Skip to main content

Book Review

‘The Sense of an Ending’ by Julian Barnes, recent Man Booker Prize Winner 2011.


An evenly balanced social critique of modern Britain dated to the turn of the millennium. The story is interesting and narrated by the protagonist as a kind of memoir, it is reminiscent of teenage frolics come back to haunt. There is no mention of church-going or of rotisserie chicken which are poignant to the sartorial nature of the piece; it is set comfortably in the middle-class Britain known to Bristol University graduates, the main character is depraved. The fact that a 2:1 degree class is so pertinent to the story is a clear indicator the author has used his poetic licence judiciously. What this book says to me that if one of the characters was black, it would have been mentioned explicitly in the text but no one says anything about non-English mixed race people as it is really obvious they are white. In all a challenging rather than comfortable evening’s worth of reading that leaves a feeling which Paracetamol can’t cure, it’s a bit like the druggie side-effect of a strong dose of Paracetamol.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Criticism for the Tory Government in Britain

My criticism for Jacob Rees-Mogg and the Conservative Party would be from a financial perspective; the Tories have been poor on cost control and paying off stakeholders: extravagant wages and unpaid benefits bills. There have been no real compensation cases for human rights linked to the British education and qualifications system which is indicative of systemic failure at the grassroots. This means that there is a lack of opportunity for British people to do the work that they want to do; they are not being acknowledged. And a phoney social mobility scheme is propagating due to corporate culture being given precedence over British culture in public life.. I think the outlook could be negative for British finances with another credit rating downgrade for the UK, perhaps by two notches! My point is that it's the EU Pinkerton Agents getting the better of Tory government with Donald Tusk lording it over you from his office of power in the EU you won't get treated better in Europ…
Post a Comment
Read more

Housing Needs in House Search for Asperger’s Diagnosis

Essential requirements: ·Quiet away from traffic and flight path ·South facing windows for sunshine in the morning ·Triple glazing and proper A rated insulation ·Hedge and fence around property to block pollution A detached 2-bedroom property, 2 bathroom, 2 storey with attic and basement, study, dinning room, living room and kitchen with utility room, garage and small lawn all around property. Looking for something on a 10x10m plot with house on 8x8 m plan.

Things requested: ·Shower and a bath ·Air conditioning system with air filtration ·Tennis or squash court ·Swimming pool ·Vegetable garden ·Conservatory ·Solar panels ·UPS (uninterrupted power supply) device and battery backup ·22 foot high ceilings ·Detailed plastered finish ceiling ·Fireplace ·Security/blackout shutters ·Roof balcony
Post a Comment
Read more

Camden Crescent and Hedgemead Park

Here are my thoughts: Did you know that Camden Crescent, originally Camden Place and Upper Camden Place (which is now round the corner) was named after the Earl of Camden, Charles Pratt, who was Chancellor of the Exchequer so sponsored the scheme with his symbol on every door and crest of the exchequer on the decoration at the centre of the crescent? Charles Pratt was actually lord of Camden Place in Chislehurst in Kent. He was mates with William Pitt the Elder from Eton and Cambridge days. It was built 1788-1792 by John Eveleigh the architect.  One third of the 22 house crescent collapsed during a landslip which claimed 136 houses on the slopes of Lansdown Hill leading to the creation of Hedgemead Park below Camden Crescent. John Eveleigh was notoriously bankrupted in Bath, being called to the coffee shop in the Bath Chronicle by his creditors. Earl Camden was famous for supporting Fox’s Libel Act of 1792 which said that libel should be tried as murder with a jury regarding the poin…
Post a Comment
Read more