Julian Barnes' Levels of Life

[colinp]

Finished Barnes' new book earlier today, Levels of Life. Similarly short as Sense, but more beautifully written and affecting in my opinion.

I picked up the UK edition, not sure whether it's out in the US yet. Anyone else read it?

[tberton]

I saw it in a bookstore today (in Toronto). I considered picking it up, but I've got too much else ahead of it on my reading list. I'll probably get it eventually though, since I loved The Sense of an Ending.

[colinp]

Yeah, it's quite different from Sense in that its (partially) a memoir. The blurb on the book says it best:

"Julian Barnes's new book is about ballooning, photography, love and grief; about putting two things, and two people, together, and about tearing them apart."

Wonder whether the US release will have Barnes' or Barnes's, hah!

[nkeirle]

Massively late to the party, I know, but I picked this up on a whim a few months ago and it hit me hard. I was amazed with Barnes' ability to write a book with three such radically different sections (a brief history of ballooning, a fictionalised account of a bohemian affair, and an account of Barnes' own grief at the death of his wife), and not only make each part individually beautiful, but somehow weave them all together to make a greater statement about life.

 

Need to form a book club just so I can get more people to read this.

[colinp]

Yes! So glad you agree! Shit, I was getting depressed since everyone ignored it. Such a great read! In fact, I might read it again after I finish my current book because I cannot remember enough to talk eloquently about it.

[osmosisch]

I hate seeing all these threads about great-sounding books that then turn out to only be available in hardcover

[nkeirle]

Yeah, that does suck. But it's a pretty tiny book, so even with the hardcover it's not bulky or anything.