Joss Moody

Joss Moody is the novel’s central character, although he has died before the beginning of the novel. He died in 1997 and was about 70 years old when he died. Much of the novel consists of people close to him recounting memories of his life and their interactions with him. He was a black man and was born and raised in Scotland. He was born female and was named Josephine Moore. As an adult, he realized he was transgender and changed his name to Joss Moody, although he never told his parents.

Joss loved jazz music and eventually became a famous and successful jazz trumpet player. He married a white Scottish woman, Millie. Millie did not care that Joss was transgender, but Joss never told anyone else. Millie and Joss adopted a son, whom they named Colman. Colman has a somewhat strained relationship with his father. Joss never...