Family and Friends - Tapa blanda

Sofka Dorn, matriarch of a prosperous German family living in England, rules her four children with an exacting hand. Frederick, the eldest son, is a disgracefully charming' ladies' man, and like his flirtatious sister, Betty, is adored and indulged by his mother. Alfred and Mimi, both steady and solitary, are a disappointment to Sofka, who values strength and boldness of spirit. But, as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the struggle to escape the family order will prove a test for all four children alike...

"The novel is carefully measured and balanced. Anita Brookner's grasp of character is very strong and she has a merciless comic gift"
PETER ACKROYD, 'Sunday Times'

"A classic of its kind, pregnant with hidden meaning and psychology. Anita Brookner writes with such deceptive ease – each character she creates is beautifully rounded. She is a writer of bewitching readability"
THE TIMES

"Cool, precise, deliciously ironic. Every page has gems that beg to be read aloud. Brookner's acerbic view of human nature is entertaining, refreshing and all too true"
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

"One senses a marvellous coherence and clarity as each character is exposed to light. The characters are interesting because they are exact"
DAILY TELEGRAPH

"Gracefully written, smooth, transparent, intricate, neatly plotted"
FINANCIAL TIMES