Howard Jacobson facts for kids

Howard Eric Jacobson, born on August 25, 1942, is a British writer and journalist. He is famous for his funny novels, which often explore the lives and challenges of Jewish people in Britain. He won the important Man Booker Prize for his writing.

Early Life and Education

Jacobson was born in Manchester, England. His family had Jewish roots from places like Ukraine and Lithuania. He grew up in Prestwich.

He went to Stand Grammar School before studying English. He attended Downing College, Cambridge, where he learned from a famous teacher, F. R. Leavis.

After college, Jacobson taught for three years. He worked at the University of Sydney in Australia. Later, he taught at Selwyn College, Cambridge in the UK. He also taught at the Wolverhampton Polytechnic from 1974 to 1980.

Writing Career

First Novels and Awards

Jacobson's time teaching at Wolverhampton inspired his first novel. It was called Coming from Behind (1983). This book was a funny story about a struggling college. It even included a part where teaching happened in a football stadium.

In 1987, he wrote a travel book. It was titled In the Land of Oz. This book was based on his time in Sydney, Australia.

His 1999 novel, The Mighty Walzer, was about a teenage ping-pong champion. This book won the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize. This award is given for excellent comic writing. Jacobson loved table tennis as a teenager, so parts of the book were like his own life.

Booker Prize Success

Two of his novels were considered for the Man Booker Prize. These were Who's Sorry Now? (2002) and Kalooki Nights (2006). Jacobson described Kalooki Nights as a very "Jewish novel." It later won the 2007 JQ Wingate Prize.

In October 2010, Jacobson won the Man Booker Prize. He won for his novel The Finkler Question. This was the first funny novel to win the prize in many years. The book explores what it means to be Jewish today. It also talks about love, loss, and male friendships. The judges said it was a "marvellous book." They called it "very funny, of course, but also very clever."

His novel Zoo Time (2013) also won the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize. This was his second time winning that award. In 2014, his novel J was also shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.

Besides novels, Jacobson writes a weekly column. It appears in The Independent newspaper.

Broadcasting Work

Jacobson has also worked in television. He wrote and presented TV shows. In 2000, he made Howard Jacobson Takes on the Turner for Channel 4. He also worked on The South Bank Show in 2002. This episode was called "Why the Novel Matters."

Earlier, in 1985, a TV show called "My Son the Novelist" was made about him. Two of his non-fiction books were also turned into TV series. These were Roots Schmoots: Journeys Among Jews (1993) and Seriously Funny: From the Ridiculous to the Sublime (1997).

He presented parts of history series for Channel 4. In 2009, he presented "Jesus The Jew." In 2010, he presented "Creation" for The Bible: A History.

In 2011, Jacobson was a guest on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs. On this show, guests choose their favorite songs. He picked music by J. S. Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Louis Armstrong.

He also wrote and presented an Australian TV series. It was called Brilliant Creatures (2014). This series was about four famous people who lived outside their home countries.

Writing Style and Themes

Jacobson has described his writing style. He once called himself "a Jewish Jane Austen." He believes he has a "Jewish mind" and intelligence. He feels connected to Jewish thinkers from the past.

He says that "comedy is a very important part of what I do." His novels are known for being funny and conversational.

His books often explore certain topics. These include relationships between men and women. He also writes a lot about the experiences of Jewish people in Britain. Some people compare him to famous Jewish-American writers. This is because he sometimes creates characters who are similar to himself.

Personal Life

Howard Jacobson has been married three times. He married his first wife, Barbara, in 1964. They had a son named Conrad. Howard and Barbara moved to Australia for a few years. He taught at Sydney University. They later returned to the UK.

He married his second wife, Rosalin Sadler, in 1978. They divorced in 2004. In 2005, he married his third wife, Jenny De Yong. She is a radio and TV documentary maker. He has said that he feels "home" with her.

Political Views

Scottish Independence

In 2014, Jacobson was one of many public figures. They signed a letter to The Guardian newspaper. The letter encouraged people in Scotland to vote against becoming independent. This was before the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.

Views on Israel

Jacobson has spoken out against boycotts of Israel. Because of this, some people call him a "liberal Zionist." He believes that an education in arts is better than science for preventing certain issues.

He has shared his views on the Israel–Hamas war. He has supported Israel's military actions in Gaza. He has also written about media coverage of the war.

Antisemitism in the Labour Party

In 2017, Jacobson joined other writers. They wrote a letter to The Times newspaper. They expressed concern about antisemitism in the Labour Party. This was during Jeremy Corbyn's time as leader. They felt that anti-Zionism was showing antisemitic signs.

In 2018, Jacobson argued in a debate. He supported the idea that "Jeremy Corbyn is Unfit to be Prime Minister."

In 2019, he again criticized the Labour Party. He joined other Jewish figures in a letter to The Guardian. They said that trust between the party and most British Jews was "fractured beyond repair." This was related to an investigation into antisemitism claims.

See also

In Spanish: Howard Jacobson para niños