- Noahs Ark -- Kim, 04:22:21 06/17/03 Tue
Hey guys. I know, this pre-release is a nightmare but I did find some things which might help. The religious implications of item 1 are obvious, and heavily echo the Bible story of Noah's ark (for instance the raft=Ark, the ocean=flooding). Also the butterfly is said to be symbolic of the dove, which helped Noah find land. This , therefore makes the butterfly symbolic of hope amidst the despair, but also the vulnerability of the men on the raft.
Also, the title "a history of the world in 10 1/2 chapters" is said to echo the ten commendments in the Moses story, and Barnes uses this as a skeletol frame for the whole novel/book. For instance, commandments like "thou shalt not steal" and "thou shalt not murder" are defied in item 1 (for instance, the soldiers who drink wine behind the other men's backs, and the uproar of violence and cannabilism)however, i am still confused by the 1/2 chapter!?
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- Julian Barnes -- Nick, 06:34:53 06/18/03 Wed
Right, this is a long shot but might (yeah, right!) be worth trying....
Mr. Barnes, if you're reading your own website can you give a couple of pointers to some floundering A level students? Is your work fiction or not? Is there any difference between it and, say, Plutarch? Is there a necessary difference between real catastrophe in fiction and invented catastrophe?
Or, if Mr. Barnes doesn't read this any other views would be really useful!
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- Synoptic - ITEMS 3 & 4 -- Selina, 05:53:00 06/18/03 Wed
Now that we have the first two items covered...what about the other two?
ITEM 3 - I think we are given this as insight to Barnes own opinions on his own novel, in contrast to the critics. I think he is saying that all stories come from some aspects of history or events in life which we then take and add our own features to help us understand them and to make use of them. E.g. 'it always has to start with life rather than an intellectual grid which you then impose things on'.
ITEM 4 - This is basically a repetition to all the things we have covered. It gives us more understanding of the novel and what Barnes is trying to convey - e.g. ideas of religion being a fiction to some degree and mocking it.
Any other points on these two???
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- OTHER ITEMS -- Hayley, 12:44:50 06/17/03 Tue
Hey sorry to distract all of you from the posts about the two extracts but I think we all need to be focusing on the other items! Yes I agree, get your head around the extracts that is of course important! But the others are very important, we will be asked about them or we wouldn't have been given them.
Can anyone figure out any questions we might be asked in relation to them.
Thanks good luck guys and dont forget to get 8 hours sleep before the exam on Friday!
Hayley
xx
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- Religion -- Ben, 05:41:02 06/18/03 Wed
15 people survive on a boat of 150 and they say that "gods finger was conspicuous in the event"!I think that there is a touch of irony here especially as it seems God is rewarding the people who chose to indirectly murder(bit harsh)their comrades by "seperating the clean from the unclean".Some would argue that they did what they had to do(and I agree)but from their Christian perspective it was not the right course of action.Barnes is perhaps using irony to attack religion.
"How hopelessly we signal,We are all lost at sea",this could be read in terms of peoples religious beliefs.
Anybody agree with that lot??
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- extract A pre release -- Jonny boy, 08:43:57 06/17/03 Tue
at the end of extract A it says "the finger of heaven was conspicuous in this event" what is being referred to as the finger of heaven???
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- pre release -- Stuart, 11:48:16 06/17/03 Tue
Does anyone have any idea of why Barnes has decided to write the story of the Medusa and the critique on Gericaults painting?
What is Barnes trying to say?
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- Barnes - more read abroad than in Britain? -- Heidi, 03:05:39 06/16/03 Mon
Does anyone know whether Julian Barnes's books are more popular outside of Britain than within the UK? Does anyone know how to obtain reliable information on the percentage of his books sold in the UK and elsewhere? I heard that postmodern novels are not very popular in the UK and would like to verify that information.
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- English Literature Synoptic exam -- patrick, 12:35:53 06/17/03 Tue
In our school we had a morning workshop with the chief examiner, some of the things i took notes on were:-
- Read the extracts several times
-Read the Questions!!
- Work out what the extracts have in common
- Look at how differently they treat their subject matter
The Pre Release Stuff:
- read it a number of times
- annotate fully using a photocopy
- transfer most important points to exam copy
- look up what you don't understand
- make analysis of lang struct & form
- critical comm.-list points made, "qualities" referred to by critic
- how text refers to literary text you have
- contextual material- main points made by writer
- decide what is writer's perspective
- work out what context the piece represents, eg historical, biographical
--
own reading
- will have a question on this
- comment precisely on 2/3 texts you've read/studied
- relate classroom analysing skills to synoptic paper
- show understandings of genre and how meanings are shaped
general stuff-
dont try to read the whole book the extract comes from as itll be hard to focus on the part you were given
-dont go overboard (ha!) on finding out the context as you'll be given things of that nature anyway
when analysing text look at-
- context
- point of view
- language & imagery
-form structure genre
- setting
hope these make sense (i was a bit hungover when i did it) and are helpful! good luck everyone!!
patrick
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- SYNOPTIC - aaah! -- Dorothy, 14:03:24 06/17/03 Tue
Can someone please please please please please tell me what the GENRE is?! I'm so confused about it.....only a couple of days left...........
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- Thank god for lindsay! -- Michelle, 14:41:38 06/16/03 Mon
I dont know what i would do without this discussion board - you all have such great ideas that i would never have thought of on my own. And Lindsay, Are you an english teacher in disguise??? You certainly know what you are talking about thats for sure, and i would just like to say thanks for all the stuff youve posted on here - it is a huge help.
ok, so i now understand the themes (i think) and i feel we are going to get asked on the reality of history, and how we will never get a true picture of what actually happened, not only from historians and artists, but also from those who wrote the accounts both gericault and barnes interpreted from. After all, the men on the Medusa will each have their own interpretation etc, so we will never get an objective account. I also think we will get asked about the techniques each uses to turn catastrophe into art, and also whether it is important to do this - after all, it distorts our view of history. From barnes for example, the language is very animalistic - consume flesh - and the "hardened hearts" of the men who "calculated" that it would be better for them if they killed the sick, creates an impression of them as unemotional beasts (to me anyway), and i personally dont feel thats what they were all like. Im babbling on now, but i think barnes main theme is the srtuggle for survival - linked with gericaults interpretation also - and also the inhumanity and instability of man. Any comments on this would be helpful!
One thing i am stuck on is the characteristics of both a novel and a fictional piece - i cant find anything on it anywhere. Im also confused about all this genre stuff you lot keep taling about! My teacher obviously left that bit out!
love mich xxxx
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- i just looked at the pre released to day help!!!! -- Dave, 03:03:13 06/17/03 Tue
im a bit stuck with the dreaded pre released im finding it hard to catergorise the genre and critical /historic apprach that barnes is trying to aim for.
what ive come up with so far is that barnres has genuine flaws with historical recordings its really just a hallucination, its what the people who survived said happened. as for the painting well that is just a personification of how ungenuine romantic art can be. His "catastrophe equals art" comment seems within valid reason to his cynical view of history, is just like today where tradgedy equals headlines????
anyone got any comments on this? im in desperate need for help!!!
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- handy hints and Q's for the synoptic paper. -- rachel, 08:30:44 06/17/03 Tue
1. state the obvious!!
2.is it traditional(follows tradition)?
what conventions does the text follow?
does it present a challenge to the reader?
it is a radical text, chapter based and containes more fictionalised history. Uses an objectice view. challenges to own ethical principles.
3.use detailed reference to the text.
4. themes?
narrative attitude
P.O.V
Structured
setting
tone of voice
linguistic devices
extract a) tells a story
extract b) questions the way of telling story.
5. read item2 ,3 and 4 and write down what you believe to be the arguement in each
for eg, item 2
history can't be pinned down-not totally conventional.
seymour argues - not enough connections to a novel
taylor argues - not enough definition
an attempt to be controversial
etc
6. context of piece.
the differing POV's
-literary
-social class gender
-politics
-psychoanalysis
-feminism
-historical
-cultural
-setting time links
7. could compare to poem, extract from a play or a piece of jounalism.
look at the charge of the light brigade. the chief examiner also likes tennesee williams..don't know if that might help.
rachel x
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- Please someone help me -- Rebecca, 08:23:49 06/17/03 Tue
Hey people,
I am really struggling with this pre-releasee piece. Anybody got any ideas on what topics I should be researching. I am finding this really hard and would really appreciate some help.
Thanks guys,
Rebecca
x
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- Pre-release: Just had a brainwave -- Rachael, 02:18:43 06/17/03 Tue
Hiya friends
Just had a thought it may be totally out there and not at all relevent but hey! Neway i have just been thinking of Barnes use of style as i think that could come up as a question. It is clear Barnes uses varied styles ( Extract A Narrative and Extract B anaylitical/essay) i dont kno whether he does this throughout the noval but i was just thinking could he be using different styles to accomadate individual people. We are all different and relate easier to different things depending on who we are, our strenghs and weaknesess. This could also link to item one, the strenghs and weaknesses of the Human Being.
I realise ive gone off on 1 but anyone have any thoughts on this? (go easy on me)
xXxXx
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- A History of the world in blady blah -- Ben, 06:37:55 06/17/03 Tue
Genre is obviously going to be a major part of the exam as it is so unusual(more specifically what constitutes a proper novel and what this is).Im gona look deeper into Religion,catastrophe and art,fact and fiction.Anyone think Im wrong?Id rather be told now than bleep up the exam
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- Pre Re help! -- Laura, 04:01:08 06/17/03 Tue
Hi, i was hoping some 1 could help me on the religion aspect, mainly explored in Ex. B. i'm probably being really thick here, but i hadn't noticed a religion link & irony etc.
Muchus appreciatus!
Laura :-D x
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- To everyone doin' the pre-release! -- Laura, 02:36:09 06/17/03 Tue
Howdi everyone, i just wnted to thank u all for the ideas you'v posted on the site.the only thing i'm woried about now is getting a numb bum after the 3 hours! but seriously, i wanna thank u all for bringing issues to light for me.
GOOD LUCK!!!!!!
Laura x :-D
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- To everyone!!!!!!! -- Laura, 02:26:51 06/17/03 Tue
Howdi all! i just wanna thank everyone for all the ideas you'v posted here. i'v been really worried bout the exam & i'm not looking 4ward to getting a numb bum after the 3 hours! but your ideas have really helped & bought alot of issues to light so thenx again!
Laura x :-D
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- Pre-Release Item Two -- Rachael, 03:03:57 06/16/03 Mon
Im starting to get to grips with item 1 but does anyone have any idea's on item 2 as i am totally confused with it. To me it just seens like critics mocking Barnes, it is also very negative but i dnt think thats enough to go on. plz help.
xXxXx
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- English Pre-release -- Kate, 15:57:12 06/16/03 Mon
Thanks to everyone that got in touch with me, i have e.mailed you all some of my ideas, hope they help! There are a few things that i would like to throw to the discussion board, however. My teacher was always emphasising how important it is to consider Genre on this paper. What is very odd about Julian Barne's "novel" is that it appears to contain many different genres, hense the "does he write proper novels" thing in the critical passages. I think what it is missing, particularly in extract A, is characterisation, detailed description, i.e. setting the scene, and emotion, i.e. sympathy for the people on the raft. All of these things are found in a typical novel, and appear to be lacking in this perculiar extract. I think there may be a question related to some aspect of genre, and how he does/does not conform to certain "rules" that is mentioned in item three. In extract B he turns into an art critic, which i have yet to find in any novel i have read! This is clearly part of his message however...which is a whole different discussion! It is said that Barnes is perfectly entitled to "play" with the novel genre as it is a constantly developing genre - would people generally agree or disagree with this comment? On top of this, i think a poem will be most likely as the unseen material - a different genre, and so it may be helpful to look at the differences in form/structure, and general features of poems in comparison to novels, and what each manage to achieve in their own way, etc
What may also be helpful is to look at what the critics say, look for evidence in the extracts, and see if you agree or disagree with what they say...this may help if we get a question regarding what helped us to understand the novel.
A point that me and my friends could not get our heads around easily was the "catastrophe FOR art" point. Is Barnes really saying that the REASON for catastrophe is to produce art?! If we turn it around slightly, would it be plausible to claim that without catastrophe, there would be no art? ..or is the message more simple: that art is simply a way of trying to rationalise (or understand) catastrophe in order to forgive it, as said in one of the passages? maybe art is just a way of us to get something good out of something bad? or rather to cash in on tragedy? anyone any ideas?...quite an ambiguos area, methinks!
Also under my theme heading "arty, farty, philosophical stuff" is the "we are all lost at sea" thing. Maybe this is referring to the fact that people rarely have any clear direction...people cling to hope, but quickly lapse into despair if anything goes wrong. "Hailing something that may never come to rescue us" ...could be a religious reference, to God? God as a saviour, who may or may not come to rescue us after death? Faith/hope? etc!
There are few other nit picky things i will be looking at later, anyone feel free to comment on anything i have said, i will be back later, hopefully with some more ideas and what not! :-)
Keep smilin' peeps, it aint so bad afterall!
Kate x
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- Thank god for lindsay! -- Michelle, 14:44:08 06/16/03 Mon
I dont know what i would do without this discussion board - you all have such great ideas that i would never have thought of on my own. And Lindsay, Are you an english teacher in disguise??? You certainly know what you are talking about thats for sure, and i would just like to say thanks for all the stuff youve posted on here - it is a huge help.
ok, so i now understand the themes (i think) and i feel we are going to get asked on the reality of history, and how we will never get a true picture of what actually happened, not only from historians and artists, but also from those who wrote the accounts both gericault and barnes interpreted from. After all, the men on the Medusa will each have their own interpretation etc, so we will never get an objective account. I also think we will get asked about the techniques each uses to turn catastrophe into art, and also whether it is important to do this - after all, it distorts our view of history. From barnes for example, the language is very animalistic - consume flesh - and the "hardened hearts" of the men who "calculated" that it would be better for them if they killed the sick, creates an impression of them as unemotional beasts (to me anyway), and i personally dont feel thats what they were all like. Im babbling on now, but i think barnes main theme is the srtuggle for survival - linked with gericaults interpretation also - and also the inhumanity and instability of man. Any comments on this would be helpful!
One thing i am stuck on is the characteristics of both a novel and a fictional piece - i cant find anything on it anywhere. Im also confused about all this genre stuff you lot keep taling about! My teacher obviously left that bit out!
love mich xxxx
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- English synoptic -- Jenny M, 13:48:23 06/16/03 Mon
Well i think that this is just cruel. It so confusing i have a few ideas but if anyone wants to swap ideas email me hopefully the questions will be easy or atleast because of last years A level disaster they will mark easy, well we can always hope Love Jenny
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- HELPPPPP -- Becca, 13:15:13 06/15/03 Sun
I know a lot of people have asked for help in regards to this synoptic paper but at risk of repeating them-"Hellllllppppp!!" It would be really REALLY helpful if anyone could send me ANYTHING to do with this because I am SO confused!My English teacher did not explain even the layout of the exam itself very well so I would be grateful for ANY assistance!!
Thanks. :)
Becca
xoxoxox
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- literary context -- miranda, 09:07:11 06/16/03 Mon
holas,
i'm having a problem with finding out the 'literary context' of "10 1/2 chapters" - does anyone know what genre you could definitely call it + other books in the same style?
good luck alla yall xx
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- AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! -- Looby, 10:33:11 06/16/03 Mon
Aloha! I have been reading the texts given over the last few days and have come up with a few ideas, so if anyone would like to share some, and talk about it, email me!!!!
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- English Pre-release Material -- Kate Parfitt, 17:22:35 06/15/03 Sun
Hello fellow English A-level Students!
I have been working on my pre-release for a couple of days now, have a few pages of notes/bitty annotations, and am meeting with friends tomorrow to do more on it. I was wondering if anyone would like to get in touch for further discussions and idea sharing?! If so, click my name and e.mail me :-) Good luck, and best wishes, Kate x
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- A History - Pre release -- Stace, 06:03:49 06/16/03 Mon
does anyone who uses msn want to have any conversations online about the prerelease????????
if so add my email as a contact on msn and ill be happy to share my ideas
luv
stace
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- Pre release -- Rach, 08:08:41 06/15/03 Sun
The examiners' report from last year said every1 had read to much about the play (last years pre -release) and had not concentrated on the text in hand.
I am having issues with the text in hand though so AO3 suggestions would be superb!
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- english pre-release -- charlotte, 02:12:31 06/14/03 Sat
hi everyone,
i was just reading some of your commentaries on the pre-release and you all seem to know your stuff. just hoping for a few more ideas, what does the interview and extract written as an interpretation of john barnes work tell us? does anyone have anymore ideas of the way he portrays his ideas in both of the first extracts.
lots of metaphors and simlies are used in both but haven't really got much more than that.....
help if you can
thanx
x
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- english pre realease -- jade, 05:49:21 06/13/03 Fri
this is the worst pre release we could EVER get i HATE julian barnes
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- Pre Release -- Rach, 06:52:47 06/15/03 Sun
every1 seems to know what they are talking about but i'm totally lost. Some of you have said that AO3 will be of particular importance this year (i know its just a guess). If any of you wouldn't mind sharing any language interpretations, form, structure etc with me plz e-mail me. I don't think the religious element is too important as AQA have choosen not to include the symbollic white butterfly in the text. One word....Desperation!!!!!
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- pre release -- gg, 11:06:55 06/14/03 Sat
can any1 help with how to analyse language, form and structure in extract A and B?
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- English pre-release -- Laura, 10:57:33 06/14/03 Sat
Did no1 hear about the meeting with the examiner that wrote our paper. My english teacher was there and he told us that all he kept drumming on about was genre. So therefore i believe that we will have a question on the way that Barnes expresses the two sub-genres: the novel (extract A) and the essay form (extract B. So mainly concentrating on A03 which is writer's choice. Anybody got any ideas about use of language in either extract? The religous words are obvious.
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- findley -- amanda, 23:41:15 05/27/03 Tue
Everytime i read the wars i come away with a different opinion about whether Robert Ross is a hero or villian
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- Before she met me -- vikas, 11:15:38 05/26/03 Mon
Hello
I am Ph.d student of Indian university. I am doing research on Julian Barnes works. When I have read 'Before she mer me' I have found the word'The Crossed-Eyed Bear' Now please help me to understand the meaning of this word.
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- Summary of England England -- Laura, 14:30:17 12/04/02 Wed
Hi, iam writing an exam in english on England England...i have read the book but feel i have not fully understood the plot and characters....the exam is in 2 days so i dont have time to re-read it...if anyone is willing to give me a brief summary that would be great! thank you so much
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- Help Me (england, england) -- Andreia, 05:27:06 05/18/02 Sat
ok... i'm talking about the quintecenses.. a robin in the snow... why is that a quintecense?? i'm from portugal... i have a week to present my assignment... send the reply to my mail, please... help... is "a robin in the snow" some sort of metaphor???... it's for my degree... it's the only topic left... thanx!
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- Is "A history of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters" a novel???? -- Kat, 05:27:21 03/27/03 Thu
I am...like many of you others doing this for my A level course work peice.
I have mentioned stuff like themes following through the 'novel' and how his ideas form throughout.
I have gone into the aspects of a novel such as autobiographical elements and opinions, narration, haracter development in each chapter resembles a novel...his personal dislike for conclusions and how thats effected the structure of the novel. ummm.....compared it to a style of a critical essay, shortstories, as a historical factual work, etc...
Also compared the themes nd ideas to forsters novel to see how compatable they are.
What else can I say??????
Help me fellow English students....I am in a state of panic!!!!
Thankyou!!!
Kat.
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- The reliability of history -- Alastair, 08:59:53 02/02/03 Sun
hi
I'm doing an A level essay on how Barnes challenges the reliability of history. I have a fair few number of points but would be grateful to any suggestions or ideas that anybody would like to share. Most appreciated. Thanks.
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- Talking it Over and Love etc. -- Jasna Lipuzic, 05:36:03 01/17/03 Fri
Hi!
I have been going through the discussion board and I've found some pretty intersesting topics about Barnes' works. I intend to write a thesis on Talking it Over and Love etc, I'm particularly interested in a narrative techinque he uses in both books.
Last week I posted a message asking whether the books are written in direct address or interior monologue, and Erica was kind enough to reply. However, I'm not sure this (direct address) is the only techique he uses. Couldn't we say that this is a mixture of the latter as well as a dialogue, cross-referentiality and, maybe, even some other techique????? Does anyone know whether there have been any other books published using the same narrative style?
As far as I have come up with, these Barnes' novels are quite innovative in this respect.
I would highly appreciate any comments as well as any other remarks on these two novels you might think may come useful.
Thank you!
Jasna
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- Incorrect Citation -- Michael Englard, 12:28:15 03/04/03 Tue
With regards to published studies of 'England, England', this website cites: 'Nünning, Vera. "The Invention of Cultural Traditions: The Construction and Destruction of Englishness and Authenticity in Julian Barnes' England, England.." Anglia 19(1) (2001): 58-76.'
This is incorrect. The article appears in the 119th edition of Anglia, not in 'Anglia 19(1) (2001)'. Unfortunately, the Cambridge University librarian only discovered this after an hour of trying to hunt down the article.
Excellent website though, keep up the good work.
Regards,
Michael
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- England, England. article -- Lara Epi, 06:52:12 02/28/03 Fri
Hello,
I know that there is only one published article on "England England". The big problem is that the journal in which it is published doesn't exist in Switzerland where I live. So if anyone has it and is willing to photocopy it and send it me, I'll willingly send them what this country is most famous for-no not money or skis, but some nice swiss chocolates to give to your mother or grandmother on her birthday, good bargain???
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- Who is Robeck (Staring at the Sun)? -- Anne, 08:47:42 02/22/03 Sat
help..i'm completely lost with the Barnes reference in Staring at the Sun pg. 166 # 14 "he was a Swedish god, a Robeck".
Who is/was Robeck? surely not the Swedish pentacostal leader..
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- 10 and a half chapters -- Leanne, 08:10:52 02/19/03 Wed
Hi, I'm doing the history of 10 and a half chapters for my a - level coursework which I found a very interstign book to read,I especially like the last chapter. I have to do a transformation of one of the chapters. I have chosen chapter four - 'The Survivor' and I've decided to transform this into a screenplay. I was wondering whether anyone had any useful information about this chapter which I could include in my commentary for my screenplay. Also I know this is highly unlikely but I don't suppose anyone would know a way of contacting julian barnes, like an email address? I would be grateful for any help, thankyou in advance.
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- Theme of perception on past life in 10 1/2 chapters -- Diana, 05:52:16 02/07/03 Fri
I would be very grateful if I could have some insite to perception of past life throughout 10 1/2 chapters, as I am writing an essay concerning this topic for my A-level english literature coursework
Thank you
Diana
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- Barnes Essay -- Michelle, 05:45:55 02/07/03 Fri
I am currently studying the text 10 1/2 Chapters for A-level and completing my coursework piece. I would be gratefull for any help or suggestions for the theme of class and alienation featured in your book. Thankyou. Michelle.
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- History in 10 1/2 Chapters - urgent help sought -- Elliot, 17:03:42 01/29/03 Wed
I am writing an essay for tommorrow morning and am after the quote / phrase that the astronaut uses to the effect of 'you need to travel a long way to see what has been in front of you all along'. I don't have lent my copy of History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters out, and the shops are closed. Many thanks in advance!
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- is it a novel -- olly, 04:59:20 01/20/03 Mon
I am writing a coursework on whether 'a history' is really a novel. Could anyone please help?
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- England England -- camellia, 03:22:20 01/21/03 Tue
I have been preparing my exam (for the past month) in English Cultire which includes Barnes' England England. Tomorrow is my exam and I would like to obtain if possible an explanation of Sir Jack's sexual perversity and what is hidden behind it.
Thank you very much in advance
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- Happy Birthday Julian -- Lisa, 17:21:36 01/19/03 Sun
The members of the reading group Studio Literati would like to wish you a very Happy Birthday...and many more!
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- Talking it Over and Love etc. -- Jasna Lipuzic, 05:25:07 01/17/03 Fri
Hi!
I have been going through the discussion board and I've found some pretty intersesting topics about Barnes' works. I intend to write a thesis on Talking it Over and Love etc, I'm particularly interested in a narrative techinque he uses in both books.
Last week I posted a message asking whether the books are written in direct address or interior monologue, and Erica was kind enough to reply. However, I'm not sure this (direct address) is the only techique he uses. Couldn't we say that this is a mixture of the latter as well as a dialogue, cross-referentiality and, maybe, even some other techique????? Does anyone know whether there have been any other books published using the same narrative style?
As far as I have come up with, these Barnes' novels are quite innovative in this respect.
I would highly appreciate any comments as well as any other remarks on these two novels you might think may come useful.
Thank you!
Jasna
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- Barnes as postmodernist in "A History" - can you call it a "novel" etc - NEED HELP -- ChrisAllan, 13:55:40 02/13/02 Wed
Hi, I'm currently doing my A level courswork - "From a close study of E.M.Forster's 'A Passage to India' and Julian Barnes' 'A History of the World in 10 1/2 chapters' examine the features which make up a novel."
I've got quite a lot about Forster since he wrote an entire book on the novel "Aspects of the novel" (although if anyone knows of some useful stuff on him please point me in the direction), so now I'm moving onto Barnes. I think one of the main elements of my essay is going to be about Forster as a modernist and Barnes as a postmodernist, so if anyone can point me in the direction of interesting/useful articles, or could put forward an interesting point of their own please do so. Something I thought it might be interesting to cover would be the "can you call 'A History' a novel" debate. Also if anyone can think of another area that is particualrly relivant to this essay I'd be interested in hearing it.
Hope I haven't board you to much with my blabbering
Chris Allan
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Replies:
- Love etc -- Jasna Lipuzic, 02:32:44 01/11/03 Sat
Hi!
Can someone tell me whether Taliking it Over and Love etc. are written in the form of a direct address or can we also speak about interior monologue?
Thank you very much!
Jasna
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Replies:
- Flaubert's Parrot quote-- authorship? -- patrice, 20:22:14 01/07/03 Tue
I'm writing an essay and would like to verify a quote that I found in "Flaubert's Parrot." Thanks in advance for any information!
On page 19 of the (paperback) First Vintage International Edition, December 1990, beginning of first new paragraph [this is approximately two-thirds of the way into Chapter 1]:
" 'I am bothered by my tendency to metaphor, decidedly excessive. I am devoured by comparisons as one is by lice, and I spend my time doing nothing but squashing them.' "
Did Flaubert actually write this, and if so where does it appear in his writing?
(Are the quotes in this novel, generally speaking, authentic Flaubert quotes, or did Barnes make some of them up?)
Thanks very much again.
patrice
kayak99@attbi.com
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Replies:
- The Porcupine -- Rajendra Jain, 00:41:17 01/06/03 Mon
I read the book recently. I feel even Mr Milosovic is taking clue from this book in his trial.
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- England England -- camellia, 02:56:16 12/18/02 Wed
To everybody who is interested to offer me information!
My name is Camellia. I am Bulgarian by origin, but I live in Milan, Italy. I follow linguistic studies at the University of Milan and this year we are working on "England England". This work of J.Barnes requires an in-depth analysis as each sentence is full of symbolic significance . I am highly interested to have more critical studies on the book as I need to present it on my exam in English Culture.
Thanking You in advance, I remain in expectation of Your in-time information
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Replies:
- Coursework -- Billy, 04:28:02 12/10/02 Tue
i am doing a piece of coursework on with the title, "The question of whether this is in fact a novel is answered categorically “yes” by the numerous threads that Barnes weaves throughout the text’ What are these connecting threads? How far is ‘A History of the World in 10½ Chapters’ portrayed as a novel because of these? i was wondering if anyone could enlighten me on how i should approach this. thanks
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Replies:
- History of the World -- Tom, 04:22:00 12/10/02 Tue
I am currently doing a coursework piece on how Julian Barnes challenges the reliability in 'a History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters' aside from chapter 1 (the Stowaway) which presents the most obvious challenge can anybody give any suggestions as to anything else in the book or any advice in general. I would be very grateful for any help you could give me.
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- thruthful liar in flauberts parrot -- yasmine Willems, 04:25:15 11/30/02 Sat
Please help me I have to write an essay about chapter 14 and I have to discuss julian barnes being a thruthful liar in this book. I really don't know how to start could anyone help me please.
xxx
yasmine
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- Laura, help -- Sarah, 06:04:17 11/07/02 Thu
Where is that stupid David Ashbridge thing?
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Replies:
- Wonderful...just 10 1/2 Chapters of wonderful wonderfulness -- Elliott C, 05:47:46 11/07/02 Thu
Barnes displays pure brilliance throughout. Big up your self...awesome writing. That is all.
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- Flaubert's parrot -- Bart Hillewaert, 02:15:41 11/05/02 Tue
I'm a Dutch student and I have to write a translation of Flaubert's Parrot into Dutch. There are some things I do not understand completely, propably because of my Dutch background. I wondered whether you could help me out.
Last chapter:
- "shelves running away to the left": what is exactly meant by this?
- "gurgling death": what does this mean?
Thanks in anticipation
Kind regards
barthillewaert@yandex.ru
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- 10 1/2 Chapters -- Jiva Das, 20:23:51 10/26/02 Sat
I've just discovered, or am just discovering Mr Barnes, being halfway through 10 1/2 chapters, and find him stunningly good. I have to wonder, though, about the first story, which is derived from Timothy Findley's "Not Wanted on the Voyage". Barnes ought to have given a note at least, particularly since he acknowledges other sources.
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Replies:
- Metroland Memories.... -- Katy, 08:42:46 10/25/02 Fri
Hello everyone,
I'm a BA Theatre student exploring memory and the methods of storing memories. At the moment I seem to be getting a lot of inspiration from the Julian Barnes novel Metroland so I was just wondering if any of you people would like to add to this topic.
I would also be interested to hear from people who find that they store memories in books (that re-reading a novel brings back memories of the first time you read it - this can be Julian Barnes or any other author...) and other imaginitive ways that you cling on to memory.
You can leave a message here or, preferably, email me at k.ward@dartington.ac.uk
Thanks,
Katy xx
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- Barnes' language -- LEE HYE JIN, 07:31:04 10/02/02 Wed
hello, I'm korean and a student of literature in English.
I'm writing my paper for degree. My this chpter's topic is Barnes' language. In his work, what will be a point in language? if you have any opinion and reference about Barnes' language, please answer it. (I'm dealing his two novel, Flauber's parrot and The world history in 10 and 1/2 chpters) thank you! Have a nice day!
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- Chapter 1 of Flaubert's Parrot -- rishford, 12:18:00 09/23/02 Mon
I don't mean to sound ignorant, but I don't understand Chapter 1's purpose. I ask this, as I have to write an essay on the chapter.
Please help...(by this Wednesday)
Thanks
Rishford
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- "History" resources -- Erica, 07:40:05 09/11/02 Wed
For anyone who even remotely cares, I've reposted my "Study Resources" list for "A History of the World in 101/2 Chapters". I'm only mentioning it here because I've been receiving a few messages lately about obsolete links.
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~ehateley/history.html
Cheers,
Erica
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- test... ignore... -- Rebecca, 05:00:16 08/06/02 Tue
This is just a test guys... ignore it...
~
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Replies:
- "Parenthesis" in a masters degree thesis -- Myrna Navarro, 08:40:03 08/15/02 Thu
Hi, I am a Mexican girl and I love Julian Barnes books, particularly "A history of the world in ten and a half chapters". I am currently studying the Masters degree in Linguistic Applied to Teaching, and I am planning to do a thesis project regarding the acquisition of the semantics of love (from English to Spanish) taking into account Parenthesis. Any ideas about how to carry this project out?
I would really appreciate your help.
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Replies:
- Love is the Strangest Thing -- Masa, 20:47:46 07/17/02 Wed
In England, England, there is a scene in which Martha the girl is sitting on the floor of the kitchen and is listening to songs from the radio. What kind of song is Love is the Strangest Thing? It comes with You're the Top and Night and Day so may be an old popular or jazz song.
Would you tell me anything about the song?
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- Deja Vu? -- Erica, 18:42:15 04/15/02 Mon
I never thought I'D suggest something like this...but does anyone find the following snippet from Barnes' recent "Talk of the Town" piece in *The New Yorker* more than a little reminiscent of a passage from *TIO*?
"The allegorical element is effectively defunct, but
this doesn't mean that the matter should be left to
sea dogs and the gender police. One solution would
be to widen the choice of pronouns. A vessel could
be he, she, or it, according to function or perception. Warships would inevitably be male; so,would powerboats whose prows rise phallically out of the water. Yachts, the Mary Celeste, and any remaining ships of state—like the Bucentaur, in Venice—would remain female. Container ships, car ferries, and other of Bray's "commodities" deserve
no better than neuterdom. And vessels of noxious
cargo, like nuclear waste, or of dubious skipperdom,
like rusting freighters full of duped refugees, might
earn an opprobrious capitalization: It."
I would hate to think that Barnes is sliding into an elderly self-forgetting phase of writing.
**There is a link to this article from Ryan's webpage:
"Pronoun Overboard" The New Yorker (8 April 2002): 32-33. Barnes comments on pronouns and ships in a "Talk of the Town" piece for the magazine. Read the article for a
limited time at: http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/?020408ta_talk_barnes
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Replies:
- Barnes: Brilliantly Uneven -- Harvard, 15:40:03 07/11/02 Thu
Dearest Barnes hagiographers and apologists,
Julian Barnes is a very good writer. But, in my mind, his literary efforts are uneven. I read "Talking it Over," and loved the wit, the pacing, the creativity. I read "Staring at the Sun" and felt that Barnes' motive was to inject some half-baked philisophical thoughts about death versus oblivion into a sketchy and plodding plot about an uninteresting, dim-witted old maid.
"Love Etc" was terrific, although Oliver got on my nerves after a while, which, to me, means Barnes did his job well. I found "England, England" to be boring. I loved "History in 10.5." I am reading "Cross Channel," but believe that it is a microcosm of what you get from Barnes. One story is great, the next is like reading a site-seeing guide written by a verbose blind man with a proclivity for digressing.
I cannot be the only one who feels this way. Perhaps this is the wrong site the express these views. It is like sending anti-Communist literature to Castro.
Yours unflinchingly,
Harvard
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- Before She Me Me -- Julian Barnes Fan, 06:14:53 02/19/02 Tue
I need some help and i hope someone can help me with it.
I an finding work (like a Sclupture Another book a Music song or whatever) That has the same topic as The book
Before She First Met Me. This book is about Graham Obsessed by His wife's paste. When he finds out in books his wife udultery he killes Him and then suicide
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- piece in Granta -- Jackie, 14:05:02 06/25/02 Tue
I just came across Julian Barnes' piece, "The Silence" in issue #76 of Granta and was very taken by it - are there any of his works you could recommend for an amateur reader such as myself?
Thanks you.
-Jackie Corley
www.crazyjackie.com
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Replies:
- Intertextuality.....tell me more -- Alexandru Patilea, 07:55:05 05/23/02 Thu
I baddly seem to need some clues or,even better,some detailed explanations on how J.Barnes's novel FLAUBERT'S PARROT interacts with the works of Flaubert or other novelists.I have identified many intertextual situations myself,but I'm in a certain lack of inspiration right now.I'm also under pressure because I have to study for my final universitary exams.The issue is very important for me,I have to do an essay on this.So,if anyone can help me,please...And it's urgent !
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- Daudet related interview -- Erica, 23:26:29 05/21/02 Tue
Go and check this out: (sorry about the non-hypertext, you'll just have to use the old 'cut & paste' method)
http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/generalfiction/story/0,6000,717909,00.html
Cheers,
Erica
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- Tricks of the trade -- Dr.Fanta, 04:53:59 05/18/02 Sat
In his latest essay-collection "Something to declare" Barnes writes a bit on the tricks of his trade. Modest as he is, he doesn't boast or brag, but does it by the way of an analysis of one of Flaubert's "major minor characters" as the title says. Did anyone look into JB's major minor characters? What about Paul in England, England or Solinski's wife in The Porcupine?
Pano
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- porcupine -- stuart lees, 01:12:56 04/23/02 Tue
The pocuine is a boring book and obviously not one of Barnes most popular books judging by the discussion board. However it has ended up on my british literature course and I would be greatfull for reviews and litery critism articles. I think I will try the history of the world in 10.5 chapters.
appreciate any help.
s.lees
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Replies:
- New Short Story by Julian Barnes in the New Yorker (13 May 2002) -- Ryan, 17:39:39 05/08/02 Wed
Julian Barnes has published a new short story in the May 13, 2002 issue of The New Yorker. You can read the story for a limited time online at their website: http://www.newyorker.com
Enjoy!
Ryan
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Replies:
- Julian Barnes and Graham Swift -- Megan, 23:23:06 05/08/02 Wed
hey everyone. a friend of mine told me that julian barnes and graham swift are friends in real life, and upon reading history of the world in 10 1/2 chapters and waterland, i have found some themes that are very simlilar. does anyone have info on where i can find out more about their friendship, or even common themes you found between both books....one being history, the nature of history, the feeling of cycles, maybe even love...any imput would be awesome. thanks!
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Replies:
- Flaubert's Carrot -- Danny, 15:08:45 11/12/01 Mon
Hey you crazy guys! Basically, I'm studying Flaubert's Carrot for my A2 Levels and need to hand in a chapter by chapter set of notes to my English teacher - Austin. Unfortunately, due to my heavy work load, mainly brought about by other A-level studies, job and seeing the ladies, I have only completed half the notes on the book and so Austin ain't gonna be a happy bunny. I was just wondering if there were any good samaritans out there willing to read the book, make extensive chapter by chapter notes and then post them on the internet all by period 7+8 tomorrow (13th Nov.) when I next have Austin so that i can print it straight off my PC, hand it in and take all the credit for a good completed piece of extensive homework. If anyone could then that would be really appreciated - thanks.
I'd just like to take this opportunity to give a little praise to the author. I'm a great fan of your work, Flaubert's Carrot isn't the only one of your books that I've read - I mean, I've read Madame Bovary for starters - good book. Erm, basically, Geoffrey Braithwaite - I salute you!
Danny
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Replies:
- Interivew with Vanessa Guignery: History in question -- Vicky, 03:01:10 05/12/02 Sun
Where can i get a hold of a copy of this interview:
History in question: Sources 8 (printemps 2000)?
Thanks
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- Julian Barnes complete critical bibliography -- Lidia Vianu, 12:55:32 12/19/01 Wed
I need a list of books -not internet contributions - to recommend to my students, on his work.
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Replies:
- Duffy -- Dick Emery, 11:34:05 03/21/02 Thu
Well I never, Dan Kavanagh a pseudonym for Julian Barnes. Had a feeling it was someone's pseudonym from the biog but my guess of Mike Ripley was way off the money. I've enjoyed the first three books and am saving the last for a long journey or my summer holiday.
C'mon Julian, give us some more.
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Replies:
- England, England -- GMM, 14:03:30 12/12/01 Wed
So I'm trying to write my final paper (due the 19th) on England, England. My ideas are amorphous right now...probably something on listing, history, and the organic (gardening). If anybody could help coalesce my thoughts or suggest anything entirely new, I would appreciate it very very much. Also if anybody has any suggestions on critical work/narratology pieces/etc. that would provide a good framework for a paper on England, England I would appreciate it very much. Love to all those that reply.
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Replies:
- Just who is Julian Barnes? -- Virginia, 16:52:01 03/04/02 Mon
I need to know about Julian Barnes the person. I am chairing a discussion on A History of the World and would like to have some insight into the life of the real Mr. Barnes. Any helpers?
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Replies:
- War Reporting -- Erica, 13:46:07 03/06/02 Wed
Just thought I'd draw people's attention - better late than never - to Barnes' recent retrospective on media coverage of the Falklands "war". There is a link from Ryan's page, or you can go here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4362424,00.html
Put in current international context (especially considering the media coverage we have been receiving in Australia) it goes a long way to showing how often, and how quickly, history repeats. I am talking here in terms of media representation (and misrepresentation), and hopefully this will not stir up any mad political debate, just thought I'd point it out.
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- help with flauberts parrot -- mital, 14:49:08 02/22/02 Fri
hi
pls someone it would be really helpfull if someone helps me with flauberts parrot. i have to write a paper and my thesis is something like this
IN FLAUBERTS PARROT AS BRAITHWATES LIFE MIRRORS THE CHARACTERISTICS OF FLAUBERTS LIFE, AND ONE OF THE MAIN QUEST IN THE BOOK " HOW DO WE SEIZE THE PAST" TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION BRAITHWAITE IS TRYING TO RECONSTRUCT THE PAST THROUGH FLAUBERTS WRITINGS AND MEMOIRS
i need some help in arrangement in this thesis and need some help in writing the paper following this thesis. abt 4 to 5 pages please
please if some one can email me as soon as possible because its due after 2 days and if i can get ur help by tonight(friday) i would be so thankful to u please
thanks so much
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- Over 2 years -- Erica, 21:26:42 10/07/01 Sun
It has now been over 2 years! Does ANYONE know what the hell is going on with this bloody book?
Order Date: July 29, 1999
Order Status: Item(s) not yet shipped
Recipient: Erica Hateley
Shipping Method: Standard International Shipping
(averages 11-16 days)
Items Ordered:
1 of: Language, History, and Metanarrative in the Fiction of Julian Barnes (Studies in Twentieth-Century British Literature, Vol. 3) [Hardcover]
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Replies:
- FP as Modernist Quest? Perhaps Not! -- Erica, 16:38:04 11/21/01 Wed
Hi all, Christoph has sent me the following message:
Hi Erica,
Hey, I've finally managed to read your article - thanks again for
sending. Here's my response. (By the way, I'm sending this to you
personally first, as I wasn't sure if you would mind being criticised
publically - who wouldn't anyway? -... I told you my response would be
"peppered"! ;-))
I found your reading of FP as a modernist text very interesting and
thought-provoking. You argue quite strongly for a development of
creative/artistic individuation to take place in the
protagonist/narrator/author figure Geoffrey Braithwaite. In your
reading FP appears as a (somewhat different) "Künstlerroman", something
like a "Portrait of the Artist as a Country Physician/Amateur
Biographer". Nevertheless, I had the feeling I wasn't really convinced
after I finished reading your article.
Two main points of objection, a minor and a major one: The minor one is
your apparent reduction of the term "modernism" to a certain concept of
the individualistic artist/creative writer. However, the definition of
postmodernism you seem to set against that remains equally vague.
(Okay, I admit both "modernism" and "postmodernism" - the latter even
more so - *are* indeed vague terms.) You use "postmodernism", it
appears to me, chiefly as a synonym for "plurality/-ies". I would
argue, however, that the acknowledgement and (disconcerting) experience
of plurality and fragmentation are concepts also at the very heart of
the modernist project in literature (I'm thinking of Joyce's "Ulysses",
T.S. Eliot's "Wasteland" for example). I suppose what I miss at the
beginning of your article is some attempt to arrive at a sufficiently
clear and contrastive working definition of the terms "modernism" and
"postmodernism". While I was reading your paper, I constantly had the
feeling "I know what she means", but was never really sure about it.
My major point of disagreement, however, is your reading itself as far
as the supposed development of Geoffrey, his creative individuation, is
concerned - although I have to concede this is a point about which
there can be of course very many different opinions (and readings,
correspondingly). You take great effort to show how Geoffrey develops
from a passive collector of Flaubertiana to a creative writer, coming
to terms with Flaubert and his wife alike. I simply fail to see this
development in him. To me he appears as someone who tries out every
possible (and impossible) way of approaching his object, but can never
get to it. You might of course say - as William Bell did in his great
article "Not Altogether a Tomb. Julian Barnes: FP" (1993), in: D.
Ellis, Imitating Art: Essays in Biography, London: Pluto, 1993, pp.
149-73 (do you happen to know that one?) - that Braithwaite manages to
fulfil his project of a Flaubert biography *paradoxically*, namely by
creating a contradictory, "indirect" text about a contradictory,
"indirect" author, i.e. Geoffrey's "other" biography is an
appropriation or assimilation of Flaubert's elusive and repellent
"otherness" as a person and author. (But then again, if the past is so
inaccessible, as Geoffrey implies, how can we be sure in the first
place that he really was so elusive and repellent? Infinite regresses
abide.) Judging from Geoffrey's own (initial) goal of accessing the
truth, however, we can only call his project a failure, and this is
made even clearer by the failure to locate the "true" or "real" parrot.
Truth and meaning are endlessly deferred - the proliferation of parrots
is indeed an allegory Derrida's "différance". And the very last line of
the novel, "Perhaps it [the true/real/authentic parrot] was one of
them", doesn't really appear to me as evidence to the fact that
Geoffrey's quest for truth in the past has become irrelevant to him (as
it had apparently become to his author, who self-confidently claimed to
have "solved the mystery of the parrots" in his essay "The Follies of
Writer Worship"). Although Geoffrey's quest seems futile now, I think
he, obsessed as he is, might not be able to refrain from it. And the
same goes for the quest for the truth about his wife: Indeed, he has
managed to tell her story in the late chapter "Pure Story", but nothing
is solved, no real progress achieved, no real understanding of her
gained.
Where I do however agree with you is the fact that Braithwaite, at the
outset of his two (or three?) quests, comes across as very "modernist":
he is convinced there is indeed a solution to the problem of the two
parrots, and he seems to be equally sure, at least at the beginning,
that an objective, unequivocal biography about Flaubert - the "truth"
about his life and his art - can be achieved and written. In both
quests he fails in my view, and in the third one as well: the truth
about his wife cannot be gained etiher, a full understanding of her
motives and her personality is lost to the pastness of the past. But if
he was a true "modernist", he would deplore his failures and probably
resign to them - or repeat them endlessly, absurdly, nihilistically
like a character in Samuel Beckett. Instead, my "feeling" of Geoffrey
is that he really likes what he does; although he's totally obsessed by
Flaubert, this obsession is not painful to him in the first place, but
creates "jouissance" - to use the poststructuralist/postmodern term.
So now you can get out your sticks and stones... and have a good bash
at me in return! :-)
Cheers,
Christoph
PS: Please let me know if you object to me posting this message on the
board later!
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Replies:
- Guignery Interview with Barnes in Rouen (November 2001) -- Ryan, 20:35:39 01/28/02 Mon
"Julian Barnes in Conversation." Cercles 4 (2002): 255-269. Interview conducted by Vanessa Guignery during a Flaubert's Parrot conference in Rouen, November 2002. Available in .pdf format at: http://www.cercles.com/n4/barnes.pdf
Best,
Ryan
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Replies:
- Help!!! -- Andy, 18:39:08 12/01/01 Sat
Hey!!!
I have to present a 45-50 min seminar on any aspect within the book A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters. Does anybody have any good ideas. I can't think of anything that I would be able to talk that long about.
Thanks for any help.
Andy Paasolinen
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Replies:
- Paris library search -- Barbara, 06:21:29 01/28/02 Mon
My friend is in Paris now and is trying to locate this article for me
"History in question(s): An interview with Julian Barnes."
Conducted and with an introduction by Vanessa Guignery.
Sources 8 (printemps 2000): 59-72.
He hasn't got much time and not a Barnes fan at all(meaning I have to give him detailed instructions if I want to get anything done). So if anyone knows in what library exactly it it is possible to find it or could share it with a Russian postgraduate, I'd be extremely thankful.
Barbara.
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Replies:
- Louise Rimmer mini-interview -- Gooch, 16:40:59 01/23/02 Wed
http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=44002002&rware=PAUBMUFFUYKV&CQ_CUR_D
LOUISE RIMMER: Which books have made you cry and which have made you laugh out loud?
JULIAN BARNES: Books don't make me cry; I don't know why---music, films, theatre can work the trick. Maybe it's different being a writer---part of you is always working out how things are being done. Not that this stops me laughing: Evelyn Waugh, Carl Hiassen, and any volume of Doonesbury.
LOUISE RIMMER: Which literary character would you most want to meet in the flesh?
JULIAN BARNES: None. Literary characters are at their most real on the page, and should stay there; imagine the disappointment of not fancying Emma Bovary, or of finding that Heathcliff had halitosis.
(Imagine the disappointment of not fancying Erica Hately, or of finding that Christoph is in reality a small clump of bathroom shower-tile mold that has somehow managed to gain sentience & mobility & the ability to operate a computer keyboard.)
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Replies:
- Tim Parks -- Ian, 11:09:55 01/21/02 Mon
Thought that some Julian Barnes readers would also be interested in another British author of some repute, Tim Parks. the following website
http://www.geocities.com/timparks1
has a discussion board, links etc. about this author. It is brand new so please forgive the basic design
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Replies:
- questing ... -- amanda, 13:53:56 01/15/02 Tue
hi all,
doing an essay on history of the world... and the theme of quest found within it. my problem is that it seems rather unwieldly, since in each of the chapters the characters appears to be "questing" after something different. parenthesis - the quest to know what love is, its nature, for the woodworm's narratives - the quest for survival and to get 'the truth out" (perhaps also a measure of fame, ha ha). any suggestions on how to deal with this theme in a concise yet thorough manner? also, i have searched sites for any quest related comments from barnes himself, but i couldn't find anything... any inside knowledge..?
much thanks
amanda
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- Edited Intro to *Something to Declare* now online -- Ryan, 21:22:48 01/13/02 Sun
You can now read an online version of Barnes's introduction to his new collection of essays -- linked from the Something to Declare Website.
Enjoy!
Ryan
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- Clive James interviews Julian Barnes for web-TV -- Erica, 19:15:46 01/13/02 Sun
Julian Barnes
Julian Barnes became world famous as the author of Flaubert's Parrot, and has gone on to consolidate his reputation as one of the most subtle writers of his time, both as a novelist and an essayist. Although a star guest on French television, the bilingual author is seldom to be seen on small screens in Britain, because the atmosphere of a standard studio is one he would rather avoid. Talking in the library, he shows us what we have been missing, in a conversation that will fascinate his admirers all over the world.
Watch the preview now: Choose your connection speed: 28-56k 200k
You can find the preview at:
www.welcomestranger.com/html/coming_soon/index.cfm
along with interviews with several ex-pat Aussies and other media types.
It looks like being an interesting interview.
Cheers!
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- New Book of Essays by Julian Barnes - Something to Declare -- Ryan Roberts, 22:56:04 01/04/02 Fri
Julian Barnes's new book Something to Declare is a collection of essays about France. You may order a copy through any online book store serving the United Kingdom. Amazon.co.uk and BOL are just two of the possibilities.
Reviews and information about Something to Declare can be found on the Julian Barnes Website at: http://www.julianbarnes.com/bib/std.html
Enjoy!
Ryan
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Replies:
- Flauberts Parrot -- Nicola, 09:23:16 01/02/02 Wed
Hi!! I am currently studing Flauberts Parrot for my A levels. I have to write a detailed chapter summary for Chapter 8 'The Train Spotters Guide to Flaubert'. I'm having difficulty starting it and would really appreciate some pointers, also some possible essay questions, please help!! Nxx
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- Pessimism -- Claire, 14:07:39 12/01/01 Sat
Hi. As part of my English Lit A2 coursework ive gota write 3000 words under the title of "To what extent do you feel Barnes history of the world is a pessimistic one?". ive written 1500 words but im already staring to sound like the proverbial broken record!! id really appreciate it and be eternally gr8ful if ne1 would share their ideas on the subject with me!!
thanx!
Claire
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Replies:
- comparisons betwwen "Metroland" and "catcher in the Rye" -- Juvenile Delinquentz, 04:22:34 11/28/01 Wed
for my English A level Coursework, I am writing an essay comparing themes of adolescence in "catcher in The Rye" and "Metroland". Can anyone help me??
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Replies:
- Sorbonne conference and discussion with Julian Barnes: -- Erica, 21:01:16 11/12/01 Mon
The Center for Research: "Ecritures du roman contemporain de langue anglaise" (Paris IV-Sorbonne) is having a conference and discussion with Julian Barnes:
Wednesday, November 14, 2001 at 7:00 p.m.
Amphithéâtre Guizot en Sorbonne
For more information: http://www.mshs.univ-poitiers.fr/saes/COLLOQUE4.HTM
*** If anyone attended this, could you PLEASE give us a quick rundown on what happened, was discussed etc.?
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Replies:
- Julian Barnes - England, England -- J Carson, 07:40:06 11/14/01 Wed
I'm looking for any criticism on 'England, England', does anybody know of or have any? If you do, could you mail me, please?
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Replies:
- A levels -- Simo
