A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters

By: Julian Barnes

Narrated by: Alex Jennings

This is one of the defining novels of English writer Julian Barnes. An entertaining melange of stories, starting with a contemporary account of the launch of Noah's Ark, takes us into unexpected areas of human foibles, activities, and tendencies.

After success with the main novels of Haruki Murakami, Naxos AudioBooks turns its attention to other major literary works of recent times.

Download the accompanying reference guide.©1989 Julian Barnes (P)2007 Naxos Rights International

Critic reviews

“Barnes's witty and sometimes acerbic retelling of the history of the world. The stories are connected, if only tangentially, which is precisely Barnes's point: historians may tell us that "there was a pattern," but history is "just voices echoing in the dark . . . strange links, impertinent connections." Fascinating reading from the author of Flaubert's Parrot.” (Library Journal)

"Frequently brilliant, funny, thoughtful, iconoclastic and a delight to read." (Salman Rushdie)

Brilliant!

Would you consider the audio edition of A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters to be better than the print version?

Exceptional brilliant narration!

What other book might you compare A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters to and why?

A Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy - maybe because of characters

Have you listened to any of Alex Jennings’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Who was the most memorable character of A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters and why?

just in progress

Any additional comments?

I`d like to listen more books narrated by Alex Jennings

A Look at our Place in History

What made the experience of listening to A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters the most enjoyable?

Good stories and a few great ones read by a talented narrator.

What did you like best about this story?

That's difficult to say but I think that the stories being so different from one another but having unifying themes was one of the collection's strengths.

Which character – as performed by Alex Jennings – was your favorite?

The character in the last story 'The Dream.' Somehow reminded me of Ricky Gervais...

If you could take any character from A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters out to dinner, who would it be and why?

I'm not sure. That's a bit of a strange question...

Any additional comments?

Overall Review: ‘A History of the World in 10 ½ Chapters’ contains one of what I believe to be the best short stories I have ever listened to, the last story in the collection, titled ‘The Dream.’ For my money this story alone is worth the price of admission. I also thought the collection’s opener ‘The Stowaway’ was a standout.

I felt that the audiobook was a challenging one. The stories at first glance appear to be unrelated but are connected though the themes of voyage, discovery, and the interpretation of history. Barnes is deftly able to handle these subjects with a sense of good humor and the seemingly unconnected stories make for a unified piece once viewed together.

If you are familiar with Julian Barnes work then you should be pleased with this collection. If you are new to Julian Barnes it’s best to know that he’s a contemporary English writer who writes literary fiction. If you’re a fan of literary fiction and you like short stories then you can’t really go wrong here.

8 1/2 out of 10 1/2

This was not as humorous as I was expecting it to be. I enjoyed eight of the 10 chapters, and those two chapters I didn't enjoy I really didn't enjoy. my opinion the first chapter was the best chapter. Overall, I would say, I was entertained and that's not a bad thing.

spectacular literature

this is one of the most clever, best written books I have ever Read or listened to. Julian Barnes is one of the greatest authors of his generation.

bizarre and disturbing

I found these stories disturbing. Some are fictional, though referring to historical events, others are directly related to historical (or biblical) events. All focus on the ugliness of humanity. not my idea of entertainment.

Top drawer!

Would you consider the audio edition of A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters to be better than the print version?

Because of Alex Jennings, yes. Though, of course, Julian Barnes is to blame. What a combination!

What was one of the most memorable moments of A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters?

Hard to say, when I was laughing so hard

Have you listened to any of Alex Jennings’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

He's always wonderful

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Laugh

Any additional comments?

I would listen to Alex Jennings read the phone book!

More Great Julian Barnes

Where does A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

HISTORY OF THE WORLD is one of the best books I have yet to listen to, and I have listened to hundreds. Barnes is brilliant with his wide ranging intelligence and splendid writing style. Alex Jennings is one of my favorite narrators and has done equally well with other of Julian Barnes' books.

What did you like best about this story?

These are stories that are linked in the most subtle (and not so subtle) way.

Have you listened to any of Alex Jennings’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Alex Jennings' narrations of other Julian Barnes books are truly wonderful.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Some of these stories are quite funny, and others serious and philosophical.

Fantastic

Best I’ve read in a long time! Perfection. (I don’t want to be forced to write long reviews.)

short stories: satirical and devastating

If you could sum up A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters in three words, what would they be?

Satirical, Devastating, short-stories

What other book might you compare A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters to and why?

Mark Twain's satirical lectures. Using the Bible as a source for satirical stories, the author writes creatively about why we believe.

Have you listened to any of Alex Jennings’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Nope. Stupid question.

If you could take any character from A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters out to dinner, who would it be and why?

None of the characters are likeable, but I would like to see what they have seen.

Any additional comments?

I choose to be a follower of Christ but I did not find the book offensive, it helped me think about faith from a new perspective. The author speaks not "against" Christianity, but the Church's inability to understand and act according to what they believe. Some chapters are hilarious and some are painfully violent and abrupt.

Intelligent but ponderous

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No. It was ponderous

What do you think your next listen will be?

?

Was A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters worth the listening time?

Not for me

Any additional comments?

Interesting concept and structure; I quit before the ending. Wore me out.