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The Sense of an Ending

The Sense of an Ending

'A masterpiece... I would urge you to read - and re-read ' Daily Telegraph

**Winner of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction 2011**

Tony Webster and his clique first met Adrian Finn at school. Sex-hungry and book-hungry, they would navigate the girl-less sixth form together, trading in affectations, in-jokes, rumour and wit. Maybe Adrian was a little more serious than the others, certainly more intelligent, but they all swore to stay friends for life.

Now Tony is retired. He's had a career and a single marriage, a calm divorce. He's certainly never tried to hurt anybody. Memory, though, is imperfect. It can always throw up surprises, as a lawyer's letter is about to prove.

Now a major film

Reviews

  • A masterpiece... I would urge you to read - and re-read - The Sense of an Ending

    Daily Telegraph

  • Mesmerising... the concluding scenes grip like a thriller - a whodunit of memory and morality

    Independent

  • A very fine book, skilfully plotted, boldly conceived... Barnes has achieved...something of universal importance

    Justin Cartwright, Observer

  • A precise, poignant portrait of the costs and benefits of time passing, of friendship, of love. A small masterpiece

    Erica Wagner, The Times

  • A wonderful story that is all too human and all so real

    Irish Times

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About the Author

Julian Barnes

Julian Barnes is the author of thirteen novels, including The Sense of an Ending, which won the 2011 Man Booker Prize for Fiction, and Sunday Times bestsellers The Noise of Time and The Only Story. He has also written three books of short stories, four collections of essays and three books of non-fiction, including the Sunday Times number one bestseller Levels of Life and The Man in the Red Coat, which was shortlisted for the 2019 Duff Cooper Prize. In 2017 he was awarded the Légion d'honneur.

Julian Barnes

Read more

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Recommendations

10 of the best VINTAGE books of 2019

No year is complete without a bit of reading reflection, and as we gaze at 2019's shelves, we're more than a bit pleased with the boldness and breadth of the last 12 months of VINTAGE books. From an insider's look at the realities of modern-day poverty to an acclaimed expose of the data bias towards men, and a long-awaited, Booker-winning dystopian smash hit, here are 10 of the biggest highlights.
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Extracts

A letter from Dodie Smith to Julian Barnes on the first publication of Metroland

An extract from the archive edition of Metroland
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Features

Julian Barnes and Suzanne Dean

Man Booker Prize-winner Julian Barnes discusses the cover design of his new novel, The Noise of Time, with Suzanne Dean. Joined by Alex Clark, they recall key moments in their twenty-year working relationship, as well as the iconic covers that have been created.

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