The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes has won the Man Booker Prize for 2011

Synopsis

"Tony Webster and his clique first met Adrian Finn at school. Sex-hungry and book-hungry, they would navigate the girl-less sixth form together, trading in affectations, in-jokes, rumour and wit. Maybe Adrian was a little more serious than the others, certainly more intelligent, but they all swore to stay friends for life. Now Tony is in middle age. He’s had a career and a single marriage, a calm divorce. He’s certainly never tried to hurt anybody. Memory, though, is imperfect. It can always throw up surprises, as a lawyer’s letter is about to prove. The Sense of an Ending is the story of one man coming to terms with the mutable past. Laced with trademark precision, dexterity and insight, it is the work of one of the world’s most distinguished writers. "

Julian Barnes was born in Leicester in January 1946. He has written nine novels including Flaubert's Parrot, which was short listed for the 1984 Booker Prize.

This year's Man Booker short list was the most open for years and caused some controversy.

The nominations for this year's prize are listed below.