Julian Barnes, Nothing to be Frightened Of

Sue Sorensen (Canadian Mennonite University)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.09: English Writing and Culture: Postwar and Contemporary Britain , 1945-present.
Vol. editors: Kerry Myler (Newman University), Jenni Ramone (The Nottingham Trent University)

Dates

First circulation or publication 2008

Places

England (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Non-Fiction
- Memoir

Resources

This 2008 book-length essay about death is typically, for Julian Barnes, indeterminate in genre. Although Barnes insists it is not autobiography, it contains ample investigation into the lives of his parents and the facts of his upbringing, and, while he devotes a good deal of space to theological questions, much of the memorable material in Nothing to Be Frightened Of involves his subtle probing of what it means to be a novelist. Barnes is known for the precision and elegance of his writing, as well as for his wit; these elements are in evidence here, although the journal-like character of the book means that in manner it is more tentative and grim than Barnes enthusiasts might expect. Ultimately, Nothing to Be Frightened Of</…

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1205 words

Citation: Sorensen, Sue. "Nothing to be Frightened Of". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 19 September 2014 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=23817, accessed 26 November 2024.]

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