The daughter of landed gentry, Holden received an allowance from her uncle that allowed her to explore her writing talents. She worked as a journalist for the Daily Express whilst contributing short stories to other newspapers and magazines. During the Second World War, she worked in an aircraft factory. In 1940, she met, and became life-long friends with, George Orwell and later became a good friend of H. G. Wells. She reported on the Nuremburg Trials in the late 1940s. She became friends with the poet/novelist Stevie Smith, but their friendship began to decline by the late 1950s. Holden's output also declined during this period. Her works include Sweet Charlatan (1929), Born Old-Died Young (1932), Friend of the Family (1933), Country House Bridge (1934), Not Long For This World (1935), Night Shift (1941), It Was Different at the Time (1943), There's No Story There (1944), Free Wheel (1947), The Owner (1952)and The Adults (1956). |