≡ [PDF] Nothing to Be Frightened of Julian Barnes 9780099523741 Books

Nothing to Be Frightened of Julian Barnes 9780099523741 Books

Download As PDF : Nothing to Be Frightened of Julian Barnes 9780099523741 Books

Nothing to Be Frightened of Julian Barnes 9780099523741 Books

It is a great ironic work about death. Maybe all of has think about death with fear, some believers count on God at that moment.
I daresay that this is not a work for young people because some aspects of life and death come while ageing. the fact that we lose our parents, how we react.
I enjoyed the book and learned a lot of things further than thinking about death in general and my own.


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Nothing to Be Frightened of Julian Barnes 9780099523741 Books Reviews

I've not always liked Barnes's fiction. Staring at the Sun did little for me and Talking It Over was not my cup of tea. I did enjoy A History of the World in 10-1/2 Chapters. But the book I admired most was his Flaubert's Parrot, a convoluted, sometimes rambling essay on history and writing and Flaubert's life and who knows what else. It was a Diderotian-type essay, than which I can say nothing better. Now Barnes has produced a mate to Parrot, not a match in theme but in approach to writing, and in the quality of his reflections. The theme is the fear of death. Barnes states that he used to be an atheist and is now an agnostic but I can't find the difference between the two in his reflections on life as racing toward (painful, undignified, purposeless and too soon) death. Flaubert wrote (Barnes quotes him) "No sooner do we come into this world than bits of us start to drop off." That's pretty much the theme of much of this exceptionally thoughtful book. The book drips with zingers gently delivered, some from Barnes's own pen, some from others whom he finds sympathetic. Here's Barnes "Religion tends to authoritarianism as capitalism tends to monopoly." And I love this one from Richard Dawkins "When I am dying, I should like my life taken out under general anesthetic, exactly as if it were a diseased appendix." Barnes does not rail against those who disagree with him, as have Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens in recent books. He's never strident, but neither does he accept false comfort. For Barnes, life simply ends and on a cosmic or even historic scale, our lives are insignificant. They're only significant to us, and that is what is tragic about being a temporarily living, strong feeling human being. I can't stop myself from adding one more passage from Barnes. It doesn't illuminate the book's principal preoccupation. It's more in the nature of a by-blow, an extraneous thought tossed off en passage. But I love it! "Writers need certain stock replies for certain stock questions. When asked What The Novel Does, I tend to answer, `It tells beautiful, shapely lies which enclose hard, exact truths.'" Now that's fine writing!
Julian Barnes has been comtemplating his own death for many years. While writing his novels and other works he has kept a journal of occasional thoughts on death and published them here. This is an astonishingly witty book for a morbid subject. Since we all must die perhaps some contemplation is in order. Everyone can draw wisdom and perhaps even solace from this book. Barnes is not a religous man but for the thoughtful religious reader that will not matter. The material is so good that it can entertain and inform anyone.
Julian Barnes is one of the few authors with impeccable prose who can make me laugh out loud. Who would think a soul-searching book of such depth could be so funny? If you have doubts about the afterlife and are looking for comfort, don't read this. If you are looking for a candid, vulnerable examination of our mortality, this is the book for you. Plus it will make you laugh out loud.
Given that I regularly ponder death myself, I picked up this book. It's both insightful and humorous at times. I will admit I had some difficulty getting through, however. Most points of reference were to historical European figures, something I'm just not knowledgeable enough about. The language was also difficult to sift through at times, as the British vernacular differs quite significantly in some areas from standard American stuff that I'm used to. This is no knock on the author, I'm just not schooled enough in European matters to grab everything I should have from this book. All in all, however, I truly enjoyed the read. I would recommend it to anyone else who, at least sometimes, ponders their own death and what that really entails. Do not fret, you are not the first or last person to be puzzled/confused/happy/sad about it.
I don’t know Barnes’ other works, but I loved this book. It is earnest without being sappy, and examines with sensibility how human beings did, and do encounter mortality. My favorite bits are his ruminations on experiencing art and music. Just brilliant.
Love love love Julian Barnes and am still counting on him to assure me about death; however, as soon as I opened this book of essays I was afraid to read it. Don’t think I knew what the book was when I ordered . His novel about the young man and his lifetime obsession with an alcoholic crazy lady was so intense and disturbing that it took awhile to get over. Don’t trust Julian Barnes- he sneaks up on you and grabs you by the throat! I will read this - how can you put aside a book of his, but I’m scared.
This is a book that I have recommended to many of my friends (who, like me, are in the 65+ category). Rarely do I find that I am reading a book written by someone as intelligent as Barnes. Without citing examples because I know that I would do them an injustice, I found more than a few of his thoughts on death to be inspirational. I learned from his book that there is not only nothing to be frightened of, but I no longer need to be frightened of nothing.
It is a great ironic work about death. Maybe all of has think about death with fear, some believers count on God at that moment.
I daresay that this is not a work for young people because some aspects of life and death come while ageing. the fact that we lose our parents, how we react.
I enjoyed the book and learned a lot of things further than thinking about death in general and my own.