Moederskind

by Howard Jacobson, Henny Corver (Translator)

Booker Prize-winnaar Howard Jacobson was veertig toen hij debuteerde als romanschrijver. In Moederskind blikt hij terug op het leven dat hem daar bracht. Geboren in een arbeidersmilieu in Manchester, als achterkleinzoon van Litouwse en Russische immigranten, werd Jacobson opgevoed door zijn moeder, oma en tante Joyce. Vanaf zijn tiende kregen deze vrouwen tegenwicht van zijn veel praktischer ingestelde vader Max, die met lede ogen aanzag hoe zijn zoon dreigde op te groeien tot een overgevoelig watje.
Van de groeipijnen van zijn jeugd neemt Jacobson ons mee naar zijn studie in Cambridge en de universiteit van Sydney, waar hij een paar jaar werkt. Na zijn eerste huwelijk en de geboorte van zijn zoon woonde hij in plaatsen als Londen, Wolverhampton, Boscastle en Melbourne, en had hij veel verschillende baantjes om de eindjes aan elkaar te knopen: hij verkocht handtassen, gaf Engelse les en hielp bij het runnen van een Australisch restaurant aan de noordkust van Cornwall.
Vol met Jacobsons kenmerkende humor en doordrenkt met bitterzoete herinneringen aan zijn ouders is Moederskind het verhaal van de geboorte van een schrijver, maar ook van de wendingen die het leven neemt, en van het leren begrijpen wie je bent voordat je de schrijver kunt worden die je moet zijn.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Memoir

304 pages, Paperback

Published July 27, 2022

About the author

Howard Jacobson was born in Manchester, England, and educated at Cambridge. His many novels include The Mighty Walzer (winner of the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize), Who’s Sorry Now? and Kalooki Nights (both longlisted for the Man Booker Prize), and, most recently, The Act of Love. Jacobson is also a respected critic and broadcaster, and writes a weekly column for the Independent. He lives in London.

Profile of Howard Jacobson in The New York Times.

“The book's appeal to Jewish readers is obvious, but like all great Jewish art — the paintings of Marc Chagall, the books of Saul Bellow, the films of Woody Allen — it is Jacobson's use of the Jewish experience to explain the greater human one that sets it apart. Who among us is so certain of our identity? Who hasn't been asked, "What's your background" and hesitated, even for a split second, to answer their inquisitor? Howard Jacobson's The Finkler Question forces us to ask that of ourselves, and that's why it's a must read, no matter what your background.”—-David Sax, NPR.

Reviews

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Howard Jacobson's memoir of his life and loves and longings. Starting from his childhood in Manchester, he leads us through studies in Cambridge to teaching in Australia, marriage, return to England, divorce and marriage again and divorce again. Living in places he hates, teaching in institutions he hates, wanting all the time to be the writer he has always dreamed of being, but never getting down to writing that first novel. He describes his love for his mother, his struggles to be nothing like his father until finally realising how much he loves his father and owes to him. (Did someone say Freudian? Not that I believe a word Freud said, but this does sound strangely like my story, too.)

At last, with the encouragement and urging of Wife #2, the novel gets written and published. Jacobson discovers that, having spent half of his life trying to escape being Jewish, he is in fact a 'Jewish writer': not a religious kind of Jew, but someone whose writing forces him to study and learn about Judaism, to love Jewishness and explore it in his writing.

For me, this is a fascinating insight into another facet of the huge spectrum that is Jewishness. It's funny too, though not ROFL like Terry Pratchett; this is much more subtle. There were many times when I thought it was going to be all disappointment and failed hopes. Yes, but it's also about finally learning and accepting the reality of who you are. I loved it.

[Susan Wishart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a real Howard Jacobson fan so I was very interested in this autobiography for an insight into the man behind his offbeat novels. He was born and brought up in Manchester to immigrant Jewish parents from central Europe. He decided as a child that he wanted to be a writer but he was a very late starter. After studying at Cambridge under Professor F.R Leavis, a well known and controversial literary critic, he was offered a lectureship at Sydney University where he stayed for three years. He loved Sydney at first sight but after a schism in the English department he was forced to return to England with his wife. He took a wide range of different jobs to make ends meet and his marriage failed after the birth of his son. He was married twice more and moved to various places in England and even back to Australia for a job at Melbourne University.
He is a clever humorous writer who since settling into acceptance of his Jewishness and toning down much of his erratic behavior has published many books including my favorite, "The Finkler Question", which won the Booker prize. Now aged eighty he leads a happier and more settled life in London with his third wife.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strange that this should be the second book I've read this year entitled "Mother's Boy". The first by Patrick Gale a fictionalised biography of Charles Causley and now this autobiography by Howard Jacobson describing his path to becoming a writer, the influence not only of his mother and his father on that path, but also how being Jewish impacted his life and writing. Interesting too, the Cornish setting in both.

[Graham · Rating 1 out of 5]

Much as I tried to like this book, apart from rare glimpses of humour it is dull. The author's self-obsession makes it so.

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oy vey. I like Jewish humour as much as the next goyam, and I have really admired some of Howard Jacobson’s writing in the past. Not his novels, which really don’t appeal to me, but his collections of columns and articles that he’s written for other journals and newspapers over the years. This autobiography didn’t click with me though. It has its moments for sure, but I felt that intellectually it was quite intense and, in trying to explain himself to himself, Howard was getting a bit lost in the woods. Either that or he was losing me in the woods. Although the title is “Mother’s Boy” I couldn’t shake the impression that this was a very wise adult’s interpretation of a childhood past, trying to pick its way carefully through what could be a minefield of memories. I sometimes felt I could see Howard’s mother watching him write over his shoulder, and warning, “Now Howard, don’t you dare write that about our family!” And so he doesn’t, or at least not directly.
As I write this I’m halfway through the book and I don’t think I’m going back to it. I just haven’t warmed to the tone and can’t quite relate enough to the people in the pages. They haven’t quite come alive to me, although I loved the story of his mum’s response when Howard receives a letter telling him he’s been accepted into Cambridge University. As he reads out to her to confirm that it’s actually true, she asks to see the envelope. “I just want to check it’s definitely been addressed to you”, she says, in case it was actually meant for someone else and they’d mixed an address up. Disappointment, or expected disappointment, is the tone of their lives. Oy vey.

[Eddie Lees · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Book to Sink Into

It is rare to read an autobiography the author of which is so self-critical, so self-lacerating, so seemingly self-loathing, until almost the last quarter of his story.

Howard Jacobson writes exceptionally well as he takes us on his journey of self-discovery from confused child, through maturing adult, while always coming to terms with ‘being Jewish’, which, despite what he says in the epilogue, persistently torments him.

But he tells this warts and all tale well and keeps us entertained, while simultaneously giving us cause to censure him for unfair and selfish behaviour throughout.

Success brings redemption, and not a moment too soon.

A most enjoyable read - a book to sink into - that I didn’t want to end.

[Marinella De Amicis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quando leggo un romanzo che mi piace spesso mi chiedo se sia tutto reale a quanto pare cocco di mamma di Howard Jacobson lo è. Ha scritto romanzi sarcastici nello stile ebreo che non conosco bene ma mi impegno a farlo. Ma questo è la storia della sua vita sempre segnata dalla sua timidezza e dal suo essere infinitamente Gentile anche se dominato dall'inquietudine che lo ha reso errante trascurando la famiglia e il figlio poi finalmente la realizzazione del suo sogno e di conseguenza la pacificazione con la sua persona anche se è autobiografico Ho apprezzato alcuni passaggi profondi e cultura che si respira in tutto il libro

[Laura Spira]

I have enjoyed some of Howard Jacobson's books but I gave up on this halfway through. Memories are inevitable solipsistic so I was prepared for that but not for the rather tedious level of self examination I encountered. Jacobson's style of humour in his fiction is subtle and clever but doesn't work well here, in my opinion. Even the teasing references to what he would be writing about later in the book didn't make me want to read more. While appreciating the works of Jacobson the writer I found Jacobson the person, as presented by himself, rather boring.

[Peter Burton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never read his books but have heard him on radio podcasts so know something about him.This is his memoir of life until he wrote his first book aged 40 explaining how he came to be a writer.It’s good in his over the top style with much humour and affectionate stories although he is honest about his many failings as a child ,student,a husband,parent and a son.Clearly it would be better if you are familiar with his work but it’s a good story of his angst and confusion as a working class boy and young man.

[Basia Korzeniowska · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jewish writer becomes Jewish writer once he accepts he is a Jewish writer. Very enjoyable ruminations on his relationships with his parents, friends (not many) and wives, (too many?). A great fan of Joseph Conrad, he has actually made me want to read him.
I cried at the end, when he discovers his mother was actually a very talented writer herself. Very moving.

[Theodoor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een vermakelijk boek om te lezen omdat zijn komisch droge schrijfstijl ook naar voren komt in dit non fictie werk.
Vooral een boek voor fans van zijn werk, maar zeker ook voor wannabee schrijvers of als je gewoon van lezen houdt. Tegelijk een mooi eerbetoon aan zijn moeder en een inkijkje in een Joods gezin in midden Engeland tijdens de jaren 60.

[Majella ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given up half way through but for the fact that I found his witty turn of phrase entertaining.
His self criticism is unapologetic. That's who I am. But I have not read any of his novels and will do so now.
Wit with a story hopefully.

[Elke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pfff thought there would be more humour in it. Started off well enough
But was actually somewhat boring
At times I thought things might get interesting but then he said: well you can read about this part of my life in a previous book....

[Little Forons · Rating 3 out of 5]

Avevo grandi aspettative in quanto mi era stato caldamente consigliato.
Cosa posso dire? Credo che sia uno dei libri più mediocri che abbia letto negli ultimi mesi. Non c'è mordente, non c'è suspense narrativa.
In alcuni momenti mi è sembrato di leggere un libro di Nick Hornby.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe 3.5 I really like Howard Jacobson’s style and storytelling. Didn’t really care about his experiences with women though.

[Raphaelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book must be a fascinating read to a certain reader, although it seems to me that reader is Howard Jacobson himself. A memoir shouldn’t be self indulgent but this one is.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read and enjoyed many of Howard's works, I found his memoir just makes sense of it all!

[Dawn Marsanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classic Jacobsen.
Very funny in parts.