Julian Barnes

It's very interesting.

But, of course, it does get, like many things, it does get a bit tedious on the 34th time of taking a pint of blood out of you.

No, it's definitely not going to do that.

No, I didn't feel fearful and I didn't feel angry either.

I'm not quite sure why.

I think I found it interesting, you see, with human beings but also perhaps a novelist's interest.

You know, what's the shape and form of this?

Who's going to do anything about it?

What are they going to do with anything?

Am I a goner or not?

And so on.

I mean, I've got to know hospitals in the last few years quite well, and I don't feel fear going into them.

I think, oh, I wonder how noisy this MRI scan is going to be, and so on.

I suppose it's one way of putting off the fear, but it's also genuine interest, yes.

Oh, just because I'm a sort of sick Brit, I suppose.

Sorry.

No, I mean, quite a lot of people are interested in awful things that happen or unexpected things that happen.

And I think it's a way of confirming that, you know, as I think the Russians have it, life is not a short walk across an open field.

There's always something waiting for you, coming out of the hedgerow at you.

So, I have a friend who's a consultant radiologist and who sends me clippings from the British Medical Journal.