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Brookner Biography Announced

A brief post to let Brooknerians know the moment has arrived: a biography commissioned by Chatto & Windus, to be written by Hermione Lee. Hermione Lee interviewed Brookner on television in the 80s. Brookner joins illustrious company. Lee has lifed, among others, Virginia Woolf and Edith Wharton.

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  1. Craig Ranapia18 March 2021 at 10:11

    I certainly wish Dame Hermoine (or is Profressor Lee more appropriate?), all the best. I certainly got the strong impression from Anita Brookner's infrequent comments on the subject, that she wouldn't leave a biographer anything to work with if she had any say in the matter.

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    1. The Brooknerian18 March 2021 at 18:00

      One is reminded of Henry James and those bonfires at Lamb House as he prepared to withstand the 'siege of all the years'.

      Delete
  2. Scott20 March 2021 at 03:00

    Thank you so much for letting us know.

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  3. Sean in France6 April 2021 at 16:52

    This is excellent news for Brooknerians. I can't wait to read it although I imagine that Brookner herself would have been horrified at the prospect of a biography.

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    1. The Brooknerian6 April 2021 at 17:42

      No doubt she envied James, with his large private garden at Lamb House, ample space for those bonfires.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous21 April 2021 at 18:57

    What fantastic news! I await this with much anticipation; thank you so much for letting us know.

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  5. Unknown15 April 2022 at 11:36

    I am looking forward to it. Although I agree Anita Brookner would not have liked the idea.

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    1. The Brooknerian17 April 2022 at 17:30

      Much, perhaps, as she mightn't have quite liked Barnes's Elizabeth Finch...

      Delete
  6. Anonymous24 August 2022 at 22:00

    Fantastic. My very favourite writer. And excellent biographer ! When is it expected to be published?

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    1. The Brooknerian25 August 2022 at 06:40

      Thank you for your comment. No news as yet, though she is prolific.

      Delete
  7. Vert Céladon30 November 2022 at 09:12

    Bonjour Cher Brooknerian, Heureuse d'apprendre qu'une biographie de Anita Brookner est en préparation. Il ne me reste qu'à souhaiter qu'elle sera traduite en français, mais hélas rien n'est moins sûr, les éditeurs français étant de plus en plus frileux ...

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  8. The Brooknerian30 November 2022 at 17:04

    One can but hope.

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  9. Anonymous2 September 2024 at 17:00

    Oh dear. Lee of the 500 pages plus biographies. I think Brookner deserved a biographer who was alive to subtlety and nuance, not just to the accumulation of facts

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  10. Vincent Mannings21 January 2025 at 15:34

    I'll be curious to read this, when published, but am of the mind that everything we need to know of Dr. Brookner, or indeed should know, is within the pages of her novels.

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