tweeted that hospitalisations were 0.5% of Covid-19 cases; Full Fact found that the calculation was incorrect, but also did not make sense due to the lag between testing positive and hospitalisation.[31]

Personal life[edit]

Pearson was married to fellow journalist Simon Pearson,[1] in May 1988 in Lincoln. She subsequently lived with Anthony Lane,[32] a film critic for The New Yorker.

Allison Pearson was declared bankrupt following a personal insolvency order made by the High Court of Justice in London on 9 November 2015. The bankruptcy petitioner was the Commissioners for HM Revenue and Customs.[33][34]

Bibliography[edit]

Allison Pearson talks about I Think I Love You on Bookbits radio.
  • I Don't Know How She Does It (2002) ISBN 0-7011-7302-5
  • I Think I Love You (2010) ISBN 0-7011-7697-0 and ISBN 978-0-7011-7697-6
  • How Hard Can It Be? (2018) ISBN 978-1250086082

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "none". Private Eye. 27 May 2008.
  2. ^ a b c Rachel Mainwaring (11 March 2011). "Teenage crush inspires new novel on David Cassidy". WalesOnline. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  3. ^ a b Alison Flood (8 April 2015). "Allison Pearson revisits bestselling heroine in middle age". The Guardian.
  4. ^ Lincolnshire Echo Monday 20 February 1978, page 6
  5. ^ Lincolnshire Echo Thursday 23 March 1978, page 7
  6. ^ Lincolnshire Echo Saturday 19 August 1978, page 7
  7. ^ Lincolnshire Echo Friday 21 July 1978, page 7
  8. ^ Lincolnshire Echo Saturday 28 August 1982, page 10
  9. ^ "Hollywood stardom for novel by Clare alumna". Clare College Alumni Association. 26 January 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  10. ^ The Historical Register of the University of Cambridge, Supplement 1981–1985. Cambridge University Press. p. 354.
  11. ^ Roy Greenslade (19 April 2010). "Telegraph woos Oborne and Pearson to quit the Daily Mail". The Guardian.
  12. ^ "Allison Pearson returns to Daily Telegraph". Press Gazette. 30 April 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  13. ^ Eleanor Black (September 2010). "Women on the verge". Next. p. 32.
  14. ^ "Allison Pearson". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  15. ^ "Who We Are – The Free Speech Union". 7 August 2020. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  16. ^ "Miramax says British columnist failed to deliver book". Reuters. 11 August 2008.
  17. ^ a b Chloe Rhodes (21 June 2010). "I Think I Love You by Allison Pearson: review". The Daily Telegraph.
  18. ^ Carole Cadwalladr (21 March 2018). "I Think I Love You, Book review". The Guardian.
  19. ^ Charlotte Edwardes (14 September 2017). "How Hard Can It Be? by Allison Pearson – review". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
  20. ^ Saul, Heather (22 March 2016). "Telegraph columnist accused of 'shamelessly' using Brussels attacks to make Brexit argument". The Independent. Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  21. ^ Pearson, Allison (12 January 2016). "Why the Brexit referendum will be swung by the horrific events in Cologne". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  22. ^ Pearson, Allison (1 March 2016). "Our schools and hospitals simply cannot cope with the influx of migrants – that's why we must leave the EU". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  23. ^ Elliott, Chris (23 May 2017). "Manchester attack: intern terror suspects, urges Cambridge-based writer". Cambridge News. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  24. ^ Pearson, Allison (15 March 2024). "The evil trans ideology is in retreat, at last". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  25. ^ a b "Telegraph columnist lashes out at "spineless" pro-LGBT politicians". PinkNews. 20 October 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  26. ^ Pearson, Allison (17 October 2017). "Will our spineless politicians' love affair with LGBT ever end?". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  27. ^ a b Bland, Archie (25 January 2021). "The information warriors fighting 'robot zombie army' of coronavirus sceptics". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  28. ^ Pearson, Allison (22 September 2020). "Ridiculous Covid rules are hurting the young – nobody wants them to be punished in our name". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  29. ^ Kemp, Oliver (4 January 2021). "'You're finished' – Telegraph columnist threatens to sue Kent-based scientist". Kent Online. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  30. ^ "Telegraph wrong on Whitty and Vallance statements". Full Fact. 3 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  31. ^ "Allison Pearson tweets misleading stats about Covid hospital patients". Full Fact. 16 July 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
  32. ^ Will Cohu (14 December 2003). "A writer's life: Anthony Lane". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 3 July 2007.
  33. ^ Andy McSmith (10 January 2016). "Diary: The ideal figure to bring discipline to unruly Blairites". The Independent. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  34. ^ "Bankruptcy Orders – Pearson, Allison". The London Gazette. No. 61417. 23 November 2015. p. 23080. Retrieved 22 January 2016.

Video clips[edit]

External links[edit]

Wikiquote has quotations related to Allison Pearson.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Allison_Pearson&oldid=1220872217"