Booker prize 2011: Julian Barnes triumphs at last
His victory came after one of the most bitter and vituperative run-ups to the prize in living memory - not among the shortlisted writers, but from dismayed and bemused commentators who accused judges of putting populism above genuine quality.
Much of the row over the shortlist has stemmed from Rimington's own prioritisation of "readability" in the judging criteria
Read more at www.guardian.co.ukThe Sense of an Ending, Barnes' 11th novel, explores memory: how fuzzy it can be and how we amend the past to suit our own wellbeing. It tells the story through the apparently insignificant and dull life of arts administrator Tony Webster.