Her father was a lithuanian jew who, at the age of 16, left mainland europe in 1900 in the hope of starting a new life in new york city. Bernice rubens returned to her jewish heritage in the novel brothers 1983, which follows several generations of a russian jewish family moving through europe fleeing persecution. Reading this book about these brothers, with their survival jewish inheritance. Bernice rubens had just completed her autobiography when she died, at the. Bernice rubens 26 july 1923 october 2004 was a booker prizewinning welsh novelist. Novelist bernice rubens was born in cardiff, wales, in 1928, the daughter of a russian jewish father. Then i discovered that she was born in cardiff which is about 12 miles from my home. Rubenss fourth novel, the elected member, won the 1970 booker prize. Rubens followed her unexpected victory with a string of books, as well as forging a second career as a documentary film maker. Bernice rubens, prolific british novelist who drew on her jewish. Rubens s fourth novel, the elected member, won the 1970 booker prize, beating work by iris murdoch, william trevor and elizabeth bowen. Rubens won britains prestigious booker prize for fiction in 1970 for the elected.
Ive just finished reading the elected member by bernice rubens. Buy brothers abacus books new ed by rubens, bernice isbn. Though its clearly marked out as a book from a different age, there remain plenty of reasons to read 1970s winner. Due to being swindled by a ticket tout, he never reached america, his passage taking him no further than cardiff. Bernice rubens was born in cardiff, wales in july 1928. Bernice ruth reuben was born in splott, cardiff on 26 july 1923, the third of four children of eli reuben and his wife dorothy, nee cohen. She began writing at the age of 35, when her children started nursery school. Her second novel, madame sousatzka 1962, was filmed by john schlesinger filmed with shirley maclaine in the leading role in 1988. This book was based on the experiences of her brother harold rubens, a child prodigy pianist, and his teacher madame maria levinskaya, who. Brothers by bernice rubens and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Bernice rubens returned to her jewish heritage in the novel brothers 1983, which follows several generations of a russian jewish family moving. Like her siblings, she learned musical instruments the cello and piano.
Bernice rubens author of the elected member goodreads. She explored her own family heritage in the novel brothers 1983. Bernice rubens brothers, first published in 1983, tells the tragic and heartbreaking story of several generations of the jewish bindel family. Her father had a brother waiting for him in america. Bernice rubens was the prolific author of 25 novels who, paradoxically, wrote very slowly regarding a good day as one in which she produced three decent sentences. Her fourth novel, the elected member, won the 1970 booker prize. Bernice rubens, who has died in a london hospital at the age of 76, became a surprise literary star in 1970 when her book, the elected member, stole the booker prize from a distinguished competition. Bernice rubens was the prolific author of 25 novels who, paradoxically, wrote very.