Quotes by Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending

Explore a curated collection of 44 quotes by Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending. Discover timeless wisdom, insightful thoughts, and memorable words that have inspired readers around the world. Browse through the gallery below and click on any quote to read more.

How often do we tell our own life story? How often do we adjust, embellish, make sly cuts? And the longer life goes on, — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
Later on in life, you expect a bit of rest, don't you? You think you deserve it. I did, anyway. But then you begin to un — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
Though why should we expect age to mellow us? If it isn't life's business to reward merit, why should it be life's busin — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
This was another of our fears: that Life wouldn't turn out to be like Literature. Look at our parents--were they the stu — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
You get towards the end of life - no, not life itself, but of something else: the end of any likelihood of change in tha — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
And yet it takes only the smallest pleasure or pain to teach us time’s malleability. — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
History isn't the lies of the victors, as I once glibly assured Old Joe Hunt; I know that now. It's more the memories of — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
Is there anything more plausible than a second hand? — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
Is there anything more plausible than a second hand? And yet it takes only the smallest pleasure or pain to teach us tim — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
I didn't doubt for a moment that she had read them all, or that they were the right books to own. Further, they seemed t — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
What is history? Any thoughts, Webster?''History is the lies of the victors,' I replied, a little too quickly.'Yes, I wa — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
History is that certainty produced at the point where the imperfections of memory meet the inadequacies of documentation — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
I remember what Old Joe Hun said when arguing with Adrian: that mental states can be inferred from actions. That’s in hi — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
If you'll excuse a brief history lesson: most people didn't experience 'the sixties' until the seventies. Which meant, l — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
In my terms, I settled for the realities of life, and submitted to its necessities: if this, then that, and so the years — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
you find yourself repeating, ‘They grow up so quickly, don’t they?’ when all you really mean is: time goes faster for me — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
What was the point of having a situation worthy of fiction if the protagonist didn't behave as he would have done in a b — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
The law, and society, and religion all said it was impossible to be sane, healthy, and kill yourself. Perhaps those auth — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
When you are in your twenties, if even if you're confused and uncertain about your aims and purposes, you have a strong — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
When you are in your twenties, even if you're confused and uncertain about your aims and purposes, you have a strong sen — Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending