Julian Barnes

No, I don't really feel grief for my own body.

I mean, it's just, it's sort of, it's pointless to feel that.

We are these creatures who come into this earth unbidden, not consulted.

And we live a certain amount of time, much longer than our ancestors, which is an upside.

But because we live longer, our body begins to break down.

The medical costs increase.

But I don't feel – I remember when I was told that I had some form of blood cancer.

I was sort of strangely detached.

I thought, oh, so that's how they tell you.

And also I felt interested in all the medical side of it.

I love talking to doctors and consultants and nurses.

They stick their needles into your arm and take off pints of blood.

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?