Origins & Early Life

Anita Brookner (16 July 1928 – 10 March 2016) was an English novelist and art historian. She was Slade Professor of Fine Art at the University of Cambridge from 1967 to 1968 and was the first woman to hold this visiting professorship. She was awarded the 1984 Booker–McConnell Prize for her novel Hotel du Lac. Brookner (Bruckner) was born in Herne Hill, a suburb of London.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

She was the only child of Newson Bruckner, a Jewish immigrant from Piotrków Trybunalski in Poland, and Maude Schiska, a singer whose grandfather had emigrated from Warsaw, Poland, and founded a tobacco factory at which her husband worked after arriving in Britain aged 18. Her mother gave up her singing career when she married and, according to her daughter, was unhappy for the rest of her life. Maude changed the family's surname to Brookner because of anti-German sentiment in Britain following World War I. Anita Brookner had a lonely childhood, although her grandmother and uncle lived with the family, and her parents, secular Jews, opened their house to Jewish refugees fleeing the Germans during the 1930s and World War II. "I have said that I am one of the loneliest women in London", she said...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Abbas Kiarostami — Contemporary (Died in 2016) (2016): Master Iranian filmmaker known for blending fiction and documentary styles.
• Ahmed Zewail — Contemporary (Died in 2016) (2016): Pioneering chemist, acclaimed as the 'father of femtochemistry'.
• Alan Rickman — Contemporary (Died in 2016) (2016): Iconic English actor celebrated for his distinctive voice and powerful stage presence.
• Andrea del Sarto — Shared historical date (07-16 · Born) (1486): Florentine painter celebrated for fresco work during the High Renaissance.
• Andros Townsend — Shared historical date (07-16 · Born) (1991): English professional footballer known for his time at Tottenham Hotspur and subsequent moves.
• Ahn Chang Ho — Shared historical date (03-10 · Died) (1938): Pioneering Korean independence activist and leader of the Korean-American community.
• Alfred Peet — Shared historical date (03-10 · Born) (1920): Dutch-American founder credited with starting the US specialty coffee revolution.
• 1928 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1928
• July 16 (07-16) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on July 16
• 2016 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2016
• March 10 (03-10) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on March 10