The Sense of an Ending

Iain H. McLean
Sep 4, 2018 · 2 min read
  • Julian Barnes

How often do we tell our own life story? How often do we adjust, embellish, make sly cuts? And the longer life goes on, the fewer are those around to challenge our account, to remind us that our life is not our life, merely the story we have told about our life. Told to others, but — mainly — to ourselves.

Haven’t read The Sense of an Ending? It’s a really good book that sucks you in and is a winner of the Man Booker Prize.

Applaud for a few great words from Julian Barnes.

the sense of an ending by julian barnes
the sense of an ending by julian barnes
The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

There are meta-cognitive references by the narrator correlating his life to that of a character in a novel. That jarred my reading but the device is dropped as the story begins to unfold. Well worth a weekend reading.


A Few Great Words posts examples of great writing. Nothing more. No rationales, no critiques, no synopses, no reviews. Just a few great words.

It’s a commonly held belief that to improve your ability in a chosen discipline you should surround yourself with those who excel at it. Without having to read the entire book, A Few Great Words highlights passages that capture the skill and dexterity of the best writers in the business. Emulate them or read them in-depth. The choice is yours.

How to write great fiction: excerpts of prize winning novels, critically acclaimed books, classics and genre fiction. Various styles but each made me want to be a better writer. Learn from the best. A Few Great Words. Exceptional writing. Nothing more.

Iain H. McLean

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