The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes

The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes

A compact masterpiece dedicated to the Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich: Julian Barnes's first novel since his best-selling, Man Booker Prize-winning The Sense of an Ending.

In 1936, Shostakovich, just thirty, fears for his livelihood and his life. Stalin, hitherto a distant figure, has taken a sudden interest in his work and denounced his latest opera. Now, certain he will be exiled to Siberia (or, more likely, executed on the spot), Shostakovich reflects on his predicament, his personal history, his parents, various women and wives, his children--and all who are still alive themselves hang in the balance of his fate. And though a stroke of luck prevents him from becoming yet another casualty of the Great Terror, for decades to come he will be held fast under the thumb of despotism: made to represent Soviet values at a cultural conference in New York City, forced into joining the Party and compelled, constantly, to weigh appeasing those in power against the integrity of his music. Barnes elegantly guides us through the trajectory of Shostakovich's career, at the same time illuminating the tumultuous evolution of the Soviet Union. The result is both a stunning portrait of a relentlessly fascinating man and a brilliant exploration of the meaning of art and its place in society.

Julian Barnes was born in Leicester in 1946 and is the author of nine novels, a collection of short stories, and a collection of essays. He is based in London.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781101947241
ISBN 10	1101947241
Title	The Noise of Time
Author	Julian Barnes
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Alfred A. Knopf
Year published	2016-05-10
Number of pages	224
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.