In 1980, I published my first novel, in the usual swirl of unjustified hope and justified anxiety. Julian Barnes anxietyhopejustify Change image and share on social
In Britain I'm sometimes regarded as a suspiciously Europeanized writer, who has this rather dubious French influence. Julian Barnes britaindubiouseuropeanized Change image and share on social
Iconic Paris tells us: here are our three-star attractions, go thou and marvel. And so we gaze obediently at what we are told to gaze at, without exactly asking why. Julian Barnes attractiongazeiconic Change image and share on social
Paris is certainly one of the most boastful of cities, and you could argue that it has had a lot to boast about: at various times the European centre of power, of civilisation, of the arts, and (self-advertisingly, at least) of love. Julian Barnes advertisinglyargueart share on social
I hate the way the English have of not being serious about being serious, I really hate it. Julian Barnes englishhate Change image and share on social
To look at ourselves from afar, to make the subjective suddenly objective: this gives us a psychic shock. Julian Barnes afarmakeobjective Change image and share on social
Very few of my characters are based on people I've known. It is too constricting. Julian Barnes basecharacterconstrict Change image and share on social
Do we tend to recall the most important parts of a novel or those that speak most directly to us, the truest lines or the flashiest ones? Julian Barnes directlyflashyimportant Change image and share on social
Well, to be honest I think I tell less truth when I write journalism than when I write fiction. Julian Barnes fictionhonestjournalism Change image and share on social
What is taken away is greater than the sum of what was there. This may not be mathematically possible; but it is emotionally possible. Julian Barnes emotionallygreatmathematically Change image and share on social