Sunday Best

George Verrey Smith, suburban schoolmaster, is bored: with his wife, his life, his job. Plagued by poison pen letters, suffused with lust for Mrs Johnson next door, the only bright spot in George’s life is Sunday. On Sunday George looks his best. On Sunday George dresses up. On Sunday George becomes Emily.

Bernice Rubens (1929-2004) was born in Cardiff, Wales in July 1928. She began writing at the age of 35, when her children started nursery school. Her second novel, Madame Sousatzka (1962), was filmed by John Schlesinger, with Shirley MacLaine in the leading role, in 1988. Her fourth novel, The Elected Member, won the 1970 Booker prize. She was shortlisted for the same prize again in 1978 for A Five Year Sentence. Her last novel, The Sergeants’ Tale, was published in 2003. She was an honorary vice-president of International PEN and served as a Booker judge in 1986. Bernice Rubens died in 2004 aged 76.