Julian Barnes

[Scheherazade]

I am not familiar with this author but my library has so many of books digitally available that I am beginning to wonder if I am missing out on something grand and excellent.

Anyone read his books? Opinions, suggestions?

[LitNetIsGreat]

I've read a couple (as part of my popular literature module). He's not bad, but nothing to get too excited about. Authur and George is OK. Metroland his first novel is weak. Flaubert's Parrot is supposed to be not bad, but to be honest I wouldn't go out of your way to read him.

[David Lurie]

I have read Arthur & George and I think it is a very good novel with an interesting narrative structure and it is rich of layers of meaning, but not exciting enough to make me desire a further exploration of Barnes' work.

[mal4mac]

"Nothing to be Frightened Of" was an interesting, if not very deep, ramble around the subject of death. I quite liked the essays in "History of the World in 10½ Chapters". But I prefer the work of his brother - check out Aristotle: A Very Short Introduction by Jonathan Barnes - just as readable and certainly deeper!

[de Renal]

I have read "The Lemon Table", stories about getting old.
Some of them made me cry, so I can say - a good book! Very emotional!

[Scheherazade]

Thank you very much for all your replies and comments.

The feedback does not make me rush to the library to check out his books somehow.

:p

[de Renal]

Can you please tell me more about your digital library? Is that strictly private, or reachable over the Internet? I am a book collector, digitally or paperly, all the same :crazy:
Thanks in advance!

[mal4mac]

I like http://www.questia.com.

[Scheherazade]

Can you please tell me more about your digital library? Is that strictly private, or reachable over the Internet? I am a book collector, digitally or paperly, all the same :crazy:
Thanks in advance!My local library has a digital collection as well so the library members (those who live in this area) can log in to borrow books, which you can keep for two weeks.

[de Renal]

mal4mac, thank you so much for the reference, the site is great! I think I'll start a thread on this topic too!


My local library has a digital collection as well so the library members (those who live in this area) can log in to borrow books, which you can keep for two weeks.

well, nothing for me. but thanks though! :)

[David Lurie]

The sense of an ending - the latest novel from Julian Barnes - was awarded last week the Booker Prize: has anyone read it?

[wessexgirl]

Yes, I have, and it's excellent. I have also read Arthur and George and thought it was a shame it did not win the Booker too. It was a beautifully structured book based on a true story concerning Arthur Conan Doyle and a real case he got involved in. He has been shortlisted on a few occasions, and I'm glad he 's finally won. TSOAE is a very short book, so it wouldn't take you long to read it Scher, and I highly recommend it. I would suggest Barnes is one of our greatest contemporary writers and well worth reading.

[Scheherazade]

Thank you, everyone!

The Sense of Ending was not available at my local branch but I have placed a reservation (52 reservations in the county!) Not sure when it will be my turn.

Is it available at your library by any chance, Wessexgirl? :D

Will you know when I am reading it.

*edit*

Just realised Arthur and George is available digitally. Maybe I will read that one once I am done with the books waiting on my nightstand.

[stuntpickle]

I understand the sudden interest in Barnes is a result of his having just won the Booker. The history of literary prizes is generally laughable, as the the prizes are most often given to the wrong authors, or the right ones for the wrong books. Barnes's Booker is best described as belonging to that variety of "long overdue."

Barnes is a formidable stylist, genuinely clever, and in possession of that rare faculty so thoroughly detested by readers of "serious literature:" a sense of humor. I'd tell you to read Flaubert's Parrot, The History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters, or Before She Met Me, but really you could just pick one of his novels at random and not be disappointed, so consistent is he in his craft.

I would, however, advise against devising a reading list strictly around the winners of various prizes, as all you'll accomplish is compiling a list of books destined for irrelevancy.

[Scheherazade]

I would, however, advise against devising a reading list strictly around the winners of various prizes, as all you'll accomplish is compiling a list of books destined for irrelevancy.They would be relevant to the reader if s/he wants to read award winning books.

What is your "relevancy" while picking books to read?

[stuntpickle]

They would be relevant to the reader if s/he wants to read award winning books.

What is your "relevancy" while picking books to read?

With all due respect, Ms./Mr. S, I find it fairly typical of our literalistic age for someone to respond with a tautology that completely misses the point. Of course, it would be relevant if your mechanism for selection is, by definition, also your criterion for relevancy. A book beginning with an "A" is probably relevant if your criterion is alphabetic, but then you'd just be an absurd caricature in Sartre's Nausea.

Your first statement is of variety I often encounter, and, thus, I am led to believe that it is what passes for wit or humor in the age of Twitter, which will perhaps sound rude, but is not meant to. However, the statement strikes me as more likely to be the sort of deflection common to public school teachers, for whom ideas are interchangeable, so long as one really, really believes them. Of course, to me, the aforementioned phenomenon sounds about as false as reading all the books designated by this or that committee as being Culturally Important or King Book of 1995, which might not be so bad if the committee's track record wasn't so dismal as that of the Pulitzer or Man Booker. Still, I'm sure you can dazzle the attendees at some fabulous party with your impressions of Olive Kitteridge, which will likely seem as unimportant to an American living in 2060 as Guard of Honor seems to me now.

[Scheherazade]

With all due respect, Ms./Mr. S, "Scher" will do.

What I find typical, Mr Pickle, is the tendency to disregard the authors or books because they happen to receive an approving nod or awards... Or manage to be best sellers or, God forbid, be popular among "common" reader. Even more typical is to assume that someone who happens to read award winning books would do so to impress others during parties (I have other party tricks for that purpose... Like typing a cherry stem into a knot... Or reciting the alphabet backwards).

If you happen to look at my very first post in the thread, you will, of course, realise that I am not a reader who has turned starry eyed because Barnes's won an award (incidentally happened two months after this thread was started). I was simply hoping to find out others' impressions of Barnes and his books.

Now, would you like to share your opinions on Barnes with us?

[stuntpickle]

"Scher" will do.

What I find typical, Mr Pickle, is the tendency to disregard the authors or books because they happen to receive an approving nod or awards... Or manage to be best sellers or, God forbid, be popular among "common" reader. Even more typical is to assume that someone who happens to read award winning books would do so to impress others during parties (I have other party tricks for that purpose... Like typing a cherry stem into a knot... Or reciting the alphabet backwards).

If you happen to look at my very first post in the thread, you will, of course, realise that I am not a reader who has turned starry eyed because Barnes's won an award (incidentally happened two months after this thread was started). I was simply hoping to find out others' impressions of Barnes and his books.

Now, would you like to share your opinions on Barnes with us?

Look, Scher, I find it a bit odd that you have understood my post to mean that one should disregard a book that wins an award, rather than that one should not read a book simply because it has won an award, which I did not, by the way, suggest you were guilty of. Let me be clear here: advising a particular course of action is hardly the same thing as making an accusation. Saying "don't touch that" doesn't mean "I know you touched that." Moreover, I can't imagine how "common readers" and best sellers concern our conversation, and so I'm a bit confused as to why you have brought them up. But the most ridiculous part of your post is when you ask me to share my opinions on Barnes, as I have already given them in my first response, which amounted to a hearty recommendation. So I have to ask: did you actually read my entire first post? More importantly: did you understand any of it?

[wessexgirl]

Thank you, everyone!

The Sense of Ending was not available at my local branch but I have placed a reservation (52 reservations in the county!) Not sure when it will be my turn.

Is it available at your library by any chance, Wessexgirl? :D

Will you know when I am reading it.

*edit*

Just realised Arthur and George is available digitally. Maybe I will read that one once I am done with the books waiting on my nightstand.

I'm afraid our copy is on loan at the moment Scher :lol:. It is however very short, so you shouldn't have to wait too long. If you don't get hold of a copy soon, I can put ours on reservation for you :smilewinkgrin:.

[Brett Cottrell]

A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters is great. Loved it.

[Scheherazade]

I'm afraid our copy is on loan at the moment Scher :lol:. It is however very short, so you shouldn't have to wait too long. If you don't get hold of a copy soon, I can put ours on reservation for you :smilewinkgrin:.I will let you know if I don't hear from them soon.

It is good to know the librarian! :smilewinkgrin:

Brett ~ Thank you. I will see if that one is available at the library.

[tonywalt]

"Scher" will do.

What I find typical, Mr Pickle, is the tendency to disregard the authors or books because they happen to receive an approving nod or awards... Or manage to be best sellers or, God forbid, be popular among "common" reader. Even more typical is to assume that someone who happens to read award winning books would do so to impress others during parties (I have other party tricks for that purpose... Like typing a cherry stem into a knot... Or reciting the alphabet backwards).

If you happen to look at my very first post in the thread, you will, of course, realise that I am not a reader who has turned starry eyed because Barnes's won an award (incidentally happened two months after this thread was started). I was simply hoping to find out others' impressions of Barnes and his books.

Now, would you like to share your opinions on Barnes with us?

I was looking up Julian Barnes and saw this chirpy exchange!- LOL

[kev67]

I see this is quite an old thread. I read Arthur and George several years ago and thought it was very good. I was outraged on the behalf of George Edalji.

[Paulclem]

I thought his The Sense of an Ending was very good. I read it because it was an award winner. He's an author I'd need to feel in the mood for - he had quite a relaxed easy going style in this one.

[tonywalt]

Just reading "The Only Story" by Julian Barnes. Loving it, close to end. A brilliant, introspective moving piece of literature. Interesting use of 2nd person POV in much of it

[WICKES]

I understand the sudden interest in Barnes is a result of his having just won the Booker. The history of literary prizes is generally laughable, as the the prizes are most often given to the wrong authors, or the right ones for the wrong books.

Agreed. And it's getting worse. They now seem to award them based on ethnicity, politics, gender, etc. If you are a straight, white, conservative male, god help you. The T. S. Eliot prize, for example, was recently won by a black man who'd written left leaning poems attacking the British government. When I saw he had been nominated, I just assumed he'd win - and, of course, he did. But not because he was the best poet.

As for Julian Barnes, I have only read Flaubert's Parrot, which I liked very much. An underrated novelist - better than Ian McEwan anyway. If you are interested in contemporary British novelists, my favourite is Edward St Aubn. The Patrick Melrose novels are superb.