The Sense of An Ending (Poczucie Kresu) Dynów

This title is winner of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction in 2011. Tony Webster and his clique first met Adrian Finn at school. Sex-hungry and book-hungry, they would navigate the girl-less sixth form together, trading in affectations, in-jokes, rumour and wit. May be Adrian was a little more serious than the others, certainly more intelligent, but they all swore to stay friends for life. Now Tony is retired. He's had a career and a single marriage, a calm divorce. He's certainly never tried to hurt anybody. Memory, though, is imperfect. It can always throw up surprises, as a lawyer's letter is about to prove. "A masterpiece... I would urge you to read - and re-read - The Sense of an Ending" Daily Telegraph "Mesmerising... the concluding scenes grip like a thriller - a whodunit of memory and morality" Independent "A very fine book, skilfully plotted, boldly conceived... Barnes has achieved...something of universal importance" -- Justin Cartwright Observer "A precise, poignant portrait of the costs and benefits of time passing, of friendship, of love. A small masterpiece" -- Erica Wagner The Times "A wonderful story that is all too human and all so real" Irish Times