Brother of the More Famous Jack

Bright, stylish Katherine is offered a place to study philosophy by Jacob Goldman because of her unusual views on Jane Austen's Emma. She little expects to find herself in the Goldmans' home, a rambling house in Sussex, while Jacob's untidy but enchanting wife Jane gives birth to their sixth child, little Rosie does headstands, stroppy Jonathan goes off fishing. Even more unexpectedly, Roger wins her heart playing beautiful music on his violin. Katherine and Roger embark on a love affair that ends in tears and Katherine leaves for Rome... Winner of the Whitbread Special Prize for Fiction. 

‘Brother of the More Famous Jack is the book we need right now: smart, funny, honest, painful and true. It is the best possible company as we make our way through this difficult world. I love it.’ Ann Patchett 

'[Barbara] is a writer I feel genuinely evangelical about, and I think she's criminally underread. (I'd honestly go to Speaker's Corner and stand on a box and read out passages from Brother of the More Famous Jack, such is my love for it.)’ Daisy Buchanan

‘A pocket classic, a book that takes life seriously, earns its emotions and befriends the reader without getting all gooey about anything at all’ – Dwight Garner, New York Times