A weird and wonderful collection of short stories - it took me half way through the book to realise that they are connected and in which ways. That's when it gets interesting - although my favourite one on its own is the first. Brilliant!

n/a

Not my kind of bok at all I am afraid. One of the reviews on the back cover says, "You wil want to read it again and again" For me I would probably have to read it again and again to work out what the author is trying to achieve.

May BC Meet

Picked up at tonight's meet for re-releasing elsewhere.

On the book table, or released somewhere around Colchester.

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Picked up from the Book Buffet at the Colchester Unconvention to release at the Leeds Bookcrossers Meetup.

This sat on my 'to read' pile for a long time, because the one novel by Barnes that I'd read previously - can't even remember what it was - didn't impress me.
But I know this one is highly regarded so I thought I'd give it a go (eventually). Reading this now, while so much of the south and south-west is flooded, was particularly timely, as the theme that unites the 10 (and a half) chapters is the biblical flood, Noah and his ark. I started to notice ark references everywhere and not just relating to the current floods (although there are many of those too), and I realised now deeply embedded the biblical tale is in my culture.
I loved Barnes' imaginative use of the story, his many angled approach. The stories are interesting, well told, funny and varied.
My opinion of Julian Barnes has definitely gone up.