Wednesday, 11 June 2025

Pulse – Julian Barnes


The wonderful Julian Barnes has delightful stories in this collection. Analyses of the soul made with rare finesse, testimonies, prejudices, expectations, disappointments, hopes.

Julian Barnes doesn't write, he brings the words together and sets the tone, and they are sensible to always find their place in our hearts.

 

A few excerpts to testify to the marvel of Barnes' talent.

‘Well,’ said Jane, trying to hide a sudden surge of jauntiness, I’ve always believed that writers get more out of things going wrong than things going right. It’s the only profession in which failure can be put to good use.’

‘Do you read those young men everyone’s going on about?’

‘No. I think they’ve got quite enough readers already, don’t you think?’

‘What about the young women everyone’s going on about?’

‘I suppose I pretend a little more to have read them than with the boys.’

‘So do I. Is that bad?’

‘No, I think it’s sisterly.’

 

A quote from him, but from another book - “Books say: She did this because. Life says: She did this. Books are where things are explained to you; life is where things aren't. I'm not surprised some people prefer books.”
― Julian Barnes, Flaubert's Parrot

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