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Flaubert's Parrot / A History of the World in 10½ Chapters
An Everyman's Library hardcover omnibus edition of two of the Booker Prize-winning author's earliest and most admired novels, neither of which has been available in hardcover for more than two decades. With full-cloth binding, a silk ribbon marker, a chronology, and a new introduction.
Flaubert's Parrot , Julian Barnes's breakthrough book—shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1984—is the story of Geoffrey Braithwaite, a retired doctor who is obsessed with the French author and with tracking down a stuffed parrot that once inspired him. Barnes playfully combines a literary detective story with a character study of its detective, embedded in a brilliant riff on literary genius. A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters is a mix of fictional and historical narratives of voyage and discovery—ranging from a woodworm's perspective on Noah's ark to a survivor from the sinking of the Titanic —that question our ideas of history. One of his most inventive works, it was praised by Salman Rushdie as "frequently brilliant, funny, thoughtful, iconoclastic, and a delight to read."
Flaubert's Parrot , Julian Barnes's breakthrough book—shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1984—is the story of Geoffrey Braithwaite, a retired doctor who is obsessed with the French author and with tracking down a stuffed parrot that once inspired him. Barnes playfully combines a literary detective story with a character study of its detective, embedded in a brilliant riff on literary genius. A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters is a mix of fictional and historical narratives of voyage and discovery—ranging from a woodworm's perspective on Noah's ark to a survivor from the sinking of the Titanic —that question our ideas of history. One of his most inventive works, it was praised by Salman Rushdie as "frequently brilliant, funny, thoughtful, iconoclastic, and a delight to read."
- GenresFictionLiterature
448 pages, Hardcover
Published October 2, 2012
2 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
About the author
Julian Barnes
156 books6,810 followersJulian Patrick Barnes is an English writer. He won the Man Booker Prize in 2011 with The Sense of an Ending, having been shortlisted three times previously with Flaubert's Parrot, England, England, and Arthur & George. Barnes has also written crime fiction under the pseudonym Dan Kavanagh (having married Pat Kavanagh). In addition to novels, Barnes has published collections of essays and short stories.
In 2004 he became a Commandeur of L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. His honours also include the Somerset Maugham Award and the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize. He was awarded the 2021 Jerusalem Prize.
In 2004 he became a Commandeur of L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. His honours also include the Somerset Maugham Award and the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize. He was awarded the 2021 Jerusalem Prize.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 30, 2025
A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters by Julian Barnes
10 out of 10
Some critics have not been overwhelmed by a book that the undersigned finds exhilarating, while others have been enthused; sometimes the same media outlet had both skeptics – Jonathan Coe – and admirers, as it happened with The Guardian, which has included the work on its list of 1,000 Novels Everyone Must Read:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/200...
The Ten and a Half Chapters are often amusing, hence, the inclusion on the aforementioned list in the section named comedy, but there is also tragedy in most if not all of them, beginning with a jocular take on Noah and his ark, in the first part called The Stowaway.
The woodworm that has the role of narrator ridicules Noah and his drinking problem, speaking of the impure; those who were not taken on board or chose to die when told they could only take one mate and not the family.
One of the most depressing, upsetting chapters is Three Simple Stories, which details the plight of hundreds of Jewish refugees, who had paid outward and return fare – even if they were not going to return to Germany – bribed the Cuban representative, only to be refused access to Havana, where they had planned to find refuge from the Nazi persecution and death.
The Cuban leader did not share in the bribe and thus established a further fee of $ 500 for each Jewish passenger, in order to be granted passage, perhaps the equivalent of ten thousand or more in the currency of this day, while others asked for about the same amount.
The unfortunate refugees had to return to Europe eventually, where some countries offered to take some of them and thus their eventual fate would depend on where these lands were situated – some had been taken in by Belgium and therefore found themselves in the hands of the Nazis, while those who could sail to Great Britain would be spared.
Chapter eight, Upstream!, has a more jocular tone, referring to a subject that by coincidence has made the headlines in the past few days – an American, apparently a Christian missionary, has tried to meet with the members of the only pre- Neolithic tribe left in the world, only to be killed with arrows, provoking a debate over the issue of protected tribes and interacting with them.
In the masterpiece of Julian Barnes, an actor writes to his lover back home about the experiences he has while they film in the jungle, using members of a tribe that are baffled by their encounter with the strangers – they had had a similar interaction, many years back, when missionaries had come to their region.
The Indians are puzzled by the actors, who seem to be other people, when they dress in their costumes and are treated as other persons by the indigenous population who is also very worried when, according to the script, one character in the film attacks another – the Indians become aggressive towards the villain and compassionate for the victim…it can make one think of The Mission, with Robert de Niro and Jeremy Irons.
In The Visitors, a horrific episode, perhaps based on the Achille Lauro tragedy, depicts the attack of terrorist, who board a cruise ship, kidnapping the passengers, using them for an exchange they intended, in order to force Western countries to liberate other murderers and shooting innocent people, when their preposterous demands are not met.
Another disaster at sea is inspired by The Raft of the Medusa, painted by Gericault, speculating on the fate of the men who find themselves on a raft, at sea, without food, resorting to eating human flesh, fighting with each other after they drink the alcohol they have with them, to be eventually saved at the last minute, when the last ones would have died without the providential ship sailing near them.
Two chapters have in common the trips made to the supposedly sacred mountain of Ararat, where Noah’s Ark might be found – if you believe in the story, literally – one of the expeditions is initiated by an astronaut, after he allegedly hears God telling him to embark on this project, while he is out in space – the narrative mentions the fact that those who have left the earth have had some bizarre attitudes after they returned.
One of the personal favorites is the last – but not least – part of book, entitled The Dream and appearing to describe people, events taking place in Heaven – the new version of it – where the protagonist meets various personalities we expect to find there, from Queen Victoria to President Kennedy, Marylyn Monroe, Churchill, Shakespeare but then some who should not be: Stalin, Mao, Marx and finally Hitler.
In this Attractive Paradise, the hero can eat breakfast for lunch and dinner, sausages taste…divine, he miraculously finds that Leicester City has won the cup – published in 1989, this work makes an interesting prophecy, for this team would win the championship, when the odds were something like five thousand against it.
The sex seems to be divine – what else – even if at one point, we are reminded of Groundhog Day, in the sense that the golf improves “no end” and with the impression of déjà vu, and no improvement to look for, perfection can become boring and explains the fact that in this version of paradise, people ask to die at a certain stage.
When discussing the issue, the visitor finds that there is no hell- well, there is a “theme park” attraction, for a “good scare” – which is why they have the likes of Hitler around, in tis “democratic heaven, where they do not impose heaven on people anymore”, the old heaven “with harps” is gone, people were not interested in it anymore…
It is extremely mirthful to hear that this New Age Dante asks about seeing Jesus and the hosts say that they must see about that, and then he has all the possible experiences, travelling in the jungle, encountering all the footballers, falling in love a few times and eventually being puzzled by the question:
Where is god?
10 out of 10
Some critics have not been overwhelmed by a book that the undersigned finds exhilarating, while others have been enthused; sometimes the same media outlet had both skeptics – Jonathan Coe – and admirers, as it happened with The Guardian, which has included the work on its list of 1,000 Novels Everyone Must Read:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/200...
The Ten and a Half Chapters are often amusing, hence, the inclusion on the aforementioned list in the section named comedy, but there is also tragedy in most if not all of them, beginning with a jocular take on Noah and his ark, in the first part called The Stowaway.
The woodworm that has the role of narrator ridicules Noah and his drinking problem, speaking of the impure; those who were not taken on board or chose to die when told they could only take one mate and not the family.
One of the most depressing, upsetting chapters is Three Simple Stories, which details the plight of hundreds of Jewish refugees, who had paid outward and return fare – even if they were not going to return to Germany – bribed the Cuban representative, only to be refused access to Havana, where they had planned to find refuge from the Nazi persecution and death.
The Cuban leader did not share in the bribe and thus established a further fee of $ 500 for each Jewish passenger, in order to be granted passage, perhaps the equivalent of ten thousand or more in the currency of this day, while others asked for about the same amount.
The unfortunate refugees had to return to Europe eventually, where some countries offered to take some of them and thus their eventual fate would depend on where these lands were situated – some had been taken in by Belgium and therefore found themselves in the hands of the Nazis, while those who could sail to Great Britain would be spared.
Chapter eight, Upstream!, has a more jocular tone, referring to a subject that by coincidence has made the headlines in the past few days – an American, apparently a Christian missionary, has tried to meet with the members of the only pre- Neolithic tribe left in the world, only to be killed with arrows, provoking a debate over the issue of protected tribes and interacting with them.
In the masterpiece of Julian Barnes, an actor writes to his lover back home about the experiences he has while they film in the jungle, using members of a tribe that are baffled by their encounter with the strangers – they had had a similar interaction, many years back, when missionaries had come to their region.
The Indians are puzzled by the actors, who seem to be other people, when they dress in their costumes and are treated as other persons by the indigenous population who is also very worried when, according to the script, one character in the film attacks another – the Indians become aggressive towards the villain and compassionate for the victim…it can make one think of The Mission, with Robert de Niro and Jeremy Irons.
In The Visitors, a horrific episode, perhaps based on the Achille Lauro tragedy, depicts the attack of terrorist, who board a cruise ship, kidnapping the passengers, using them for an exchange they intended, in order to force Western countries to liberate other murderers and shooting innocent people, when their preposterous demands are not met.
Another disaster at sea is inspired by The Raft of the Medusa, painted by Gericault, speculating on the fate of the men who find themselves on a raft, at sea, without food, resorting to eating human flesh, fighting with each other after they drink the alcohol they have with them, to be eventually saved at the last minute, when the last ones would have died without the providential ship sailing near them.
Two chapters have in common the trips made to the supposedly sacred mountain of Ararat, where Noah’s Ark might be found – if you believe in the story, literally – one of the expeditions is initiated by an astronaut, after he allegedly hears God telling him to embark on this project, while he is out in space – the narrative mentions the fact that those who have left the earth have had some bizarre attitudes after they returned.
One of the personal favorites is the last – but not least – part of book, entitled The Dream and appearing to describe people, events taking place in Heaven – the new version of it – where the protagonist meets various personalities we expect to find there, from Queen Victoria to President Kennedy, Marylyn Monroe, Churchill, Shakespeare but then some who should not be: Stalin, Mao, Marx and finally Hitler.
In this Attractive Paradise, the hero can eat breakfast for lunch and dinner, sausages taste…divine, he miraculously finds that Leicester City has won the cup – published in 1989, this work makes an interesting prophecy, for this team would win the championship, when the odds were something like five thousand against it.
The sex seems to be divine – what else – even if at one point, we are reminded of Groundhog Day, in the sense that the golf improves “no end” and with the impression of déjà vu, and no improvement to look for, perfection can become boring and explains the fact that in this version of paradise, people ask to die at a certain stage.
When discussing the issue, the visitor finds that there is no hell- well, there is a “theme park” attraction, for a “good scare” – which is why they have the likes of Hitler around, in tis “democratic heaven, where they do not impose heaven on people anymore”, the old heaven “with harps” is gone, people were not interested in it anymore…
It is extremely mirthful to hear that this New Age Dante asks about seeing Jesus and the hosts say that they must see about that, and then he has all the possible experiences, travelling in the jungle, encountering all the footballers, falling in love a few times and eventually being puzzled by the question:
Where is god?
August 31, 2024
A perfect pairing. Flaubert’s Parrot – one of the most inventive pieces of writing I’ve encountered. Part biography, part fiction, part literary criticism, but also bestiary, chronology, dictionary, exam, and manifesto. It sounds like something that shouldn’t work. But it does, and brilliantly. A History of the World in 10½ Chapters – though it took a while for my interest to be fully captured, it wasn’t lost once after that. Really a series of interconnected short stories plus an essay on the redemptive power of art than a standard novel. And all that punctuated by the half-chapter – a parenthesis in which maybe Julian Barnes himself (but maybe only some disembodied narrative voice?) offers forth a sermon on the majesty of love. Again, it sounds like it shouldn’t work. But it’s often so terribly moving you don’t know what to do with all that it makes you feel.
August 10, 2014
"And as I said before: if all your responses to a book have already been duplicated and expanded upon by a professional critic, then what point is there to your reading? Only that it's yours. Similarly, why live your life? Because it's yours. But what if such an answer gradually becomes less and less convincing?" G. Braithwaite (fictional narrator of Flaubert's Parrot).
"None of us can ever express the exact measure of our needs, or our ideas, or our sorrows, and human speech is like a cracked kettle on which we beat out tunes for bears to dance to, when we long to inspire pity in the stars." G. Flaubert (from Madame Bovary, and quoted several times by Mr. Braithwaite).
Flaubert's Parrot is a meditation on the life of Flaubert by a fictional narrator. It is a paradigmatic anti-novel. Don't pick it up expecting a bunch of characters moving chronologically through time and encountering some central conflict. No -- this is a most unusual exploration of one mind by another, which yields powerful philosophical insights. We view historical documents and artifacts through the filter of a fictional character.
It helps greatly if you have previously read some Flaubert: especially A Simple Heart and Madame Bovary.
(I still haven't read A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters, which is the other book included in this volume published by Everyman's Library.)
"None of us can ever express the exact measure of our needs, or our ideas, or our sorrows, and human speech is like a cracked kettle on which we beat out tunes for bears to dance to, when we long to inspire pity in the stars." G. Flaubert (from Madame Bovary, and quoted several times by Mr. Braithwaite).
Flaubert's Parrot is a meditation on the life of Flaubert by a fictional narrator. It is a paradigmatic anti-novel. Don't pick it up expecting a bunch of characters moving chronologically through time and encountering some central conflict. No -- this is a most unusual exploration of one mind by another, which yields powerful philosophical insights. We view historical documents and artifacts through the filter of a fictional character.
It helps greatly if you have previously read some Flaubert: especially A Simple Heart and Madame Bovary.
(I still haven't read A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters, which is the other book included in this volume published by Everyman's Library.)
November 17, 2018
I'm always impressed by the author's work, so what else can I say? Recommended for fans of the author and thoughtful literary works. Flaubert fans as well will enjoy the book.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews