Arthur And George - Julian Barnes

This is the tenth novel from Julian Barnes, known for being a rather literary author (who has also written some crime fiction books under a pseudonym). This book was short listed for the Man Booker prize and the Dublin Literary Award. Having previously read and enjoyed his novel ‘A History of the World in 10½ chapters’ I was keen to read this when it was selected as a book group choice. The premise ‘Arthur and George’ tells the story of the lives of two very different men: Arthur Conan-Doyle (yes, that one, the one who wrote about that famous detective) and George Edalji. (I know. Who?) It is ... more

When I read "Flaubert's Parrot" I vowed never to read a book by Julian Barnes. I hated the boring and seemingly random sequence of anecdotes about a writer who should have been interesting but, somehow, was reduced to commonplace and humdrum. Notwithstanding my disapproval Barnes, famously Martin Amis' snooker buddy and a prominent member of the generation of new British novelists who surfaced in the late seventies, has been successful at the cerebral end of the modern English novel. However having made a sort of resolution to read all the 2005 Booker shortlist, and seen to my horror his name ... more

I am very much a creature of habit when it comes to book reading. I know which genres I like and very rarely stray from them. You will never see me indulging in some horror, cheap tacky romance or crime. So what happens when it is difficult to pigeon hole a book into a specific genre? This was the case when I bought Arthur and George by Julian Barnes. The Booker Prize nominated Arthur and George is a funny beast. It is a faction (fiction based on a true story) twin biography with elements of a detective novel and just a little bit of romance thrown in for good measures. The book is set mostly ... more

This was one of those books which sat unread on my bookshelf for quite some time - I'm not sure why I avoided it for so long, because it's a great read. Julian Barnes is, of course, the author of a number of acclaimed books, including most recently the Booker-winning A Sense Of An Ending. He has also written crime fiction under the pseudonym Dan Kavanagh. Arthur and George - also Booker-shortlisted - was published in 2005. It's hard to say too much about the plot without spoiling it; however, I don't think it's giving away too much to say that the "Arthur" of the title is Arthur Conan Doyle ... more

I decided to read this book to help my sister who has to read it for a book club. As a previous reader of Barnes, I felt she might need the help! On reading the back of this book, I was half-expecting a dry story about a young man, George, who was convicted of a series of crimes during the late 19th, early 20th century, with the inclusion of a slightly better positioned young man, Arthur. This book is so much more than that. Quite early on I realised I was going to have read it in a few days, and just couldn't put it down. Barnes has a fascinating way of immersing you in people's lives that ... more