Anita Brookner

Date of Birth: July 16, 1928

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Date of Death: March 10, 2016

Biography

Anita Brookner was a distinguished British historian and novelist, born on July 16, 1928, in Herne Hill, London, England. She specialized in 18th and 19th-century French art and was a respected figure in the academic world. Brookner attended King’s College London, where she earned a degree in history. She later obtained a doctorate from the Courtauld Institute of Art, where she also taught for many years. Brookner’s career as a novelist began relatively late in life; she published her first novel, “A Start in Life,” in 1981 at the age of 53. Her literary work often explored themes of loneliness, isolation, and the inner lives of her characters. She won the Booker Prize in 1984 for her novel “Hotel du Lac.” Over her lifetime, she published 24 novels, earning acclaim for her precise prose and deep psychological insights.

5 Interesting Facts about Anita Brookner

1. Anita Brookner was the first woman to hold the Slade Professorship of Fine Art at the University of Cambridge.

2. She was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for her contributions to literature.

3. Brookner’s novel “Hotel du Lac” was adapted into a television film by the BBC in 1986.

4. She was known for her solitary lifestyle and never married nor had children.

5. Despite her success as a novelist, Brookner considered herself primarily a historian.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Anita Brookner

1. “The essence of loneliness is that one both remembers and hopes.”

2. “Good women always think it is their fault when someone else is being offensive. Bad women never take the blame for anything.”

3. “You never know what you will learn till you start writing. Then you discover truths you never knew existed.”

4. “Reading is the most rewarding of all human activities.”

5. “Life is a cruel teacher. She loves to give you the test first and the lesson later.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Anita Brookner’s highest net worth is not publicly documented, but her literary success and academic positions likely provided her with a comfortable living.