Through the Window

Through the Window
Julian Barnes

It’s becoming increasingly rare for novelists to also write literary criticism, which is all the more reason to celebrate it when it’s done well. Julian Barnes, winner of last year’s Man Booker Prize for The Sense of an Ending, is one of the best: an old-fashioned book lover, a well-read and observant reader, and master of a clear, expressive critical style. These essays mainly examine classic and contemporary English and French authors, but whatever the subject being addressed Barnes is always informative, entertaining and accessible.