Catherine Cookson

The life of Catherine Cookson unfolds against a backdrop of hardship, including her upbringing as an illegitimate child in extreme poverty, her early departure from school, and her experiences in a workhouse laundry. Despite these challenges, she became a bestselling novelist and one of Britain's wealthiest women, driven by an unyielding ambition. The narrative explores themes of abandonment, abuse, and a tumultuous love affair while also delving into Cookson's quest to uncover the identity of her absent father, Alexander Davies, using recorded tapes and personal testimonies.