Barbara Trapido’s first novel
Brother of the More Famous Jackdescribes almost two decades in the life of its intelligent, self-effacing narrator, Katherine Browne, and her involvement with the family of her philosophy professor Jacob Goldman. First published in 1982 by Victor Gollancz, it won the Whitbread Special Prize for Fiction 1982, and has been through several editions and reprints; a recent edition from Bloomsbury features an introduction by Rachel Cusk.
Jackwas very well-received and remains highly regarded, but it has received scant academic attention.
Trapido grew up in Durban, South Africa, and moved to the UK after studying English at the University of Natal. She moved to London in 1963 with her husband, historian Stanley Trapido, and eventually settled in Oxford in 1971.
1286 words
Citation: Corser, Sophie. "Brother of the More Famous Jack". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 21 February 2020 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=38947, accessed 27 November 2024.]