A fighter pilot, high above the English Channel in 1941, watches the sun rise; he descends 10,000 feet and then, to his amazement, finds the su... read full description
reviews
Sep 07, 2010
Jill
rated it: 
Staring at the Sun sat on my shelf for close to two years before I even cracked the binding. I found it at a used book store with an ex boyfriend which could have something to do with it or perhaps it was the truly unfortunate cover art on my copy that really held me back. Either way, after really pushing myself to get into this story that spans one woman's hundred year life span, once I got through early adolescence and into her teenage years the novel became a very beautiful read. There was a
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Feb 20, 2010
Lero
rated it: 
озадачилась почитать современное и художественное.
было интересно следить за отношениями муж-жена и мать-сын. да, эти отношения частенько раздражали мозг! но в целом книга оказалась слишком замороженной. двойной восход солнца - самый яркое событие повествования, на фоне которого эхом расползаются действия и мысли главных героев. More...
было интересно следить за отношениями муж-жена и мать-сын. да, эти отношения частенько раздражали мозг! но в целом книга оказалась слишком замороженной. двойной восход солнца - самый яркое событие повествования, на фоне которого эхом расползаются действия и мысли главных героев. More...
Jan 09, 2012
Rob
rated it:
In his recent Booker Prizewinning The Sense of an Ending, Julian Barnes' middle-aged character tries to make sense of a pivotal event in his life many years ago. Barnes had written about an elderly character looking back on a life once before in Staring at the Sun, one of his earlier works written in 1985, and the difference between the two books is instructive. Both are massively ambitious. Whereas The Sense of an Ending explores the nature of history, Staring at the Sun tries to tell whether y
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Sep 29, 2011
Salvatore
rated it:
It seemed to ask the right questions even when the narrative restraints said otherwise. There was something magical about the story of a woman who is mystified by simple miracles in life: seeing the sun rise or set twice, how to smoke a cigarette without having any of the ash fall. The dynamic and the conversations the characters have are strong and ponderous.
This one sat on the bookshelf because of its hideous American cover. Glad I took it down finally.
This one sat on the bookshelf because of its hideous American cover. Glad I took it down finally.
Mar 30, 2011
Mikhail
rated it:
Touching story, good language. Sometimes author goes to philosophical state of mind and fill reader's brain with a lot of information, which you do not expect to meet in a novel about friendship, love and meaning of life, but he went back every time and you continue to enjoy the characters with relief. The end is a little bit puzzling and I guess there is double meaning in it, but it is nice anyway
Jan 17, 2012
Siskoid
rated it:
It's the story of an ordinary woman across her 100 years of life, and was interesting to me as a depiction of a rather unintelligent woman who grows into a sort of clueless wisdom. Not an easy thing to do while retaining a strong literary style, but Barnes manages it. The third act delves into some strange science-fiction (she lives to the year 2021), but by then, you're well engrossed.
Jan 20, 2009
Jennifer
rated it: 
After a mildly interesting set up for the first half of the novel, I completely loss interest when Barnes left behind the keenly observed world of human relationships for an endless, acronym filled sci-fi scenario replete with pages of sophomoric metaphysics. Gack. Like a warm beer, you just can't stomach the last few swallows...setting a record this year for unfinishable books...
Jan 22, 2012
Holly
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The first two parts were five-star. The quiet humour, childlike inquisition and naivety, and beautiful descriptions gave this haphazard history of a woman's life something really special and readable. Unfortunately the sci fi third section seemed dated and difficult to get into, and although it picked up at the end, I would have been happier had I read the first two parts only.
Jun 13, 2008
Pierce
rated it: 
I finished this a couple of weeks ago and I just can't seem to get up the energy to write a review of it. (I know, I know, I'm not hyped up about writing a review of a book I read for free so that no one can get on with reading it, weird right?)
Hasn't aged that well. I thought I was reading a book about English people in the '40s and '50s and suddenly it's way, way later and everything's so boring. I liked the first third well enough, the war bits.
He kind of predicts the More...
Hasn't aged that well. I thought I was reading a book about English people in the '40s and '50s and suddenly it's way, way later and everything's so boring. I liked the first third well enough, the war bits.
He kind of predicts the More...
Jul 25, 2009
Chel
rated it:
PMQ library
Story about Jean Sargeant from 1920's - 2021 - the story of Jean's life and her insatiable curiosity about the world.
Easy read with good descriptions of Jean's feelings and her curiosity. Humorous in places.
An early Barnes read - very enjoyable.
Story about Jean Sargeant from 1920's - 2021 - the story of Jean's life and her insatiable curiosity about the world.
Easy read with good descriptions of Jean's feelings and her curiosity. Humorous in places.
An early Barnes read - very enjoyable.
Dec 05, 2011
Nick
rated it:
Nominally the story of one English lady's life, this is a bit of mess. It reads like a patchwork of so-so short stories, occasionally diverting anecdotes and mostly banal discussions of religion and suicide. It wasn't terrible but I couldn't really get into it, and despite the excellence of Flaubert's Parrot I'm in no rush to buy another Barnes novel.
Jun 15, 2009
A slow start but, in the end, I really enjoyed this one. A unique look at the notion of bravery. Plus it mixes in a dash of science fiction which is like adding peanut butter to chocolate!
Jan 29, 2012
Annie
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there are things I don't entirely comprehend, but I'm fairly sure that's my fault rather than the author's. there's something unexpected and enthralling here, though it might be more difficult than most to unearth....
Nov 06, 2010
Elise
rated it:
The copy I checked out from the library had been previously read by someone who hates adverbs so much that they attempted to cross them all out. I find that rather sweet.
Jun 16, 2007
Notcathy
rated it:
--so far my best idea is to climb off the number three.
--That's your only idea.
-Bus driver and passenger discussing how the passenger will get to work.
--That's your only idea.
-Bus driver and passenger discussing how the passenger will get to work.
Mar 10, 2008
This was the first Julian Barnes book I read, and it made me a fan. I think it's one of his most accessible novels.
Jan 27, 2008
G
rated it:
Barnes always writes elegant novels of ideas, even if they can be hard to get into. But he has a great sense of flair.
Feb 11, 2012
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