From Booker Prize-winning author Julian Barnes comes Departure(s), a profound and elegant work of fiction that explores the enduring nature of love, the inevitable failure of the body, and the complex tapestry of memory. Though rooted in fiction, this novel offers deep truths about the human experience of aging and saying goodbye.

• Tells the story of Stephen and Jean, who find love both in youth and old age.
• Features Jimmy, an elderly Jack Russell oblivious to mortality.
• Examines how the body deteriorates through age, illness, accident, or intent.
• Investigates the transformation of experiences into anecdotes and then into memory.
• Ultimately focuses on finding happiness and accepting when it is time to depart.

This final book from Barnes has been lauded by critics:

• "An elegant, thoughtful final book" – THE TIMES
• "His ‘last book’ … proves one of his best" – DAILY TELEGRAPH
• "Metafictional, moving, unmistakably Barnes" – OBSERVER
• "Moving, engaging… explores the effects of time on love" – INDEPENDENT

• Author: Julian Barnes
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Language: English
• Print Length: 176 pages
• Publication Date: January 22, 2026
• ISBN-13: 978-1787335721
• Dimensions: 144 x 19 x 223mm
• Weight: 290g

Discover this highly anticipated, thoughtful exploration of life, love, and memory from one of our finest writers.