London Review of Books Limited Edition

Julian Barnes's new book Levels of Life will be issued in a limited edition by the London Review Bookshop. This is an exclusive limited first edition of Levels of Life, signed before publication by the author and published in association with Jonathan Cape.

There are 50 copies only (plus 3 hors commerce), 35 of which have been quarter-bound in Harmatan Black fine leather and Duo Linde cloth sides with letterpress label and endpapers on green Bugra Bütten paper, and numbered 1 to 35. 15 copies have been fully bound in the same leather and numbered i to xv. All copies have green and white head and tail bands and are contained in suedel-lined slipcases.

Please visit the Julian Barnes Website for ordering information.

Julian Barnes Awarded the European Literature Prize

Julian Barnes's novel Alsof het voorbij is (Atlas), translated from English by Ronald Vlek, has been selected as the winner of the European Literature Prize. The prize goes to both the author and the translator of the best European novel to appear in Dutch translation in 2011. The prize will be presented on Saturday 1 September during Manuscripta in Amsterdam.

The jury on The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes and its Dutch translation by Ronald Vlek: The jury was composed of:

A novel that is as calm as it is disturbing, as melancholy as it is comical, a novel that can be read on several levels: as a personal outpouring, an account by a man wishing to clear his name, or an assault on the power of memories. A novel that makes the reader doubt everything he thinks he knows about himself. Translator Ronald Vlek not only manages to transform the narrators language into perfect, measured Dutch, he is remarkably successful in capturing Barnes undertone. He meticulously transforms the restrained, sometimes evasive sentences, the lucid images and carefully chosen words into Dutch without ever allowing them to lose any of their connotations

The jury was composed of:

* Frans Timmermans, chairman; member of the Lower House, former Secretary of State for European Affairs
* Joost de Vries; writer and literary critic for De Groene Amsterdammer
* Ton Naaijkens; professor of translation studies, Utrecht University
* Herm Pol; Athenaeum Booksellers, Amsterdam
* Monique van Oosterhout; Van Gennep Booksellers, Rotterdam

The longlist was chosen by eleven independent bookshops. The professional jury then selected the shortlist and the winner.
The European Literature Prize is an initiative of the Academic-Cultural Centre SPUI25, the Dutch Foundation for Literature, the weekly magazine De Groene Amsterdammer and Athenaeum Booksellers.

Julian Barnes -- A Life with Books

Julian Barnes has written a pamphlet titled A Life with Books, an essay specially commissioned for Independent Booksellers Week. The pamphlet will be supplied exclusively to independent bookshops with all proceeds to benefit Freedom from Torture.

In the essay, Julian Barnes writes about his early awareness of books and about his obsessive book-collecting and time spent in second-hand bookshops around the country. He ends by praising the physical book and expressing the confident hope that it will survive.

A Life with Books is published as a pamphlet, with cover art by Suzanne Dean, the renowned designer responsible for the cover of Julian Barnes’ Man Booker-winning The Sense of an Ending.

Publication date is set for 28th June 2012. Please support your local booksellers during Independent Booksellerss Week.

Previously Unseen Extract from Julian Barnes's Novel England, England

The Library Book aids The Reading Agency’s library programmes -- From Alan Bennett's Baffled at a Bookcase, to Lucy Mangan's Library Rules, famous writers tell us all about how libraries are used and why they're important. Tom Holland writes about libraries in the ancient world, while Seth Godin describes what a library will look like in the future. Lionel Shriver thinks books are the best investment, Hardeep Singh Kohli makes a confession and Julie Myerson remembers how her career began beside the shelves. Using memoir, history, polemic and some short stories too, The Library Book celebrates 'that place where they lend you books for free' and the people who work there. All royalties go to The Reading Agency, to help their work supporting libraries.

Julian Barnes contributes a previously unseen extract from his novel England, England, and Stephen Fry asks, ‘have you heard of Oscar Wilde?’

For the press release, please visit the Reading Agency's website. You may also purchase online.

Julian Barnes on Sibelius's Home, Ainola

 Julian Barnes explores the house where Sibelius lived, died, wrote much of his music -- and spent decades not writing, or not publishing ...

"Where Sibelius Fell Silent." More Intelligent Life January/February 2012.
From the Article:

"There are two famous silences in the history of classical music: those of Rossini and Sibelius. Rossini’s, which lasted nearly 40 years, was a worldly, cosmopolitan silence, much of it spent in Paris, during which time he co-invented tournedos Rossini. Sibelius’s, which lasted nearly 30 years, was more austere, self-punishing and site-specific; and whereas Rossini finally yielded again to music, writing the late works he referred to as “the sins of my old age”, Sibelius was implacable. He fell silent, and remained silent."

Barnes also wrote a piece for More Intelligent Life in 2008 about the Museo Mandralisca in Cefalu, Sicily:

"Julian Barnes Is Very Fond of an Unknown Man."

Julian Barnes at Sibelius's home

Julian Barnes Wins the 2011 Man Booker Prize

Julian Barnes has been named the winner of this year's Man Booker Prize for Fiction for The Sense of an Ending, published by Jonathan Cape, Random House Canada, and Alfred A. Knopf.

Barnes has been shortlisted three times previously for Arthur and George (2005), England, England (1998) and Flaubert's Parrot (1984).

The story of a man coming to terms with the mutable past, Julian Barnes's The Sense of an Ending is laced with his trademark precision, dexterity and insight. It is the work of one of the world's most distinguished writers.

Tony Webster and his clique first met Adrian Finn at school. Sex-hungry and book-hungry, they navigated the girl drought of gawky adolescence together, trading in affectations, in-jokes, rumour and wit. Maybe Adrian was a little more serious than the others, certainly more intelligent, but they swore to stay friends forever. Until Adrian's life took a turn into tragedy, and all of them, especially Tony, moved on and did their best to forget.

Now Tony is in middle age. He's had a career and a marriage, a calm divorce. He gets along nicely, he thinks, with his one child, a daughter, and even with his ex-wife. He's certainly never tried to hurt anybody. Memory, though, is imperfect. It can always throw up surprises, as a lawyer's letter is about to prove. The unexpected bequest conveyed by that letter leads Tony on a dogged search through a past suddenly turned murky. And how do you carry on, contentedly, when events conspire to upset all your vaunted truths?

Available from Jonathan Cape, Random House Canada, Alfred A. Knopf, Waterstones.co.uk, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.com, BN.com, or a variety of Independent Booksellers.

The Sense of an Ending: Signed, Limited Edition from London Review Bookshop

The London Review Bookshop is offering a signed, limited first edition of The Sense of an Ending, published in association with Jonathan Cape, comprising 100 copies, 75 of which have been quarter-bound in Tusting Chestnut fine grain leather with Rainforest cloth sides, numbered 1 to 75, and 25 copies fully bound in the same leather, numbered i to xxv. All books have head and tail bands, brushed green tops and green Bugra Pastell endpapers, and are housed in suedel-lined slipcases.

Edition of 75: £150 (£170 after 4 August)
Edition of 25: £260 (£280 after 4 August)

For ordering information, please consult the promotional flyer.