“(on grief) And you do come out of it, that’s true. After a year, after five. But you don’t come out of it like a train coming out of a tunnel, bursting through the downs into sunshine and that swift, rattling descent to the Channel; you come out of it as a gull comes out of an oil-slick. You are tarred and feathered for life.”

English essayist, novelist and short story writer

Julian Barnes is an English essayist, novelist, and short story writer. He is known for work that moves across fiction and essays, with a style that has made him a notable presence in contemporary English literature. His writing spans novels, short stories, and nonfiction essays, showing a range that has kept him widely read. On this site he is represented by 140 quotes, reflecting the reach of his work and the enduring interest in his prose.