without being overly grim. Your vivid review makes me want to read this novel as well. Barnes is clearly in a very valedictory mood at this moment and I hope this won't prevent him from writing more novels which engage with the present. As someone of the same post war generation I agree we're entering an age of reflection and summary but I'm hopeful there's still time for more adventures too.. Lee, Mary: My aversion to memoirs means that I have not read Nothing To Be Frightened Of -- I'd have to think that there are similarities with this novel (valedictory is a good description, Mary). While I have read four or five Barnes previously, none were recent and while I recognize the titles I don't remember the books. He's one of those authors whom I pick up on the basis of name recognition and book cover design, enjoy the read but don't really store it for contemplation. I will with this one -- I suspect at least one judge will be arguing for it but both lengthy and demography may be an issue when it comes to winning the Prize. Yes it would probably be the shortest ever Booker winner, wouldn't it? And a great signal to hopefully reverberate -- big doesn't necessary equal good etc. It's a fair point that I hadn't given enough consideration to and I daresay that might be crucial. While I shouldn't be attributing personality to the jury, I can't help but speculate that