As the Booker prize-winning author prepares to publish his final novel at 80, we assess his finest work. From crime capers to historical fiction, Barnes’s oeuvre is marked by wit, perception, and a recurring focus on memory, sex, and death.
Starting with his pseudonymous debut, Duffy (1985), written under the name Dan Kavanagh, this crime novel introduces a bisexual private eye. Written in just 10 days, it was praised by Martin Amis as “refreshingly nasty” and showcases Barnes’s characteristic sharpness. The plot involves reverse blackmail and a shocking climax.
Barnes’s shortest novel, The Porcupine (1992), satirises a collapsed European communist regime. Former leader Petkanov faces a televised trial, believing he did nothing wrong. The novel is a savage reminder that old orders do not die; they wait.
The story collection Cross Channel (1996) is infused with ageing but full of energy. In A Short History of Hairdressing, a man measures his life in haircuts, while Knowing French includes Barnes ranking his own books, advising readers to skip his second novel.
The Sense of an Ending (2011) won the Booker prize 24 years after Barnes coined the term “posh bingo” for the award. Narrator Tony faces remorse about an ex-girlfriend as he approaches the end of his life, exploring memory and the agnosticism of middle age.
England, England (1998) looks back from the future year 2020, predicting online books and AI. Centenarian Jean Serjeant questions what makes a good life, with Barnes blending fun and essayistic insight.
Arthur & George (2005) is a historical novel inspired by a real miscarriage of justice, featuring Arthur Conan Doyle. Switching between Conan Doyle’s perspective and that of the wronged man, George Edalji, it raises questions of truth and Englishness, winning Barnes a new audience.
Talking It Over (1991) presents a love triangle narrated by its three participants, each appealing to the reader. Staid Stuart, flashy Oliver, and pragmatic Gillian battle over accounts of the same events, showcasing Barnes’s ability to bring fresh eyes to old subjects.
