This blog task is part of Flipped learning activity about the "The Only Story" by
Julian Barnes.
About the Author:
Full Name: Julian Patrick Barnes
Born: January 19, 1946, Leicester, England
Occupation: Novelist, Essayist, Critic
Literary Movement: Postmodernism, Contemporary British Fiction
2. Writing Style & Themes
Known for elegant prose, philosophical depth, and narrative experimentation.
Recurring themes: memory, love, time, history, and subjective truth.
Frequently explores the unreliability of memory and perception.
3. Major Works
Metroland (1980) – A coming-of-age novel set in suburban London.
Flaubert’s Parrot (1984) – A postmodern novel blending fiction and literary criticism.
A History of the World in 10½ Chapters (1989) – A fragmented narrative challenging historical truth.
Arthur & George (2005) – A historical novel based on a real legal case involving Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
The Sense of an Ending (2011) – A Booker Prize-winning novel about memory and regret.
The Only Story (2018) – A melancholic exploration of first love and its consequences.
Elizabeth Finch (2022) – A philosophical novel about intellectual obsession.
4. Awards & Recognition
Booker Prize (2011) for The Sense of an Ending.
David Cohen Prize for Literature (2011) for lifetime achievement.
Shortlisted for the Booker Prize three times (Flaubert’s Parrot, England, England, Arthur & George).
About novel:
The novel follows Paul Roberts, a 19-year-old university student, who falls in love with Susan Macleod, a 48-year-old married woman, in 1960s England.
Their affair begins when they meet at a tennis club, challenging social norms and expectations.The story explores their intense but ultimately tragic relationship over the years.
Video:1) introduction/ characters / summary / The only story :
Video 2: )"Joan | Character Study | The Only Story | Julian Barnes"
Video 3)"Memory Novel | Memory and History | Memory and Morality | The Only Story Julian Barnes"
Video 4) "Narrative Pattern | The Only Story | Julian Barnes"
Video 5) "Question of Responsibility | The Only Story | Julian Barnes"
Video 6: "Theme of Love | Passion and Suffering The Only Story Julian Barnes"
Video:7) Theme of Marriage | Critique of Marriage Institution | The Only Story Julian Barnes"
