--- title: "20 Way Quotes By Julian Barnes" description: "20 Way quotes by Julian Barnes. Plus more from Julian Barnes and more Way sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/julian-barnes-522_english_i-hate-the-way-the-english-have-of-not-b_3194399.png" --- > [I hate the way the English have of not being serious about being serious, I really hate it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/i-hate-the-way-the-english-have-of-not-being-serious-about-being/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/julian-barnes-522_english_i-hate-the-way-the-english-have-of-not-b_3194399.png) > [The best form of government is one that is dying, because that means it’s giving way to something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/the-best-form-of-government-is-one-that-is-dying-because-that-means/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25c/julian-barnes-522_dying_the-best-form-of-government-is-one-that_580333.png) > [Alice Munro can move characters through time in a way that no other writer can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/alice-munro-can-move-characters-through-time-in-a-way-that-no-other/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5c/julian-barnes-522_character_alice-munro-can-move-characters-through_18986.png) > [But life never lets you go, does it? You can't put down life the way you put down a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/but-life-never-lets-you-go-does-it-you-can-t-put-down-life-the-way/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/julian-barnes-522_book_but-life-never-lets-you-go-does-it-you-c_3009119.png) > [You can put it another way, of course; you always can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-can-put-it-another-way-of-course-you-always-can/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe5/julian-barnes-522_course_you-can-put-it-another-way-of-course-you_2208064.png) > [The ways in which a book, once read, stays (and changes) in the reader's mind are unpredictable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/the-ways-in-which-a-book-once-read-stays-and-changes-in-the-reader-s/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cc/julian-barnes-522_book_the-ways-in-which-a-book-once-read-stays_1059652.png) > [Nature is so exact, it hurts exactly as much as it is worth, so in a way one relishes the pain, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/nature-is-so-exact-it-hurts-exactly-as-much-as-it-is-worth-so-in-a-2/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/julian-barnes-522_hurt_nature-is-so-exact-it-hurts-exactly-as-m_2642436.png) > [Nature is so exact, it hurts exactly as much as it is worth, so in a way one relishes the pain. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/nature-is-so-exact-it-hurts-exactly-as-much-as-it-is-worth-so-in-a/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ca/julian-barnes-522_hurt_nature-is-so-exact-it-hurts-exactly-as-m_1503629.png) > [You can't have a novel without real, believable people, and once you get into either too theoretical a novel or too philosophical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-can-t-have-a-novel-without-real-believable-people-and-once-you/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c5/julian-barnes-522_believable_you-can-t-have-a-novel-without-real-beli_2011246.jpg) > [ \[Flaubert\] didn’t just hate the railway as such; he hated the way it flattered people with the illusion of progress. What was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/flaubert-didn-t-just-hate-the-railway-as-such-he-hated-the-way-it/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d0e/julian-barnes-522_flattered_flaubert-didn-t-just-hate-the-railway-as_2399076.png) > [And that's a life, isn't it? Some achievements and some disappointments. It's been interesting to me, though I wouldn't complain or be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/and-that-s-a-life-isn-t-it-some-achievements-and-some-disappointments/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/julian-barnes-522_achievement_and-that-s-a-life-isn-t-it-some-achievem_983377.png) > [We thought we were being mature when we were only being safe. We imagined we were being responsible but were only being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/we-thought-we-were-being-mature-when-we-were-only-being-safe-we/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc4/julian-barnes-522_avoiding_we-thought-we-were-being-mature-when-we_2061012.png) > [You can define a net two ways, depending on your point of view. Normally you would say it is a meshed instrument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-can-define-a-net-two-ways-depending-on-your-point-of-view/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42c/julian-barnes-522_collections_you-can-define-a-net-two-ways-depending_3159331.png) > [And that was all the part of it - the way you were obliged to live. You stifled a groan, you lied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/and-that-was-all-the-part-of-it-the-way-you-were-obliged-to-live-you/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c88/julian-barnes-522_behave_and-that-was-all-the-part-of-it-the-way_1752574.png) > [Loving humanity means as much, and as little, as loving raindrops, or loving the Milky Way. You say that you love humanity?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/loving-humanity-means-as-much-and-as-little-as-loving-raindrops-or/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f2/julian-barnes-522_approval_loving-humanity-means-as-much-and-as-lit_2107522.jpg) > [When you’re young you prefer the vulgar months, the fullness of the seasons. As you grow older you learn to like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/when-you-re-young-you-prefer-the-vulgar-months-the-fullness-of-the/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a20/julian-barnes-522_admitting_when-you-re-young-you-prefer-the-vulgar_337183.png) > [I certainly believe we all suffer damage, one way or another. How could we not,except in a world of perfect parents, siblings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/i-certainly-believe-we-all-suffer-damage-one-way-or-another-how-could/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69e/julian-barnes-522_be-careful_i-certainly-believe-we-all-suffer-damage_1883005.png) > [You would think, wouldn’t you, that if you were the child of a happy marriage, then you ought to have a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-would-think-wouldn-t-you-that-if-you-were-the-child-of-a-happy/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3cd/julian-barnes-522_answers_you-would-think-wouldn-t-you-that-if-you_2715677.jpg) > [When you are young, you think that the old lament the deterioration of life because this makes it easier for them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/when-you-are-young-you-think-that-the-old-lament-the-deterioration-of/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89f/julian-barnes-522_barbarism_when-you-are-young-you-think-that-the-ol_1625751.png) > [Back then, things were plainer: less money, no electronic devices, little fashion tyranny, no girlfriends. There was nothing to distract us from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/back-then-things-were-plainer-less-money-no-electronic-devices-little/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/901/julian-barnes-522_compare_back-then-things-were-plainer-less-money_742171.jpg) ## Other authors on Way ## More by Julian Barnes > [“You put together two things that have not been put together before. And the world is changed. People may not notice at the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-things-that-have-not-been-put-together-before/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“I settled into a contented routine of working, spending my free time with Veronica and, back in my student room, wanking explosively to fantasies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/i-settled-into-a-contented-routine-of-working-spending-my-free-time/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [The greatest patriotism is to tell your country when it is behaving dishonorably, foolishly, viciously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/the-greatest-patriotism-is-to-tell-your-country-when-it-is-behaving/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“There is only good vodka and very good vodka—there is no such thing as bad vodka.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/there-is-only-good-vodka-and-very-good-vodka-there-is-no-such-thing/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [Alice Munro can move characters through time in a way that no other writer can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/alice-munro-can-move-characters-through-time-in-a-way-that-no-other/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [How rarely do our emotions meet the object they seem to deserve? How hopelessly we signal; how dark the sky; how big the waves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/how-rarely-do-our-emotions-meet-the-object-they-seem-to-deserve-how/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [You put together two people who have not been put together before. Sometimes it is like that first attempt to harness a hydrogen balloon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-people-who-have-not-been-put-together-before/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Also, when you are young, you think you can predict the likely pains and bleaknesses that age might bring. You imagine yourself being lonely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/also-when-you-are-young-you-think-you-can-predict-the-likely-pains/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Why slum it where people were burdened by yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that? By history? Here, on the Island,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/why-slum-it-where-people-were-burdened-by-yesterday-and-the-day/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“In those years before mobile phones, email and Skype, travelers depended on the rudimentary communications system known as the postcard. Other methods--the long-distance phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/in-those-years-before-mobile-phones-email-and-skype-travelers/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“My train was late, slowed by the usual Sunday engineering work. I got home in the early evening. I remember that I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/my-train-was-late-slowed-by-the-usual-sunday-engineering-work-i-got/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [In life, every ending is just the start of another story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/in-life-every-ending-is-just-the-start-of-another-story/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Indeed, isn’t the whole business of ascribing responsibility kind of a cop-out? We want to blame an individual so that everyone else is exculpated.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/indeed-isn-t-the-whole-business-of-ascribing-responsibility-kind-of-a/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [Some of the freckles I once loved are now closer to liver spots. But it’s still the eyes we look at, isn’t it? That’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/some-of-the-freckles-i-once-loved-are-now-closer-to-liver-spots-but/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“And what percentage of people take up the option to die off?’ She looked at me, her glance telling me to be calm. ‘Oh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/and-what-percentage-of-people-take-up-the-option-to-die-off-she/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/julian-barnes/#itemlist", "name": "20 Way Quotes By Julian Barnes", "numberOfItems": 20, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I hate the way the English have of not being serious about being serious, I really hate it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julian Barnes" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/i-hate-the-way-the-english-have-of-not-being-serious-about-being/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/julian-barnes-522_english_i-hate-the-way-the-english-have-of-not-b_3194399.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/julian-barnes-522_english_i-hate-the-way-the-english-have-of-not-b_3194399.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/julian-barnes-522_english_i-hate-the-way-the-english-have-of-not-b_3194399.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I hate the way the English have of not being serious about being serious, I really hate it.” — Julian Barnes", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The best form of government is one that is dying, because that means it’s giving way to something else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julian Barnes" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/the-best-form-of-government-is-one-that-is-dying-because-that-means/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25c/julian-barnes-522_dying_the-best-form-of-government-is-one-that_580333.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25c/julian-barnes-522_dying_the-best-form-of-government-is-one-that_580333.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25c/julian-barnes-522_dying_the-best-form-of-government-is-one-that_580333.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The best form of government is one that is dying, because that means it’s giving way to something else.” — Julian Barnes", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Alice Munro can move characters through time in a way that no other writer can.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julian Barnes" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/alice-munro-can-move-characters-through-time-in-a-way-that-no-other/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5c/julian-barnes-522_character_alice-munro-can-move-characters-through_18986.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5c/julian-barnes-522_character_alice-munro-can-move-characters-through_18986.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5c/julian-barnes-522_character_alice-munro-can-move-characters-through_18986.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Alice Munro can move characters through time in a way that no other writer can.” — Julian Barnes", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But life never lets you go, does it? 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If it didn't matter, it wouldn't matter.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julian Barnes" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/nature-is-so-exact-it-hurts-exactly-as-much-as-it-is-worth-so-in-a-2/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/julian-barnes-522_hurt_nature-is-so-exact-it-hurts-exactly-as-m_2642436.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/julian-barnes-522_hurt_nature-is-so-exact-it-hurts-exactly-as-m_2642436.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c5/julian-barnes-522_hurt_nature-is-so-exact-it-hurts-exactly-as-m_2642436.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Nature is so exact, it hurts exactly as much as it is worth, so in a way one relishes the pain, I think. 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