Howard Jacobson in conversation, British Library

Howard Jacobson is the latest author to be invited by the British Library to speak as part of the ongoing and in-depth archival series Author’s Lives, soon to be accessible online and already including recordings from Hilary Mantel and Michael Frayn, among others.
Howard Jacobson: themes and style
Jacobson will discuss his life and career as a novelist, columnist and broadcaster, beginning in 1983 with his break-out campus novel, Coming from Behind. Although frequently considered to be England’s answer to Philip Roth, many of his works concerned with Jewish experience in mid-to-late twentieth century Britain, Jacobson’s 12 novels are recognisable for a rich and unashamedly comic style.
Howard Jacobson: best books and literary prizes
In 2010, The Finkler Question was awarded the Man Booker Prize, whilst his most recent novel J – the dystopian exploration of a pessimistic Britain on the verge of breaking down – was shortlisted in 2014. Jacobson’s wry cynicism, however, in J as in his other fiction, is in part what generates his work. Speaking to The Guardian, he suggested that ‘It is…nonsense to me when people come along and tell me not to be pessimistic, or that [British] culture has always been going to the bad. Well, yes, it has, and it is an author’s job to point it out.’
New book by Howard Jacobson
Currently working on a new novel based on The Merchant of Venice, part of a series of works commissioned to celebrate the 400^th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, Jacobson’s continues to validate his position as one of Britain’s leading voices. A vibrant, witty and insightful writer, this is a rare opportunity to hear the story of his career in Jacobson's own words. ‘Ideally, I would like everyone in the world to read and love my novels,’ he states. ‘In fact, I can’t believe that everyone in the world doesn’t love them. What is there not to love?’