Desert Island Discs Julian Barnes
9 snips
Jan 28, 1996 
Julian Barnes, an acclaimed British novelist known for works like Flaubert's Parrot, dives deep into his literary passions and personal reflections. He shares his love for Gustave Flaubert and the joys of writing, while also discussing his Leicester City fandom. The conversation touches on his fears about death, exploring how it influences his work. Barnes vividly recalls his upbringing and the paths that led him to writing, emphasizing the interplay of love and mortality in his stories.
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Interviews Oversimplify Books
- Julian Barnes finds interviews uncomfortable because they invite false intimacy and oversimplification of books.
- He insists the meanings and answers are in the books, not in interview summaries.
Unexpected Path To Writing
- Barnes recounts he didn't always intend to be a writer and was raised in a book-respecting household where practising the arts wasn't obvious.
- He studied French and Russian and became a Francophile, citing French culture as key intellectual reference points.
First Novel Took Eight Years
- Barnes says Metroland took eight years because he lacked self-confidence and didn't feel justified as a novelist.
- Winning the Somerset Maugham Prize boosted his confidence and led to regular publishing.
