The Sense of an Ending is one of the few books I wished were longer. This small novel resonated with me in a way few books have done. Looking back at the past became a big thing with me the last year.

Barnes‘ claim is the unreliability of memories. How they are biased to serve the view of their bearers. What would happen if you were able to revisit the past. Another theme is the gap between the world view when you are young, your vision of the future and your preoccupations at the time in contrast to the perception of old age and its preoccupation with the past.

The story is told in short paragraphs that at times have to be located somewhere in between essay and aphorism. In three or four sentences, Barnes gives us small tidbits of wisdom gathered from life experiences which mostly strike home.

This is a book I shall reread every ten years or so.