Geoffrey Braithwaite is a retired doctor haunted by an obsession with the great French literary genius, Gustave Flaubert. As Geoffrey investigates the mystery of the stuffed parrot Flaubert borrowed from the Museum of Rouen to help research one of his novels, we learn an enormous amount about the writer's work, family, lovers, thought processes, health and obsessions. But we also gradually come to learn some important and shocking details about Geoffrey himself.
Flaubert's Parrot
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Review
"Delightful and enriching... A book to revel in!" (Joseph Heller)
"Endless food for thought, beautifully written... A tour de force" (Germaine Greer)
"A gem: an unashamed literary novel that is also unashamed to be readable, and broadly entertaining. Bravo!" (John Irving)
"Julian Barnes' wry and graceful book, part novel, part stealthy literary criticism, traces the marks Flaubert made on a forgetting world. The writing is unfailingly sharp and often very funny, and among the best prose I have read in years" (Sunday Times)
"A delight... Handsomely the best novel published in England in 1984" (John Fowles)
"Endless food for thought, beautifully written... A tour de force" (Germaine Greer)
"A gem: an unashamed literary novel that is also unashamed to be readable, and broadly entertaining. Bravo!" (John Irving)
"Julian Barnes' wry and graceful book, part novel, part stealthy literary criticism, traces the marks Flaubert made on a forgetting world. The writing is unfailingly sharp and often very funny, and among the best prose I have read in years" (Sunday Times)
"A delight... Handsomely the best novel published in England in 1984" (John Fowles)
Book Description
'An intricate and delightful novel' (Graham Greene) from Booker prize-winning author Julian Barnes.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By Fertile Mind
Format:Paperback
Without a doubt this is one of the best books I've ever read. It is stylish, engrossing, informative and, best of all, not too lengthy. I particularly like the way Barnes' oeuvre is such a multi-coloured parrot of a book itself: a diary, love story, collection of musings, essay on literary criticism, parody, and affectionate celebration of a great writer. This book has already been highly acclaimed and has achieved great success commercially, so the wonder is why Barnes, or others for that matter, have not written more like it. Perhaps it has to do with traditional British mistrust of 'cleverness', manifested as disdain for dandified romanticism and sophisticated wit. The Barnes bird is not so shy about spreading its wings or displaying such plumage, which is what makes Flaubert's Parrot such a pleasure to read. Perhaps Barnes himself is Flaubert's parrot - he has the Gallic sensibility, and seems knows more about Flaubert than I would consider healthy in an Englishman.
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By V. Oscarsson
Format:Paperback
This is an interesting book in the way it is structured especially with the play of so drastically varying the way the chapters were written.
Nonetheless, I am not sure that the frame of Mr.Braithwaite, the narrrator and doctor, around the biography of Flaubert, works. I had to keep going back to what his sad tale was which gets muddled between the suicide of his wife and the loner adulterous life of Flaubert. This became more like a prop rather than a person to enhance the analysis of Flaubert's life. On the other hand, the parrot dilemma brings the book full circle.
I was held though by how Barnes created a dialogue with this early 19th century author and felt frustrated that I was not more familiar with Flaubert's writing and modernist presence so ahead of his time.
As an aspiring writer, a second career, I noted many quote/phrases from Flaubert. Barnes must have done incredible research and the excitement was to be inside Flaubert's person through Barnes's interpretation. Perhaps this reader wanted to feel less intellectual and more in touch with the soul of Flaubert's life, to feel rather than read of 'his passions'. Perhaps Flaubert could not show his heart, though Barnes speaks of how crying came easily.
Maybe parrots cry, even stuffed ones.
Definitely a great read by an inventive author.
Nonetheless, I am not sure that the frame of Mr.Braithwaite, the narrrator and doctor, around the biography of Flaubert, works. I had to keep going back to what his sad tale was which gets muddled between the suicide of his wife and the loner adulterous life of Flaubert. This became more like a prop rather than a person to enhance the analysis of Flaubert's life. On the other hand, the parrot dilemma brings the book full circle.
I was held though by how Barnes created a dialogue with this early 19th century author and felt frustrated that I was not more familiar with Flaubert's writing and modernist presence so ahead of his time.
As an aspiring writer, a second career, I noted many quote/phrases from Flaubert. Barnes must have done incredible research and the excitement was to be inside Flaubert's person through Barnes's interpretation. Perhaps this reader wanted to feel less intellectual and more in touch with the soul of Flaubert's life, to feel rather than read of 'his passions'. Perhaps Flaubert could not show his heart, though Barnes speaks of how crying came easily.
Maybe parrots cry, even stuffed ones.
Definitely a great read by an inventive author.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Barne's 'Flaubert's Parrot' does not strike one immediately as a conventional piece of literature. It seems to be more a fascinating work of literary criticism, held together by the journey of Barnes' narrator, who delves deeply into the life and works of his idol Flaubert. There are even several chapters that support this idea, such as the various chronologies of Flaubert's life, and, especially, the mock examination questions near the end of the book.
Yet, despite this analytical emphasis on Flaubert's works, it is really the French writer's personality that is analysed and interpreted here. It is this suggestive, fictive element that I found most fascinating - the way that Barnes tries to work out the essence of this complicated, brilliant man through his own character. It is as if, despite all the facts that one can gain from his books and letters, the truth is that all efforts to work out a writer's life is just like creating a work of fiction.
And that is exactly what Barnes does in this novel. A clever, witty, really enjoyable read.
Yet, despite this analytical emphasis on Flaubert's works, it is really the French writer's personality that is analysed and interpreted here. It is this suggestive, fictive element that I found most fascinating - the way that Barnes tries to work out the essence of this complicated, brilliant man through his own character. It is as if, despite all the facts that one can gain from his books and letters, the truth is that all efforts to work out a writer's life is just like creating a work of fiction.
And that is exactly what Barnes does in this novel. A clever, witty, really enjoyable read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
too clever by half
Flaubert’s Parrot contains all the usual Julian Barnes writing positives: intelligence, elegance, wit and understated humour. Read more
Published 12 days ago by Adrian Townsend
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not Barnes's best?
I enjoyed it less than expected - a bit weighed down perhaps by the depth of material about Flaubert? It is certainly unusual.
Published 1 month ago by J. Downs
3.0 out of 5 stars
too clever by half
the life of French author Gustave Flaubert illuminated from all sorts of curious angles. Barnes irritates me with his frequent "universal truths" - and philosopical... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Heidi Cooke
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not as readable as expected.
I read this book because I had heard so much about it, but it didn't give me much satisfaction.
I felt it was written for first class honours English Literature students and... Read more
I felt it was written for first class honours English Literature students and... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Gillane
5.0 out of 5 stars
Flaubert's Parrot
Gorgeous prose, Julian Barnes always get 10 out of 10 from me. Wish I'd bought the hard copy rather than Kindle as I like to re-read bits and am not much good at bookmarks on... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Seagull
2.0 out of 5 stars
minutiae of a writer's life
Julian Barnes has spun a so-called novel Flaubert's Parrot, which is mainly musings into the minutiae of said writer's life. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mr. Robert Marsland
3.0 out of 5 stars
Average read
Blurb......... Geoffrey Braithwaite is a retired doctor haunted by an obsession with the great French literary genius, Gustave Flaubert. Read more
Published 3 months ago by col2910
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Flaubert museum
Towards the end of the book the narrator criticises the tendecy of musuems to make adult learning childish. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Ajpasty
3.0 out of 5 stars
One of a kind meditations on Flaubert
Not an orthodox book of literary theory, not an arthodox novel, this could have been a triumph or a disaster. For me, it was somewhere in between. Read more
Published 5 months ago by William Jordan
1.0 out of 5 stars
This parrot has ceased to be.
Flaubert's Parrot was chosen by our book club and was disliked by all. Even the title was considered pretentious, chosen to be inviting and mysterious, and it wasn't about a parrot... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Charlie
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