An Education

Back of the Book

When Lynn Barber was sixteen, a stranger in a maroon sports car pulled up beside her as she was on her way home from school and offered her a ride. It was the beginning of a long journey from innocence to a precocious experience-an affair with an older man that would change her life. Barber's seducer left her with a taste for luxury hotels, posh restaurants and trips abroad-expensive habits that she managed to support in later life as a successful London journalist whose barbed interviews both terrorized and fascinated her smart-set subjects.

A poignant, shockingly candid account of the stages in a literary life-from promiscuity at Oxford to a stint at Penthouse to a complex marriage that endured—An Education is a classic of English memoir.

Why You Should Read It

Following award winning journalist Lynn Barber’s dramatic affair with an older, married man at the age of 16—An Education feels like a fever dream, full of events that could only have taken place in someone’s fantasies of what life must be like for a precocious teenager destined for greatness, almost derailed entirely by the power and influence of a predatory figure. Barber does recount how she processes the affair and its impact on her relationships with men that follow, her heydays as a hard headed journalist at Penthouse right out of university and the loss of the love of her life, her husband. Barber’s compassionate approach to her circumstances make for a compelling reflection on the loss of adolescence and brightness, and an aggressive attempt to heal – when life forces her to slow down and live according to her age.

Memorable Passage

I learned not to trust people; I learned not to believe what they say but to watch what they do; I learned to suspect that anyone and everyone is capable of 'living a lie'. I came to believe that other people - even when you think you know them well - are ultimately unknowable.

About the Author

Lynn Barber, born on May 22, 1944, is a prominent British journalist and biographer known for her incisive and intimate interviews that delve into the lives of notable figures. Over the course of her extensive career, Barber has contributed to leading publications, including The Observer and The Sunday Times, establishing herself as a respected and influential voice in the field of journalism. Her interviewing style, characterized by a keen intellect and fearlessness, has garnered acclaim for revealing the human side of her subjects. Barber's memoir, An Education, adapted into an award-winning film, provides a candid reflection on her own experiences and the evolving cultural landscape. Lynn Barber is worth knowing not only for her significant contributions to journalism but also for her ability to navigate the complexities of human relationships and societal shifts, offering readers a unique and insightful perspective on the world around them.

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