On his fourth time being shortlisted for the prize, Julian Barnes has been announced the winner of this year’s £50,000 Man Booker award. The Sense of an Ending, Barnes’ first novel in six years, is the story of a seemingly ordinary man who, when revisiting his past in later life, discovers that the memories he holds are less than perfect.

The award was handed out this evening in at London’s Guildhall where Barnes beat out fellow finalists including Carol Birch, Patrick deWitt, Esi Edugyan, Stephen Kelman, and A.D. Miller for the honour.

If you’re looking for a hot buy I expect that the signed copies of The Sense of an Ending that I’m seeing online should be selling like hotcakes over night.