Novelist Esther Freud, 63, opens up about grief, regrets, and the creative passions that have defined her life and work.
Born in London to Bernardine Coverley and painter Lucian Freud, she trained as an actor before publishing her debut novel, Hideous Kinky, in 1992.
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The book was adapted into a film starring Kate Winslet in 1998.
Freud's work has been translated into 13 languages. Her 10th adult novel, My Sister and Other Lovers, is now out in paperback.
She has three children with actor David Morrissey and lives between Suffolk and London with her current partner.
A Life Framed by Memory and Perspective
Growing up, Freud dreamed of becoming an acrobat. Her biggest disappointment, she says, is not joining the circus.
Her earliest memory involves making Fanta with seawater and sand on the beach at Formentera with her sister Bella.
This artistic and unconventional background ties closely into her family dynamics.
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Freud describes her own personality as small, determined, and lucky. However, her diplomatic nature can be a hindrance.
She deplores her ability to always see two points of view, which makes it hard to have a row.
Conversely, the trait she most deplores in others is an inability to see the other side.
Her family remains a central source of inspiration and emotional weight.
She says she owes her parents inspiration, and her most treasured possession is a painting by her father of her baby son.
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Dealing with their loss brought her closest encounter with death.
