‘I didn’t think it was possible to be a novelist’: Julian Barnes on literature, loss – and his late friend Martin Amis

The Booker winning author talks about how his most recent work was inspired by Hilary Mantel, and the way the books world has changed since his debut was published more than 40 years agoToo many people have been dying lately,” Julian Barnes reflects over the phone from his home in north London. He has muted the Test match, he tells me, so he won’t be tempted to shout at the screen. This is a follow-up conversation to a meeting earlier this year to discuss his latest novel, Elizabeth Finch, in which, although unnamed in the book, Hilary Mantel, who died aged 70 last September, played a key part. Barnes’s great friend Carmen Callil, founder of Virago Press, died a month later. “I did adore her,” he says now. And, since we last spoke, Martin Amis has also died, in May.“I knew he didn’t want me to ask him how he was,” Barnes says of his final communications with Amis, who moved to New York in 2011. “So we had a kind of football email exchange: ‘What do you think of Arsenal this season?’ and so on. At the end, I got an email saying, in effect, ‘Look after yourself, old friend.’ I took that as it was intended, which was ‘Goodbye.’” Barnes didn’t email him again. “He did it stylishly, as you would expect,” he says. “Stylishly and privately.” Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2023-09-16 08:00:25 UTC ]
News tagged with: #julian barnes #martin amis #recent work #hilary mantel #books world #north london #key part

Other Publishing stories related to: '‘I didn’t think it was possible to be a novelist’: Julian Barnes on literature, loss – and his late friend Martin Amis'

Making ebooks even more kid-friendly: the Storia reading app from Scholastic

Scholastic's Storia reading app includes many children's titles previously unavailable in ebook format Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ebook format

How To Lose Friends And Alienate Twitter Followers: 5 Stupid Social Media Mistakes

When I interviewed entrepreneur and author Guy Kawasaki recently, I chatted with him at great lengths about his Twitter publishing habits. Take a look at his feed, and every few minutes you'll see a new post, from why videos go viral to Playboy's plans for a strip club. With so much tweeting, I... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2012-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

S&S secures two from debut 'Picoult' novelist

Simon & Schuster has acquired two books from debut novelist Kimberly McCreight in a "... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ss secures #simon schuster

An appreciation: Barney Rosset, contemporary literature's champion

The late American publisher Barney Rosset led the charge to push back against literary puritanism, championing writers like Henry Miller and William S. Burroughs.Barney Rosset, who died Tuesday at the age of 89, was the most important American publisher of the 20th century. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-02-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #contemporary literature #push back #championing writers #henry miller #died tuesday #20th century

Barnes & Noble offers to repartition Nook Tablet storage, concedes you may need more than 1GB

Are you one of the many infuriated with Barnes & Noble over how it partitioned the storage on the Nook Tablet -- leaving you just 1GB for you own files? Well, it looks like the company has learned from its mistakes. While only about 5GB is free to load with apps and media on the new 8GB... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-02-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #internal storage #barnes noble #angry birds

Select committee hears of librarian job loss toll

Research by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) has... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #chartered institute

Barnes & Noble Announces $199 Nook

Barnes & Noble is fighting fire with fire. The book retailer Tuesday morning debuted a new version of its Nook tablet that matches Amazon's Kindle Fire in price and memory. The new device is identical in form to its predecessor, except with 8 gigabytes of storage and a $199 price tag. Barnes... Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2012-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #nook tablet #kindle fire #barnes noble #improved sales

Tulisa turns novelist for Headline

Headline has secured world rights to an autobiography and two novels by N-Dubz and “X-... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Irish arm of Waterstones reveals pre-takeover losses

Waterstones in Ireland made a loss after tax of €12.9m up to April last year, as sales... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

VIDEO: Amazon expects low growth for late 2011

Amazon has been pushing into new markets with products like the Kindle ebook, but investors are worried that the expansion is coming at the expense of profits. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2012-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle ebook

Barnes & Noble, Taking On Amazon in the Fight of Its Life

As Barnes & Noble fights for its future, the publishing industry is holding its breath. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2012-01-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #barnes noble #publishing industry

Barnes and Noble: Nook is doing so well that it can be spun off

National bookstore chain Barnes and Noble announced on Thursday that is considering a spin-off of its digital content business surrounding the Nook ebook software platform and its related hardware. The company says the Nook digital business is expanding so strongly that it could be separated... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2012-01-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #nook business #business units #ve built #william lynch

Barnes & Noble Shops Publisher

Barnes & Noble Inc. has put its Sterling Publishing business up for sale, say people familiar with the situation, signaling a likely end to its decades-long involvement in the publishing of its own books. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2012-01-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #barnes noble #people familiar