Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Nothing to Be Frightened Of

By Verna Noel Jones, Special to the Rocky

Published September 25, 2008 at 7 p.m.

Text size  

More Books

More stories »

* Nonfiction. By Julian Barnes. Knopf, $24. Grade: A

Book in a nutshell: Just try to put this memoir down after reading its intriguing opening line: "I don't believe in God, but I miss Him." (Hint: The ending is equally clever.)

Barnes' rumination on life, death, family and faith argues the case for a godless world and attempts to explain religious and irreligious people as the difference between those who fear death and those who don't. The scholarly text meanders skillfully through the author's unique family relationships, astute life observations quoted from French writers, scientists and theologians, and ponderous thoughts on his fear of death.

As the 62-year-old award-winning author, whose 2005 novel Arthur & George was a best- seller, contemplates the ghastliness in the idea of one's ultimate extinction, he can't help but admit it fascinates as much as scares him. Barnes intersperses his intellectual ramblings with hilarious commentary, especially when recounting odd moments from his parents' lives. He also shares many spirited conversations on death with his brother, a philosopher and rationalist, who proves his opposite in every way.

Best tidbit: Barnes discusses his exotic and frequent death- dreams: some burial-oriented, others involving war-movie scenarios or death before a firing squad. One unusual dream had him registered at a suicide hostel in a place tolerant of death-seekers. He soon decides he doesn't want to check out (or check in) because the place is "infinitely depressing - cheap furniture, a shabby bed reeking of past and future occupants, bored apparatchiks treating you as just another item of bureaucratic business."

Pros: The book sports a dazzling blend of wry humor, keen philosophy and perceptive observations as Barnes ruminates about the inevitability of death and what it all means.

Cons: None.

Final word: Vocabulary lightweights should read the book with a very large dictionary or a young spelling whiz close at hand, as Barnes regularly tosses in words such as simulacra, rebarbativeness, mendacious, puerperal, squittering, poncey, pachrymose and many more.