- Who writes like Mcewan? -- jadenite, 19:57:20 11/05/06 Sun
I enjoy so much Mcewan's books, and have greedily devoured each and every one of them. Going on past experience, I may be waiting for a while until his next, so any recommendations, anyone? Who is similar to the mighty Mcewan? Obviously not the same, but just a similar intelligence, and interesting read.......
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- Kleist references in Atonement? -- M.H. Dupree, 09:34:21 05/06/08 Tue
I am a German Lit scholar and am writing a conference paper about the parallels between McEwan's Atonement and Heinrich von Kleist's play "The Broken Jug." Both include the motif of a broken vessel (jug/vase) that represents familial/national identity; there are multiple eyewitnesses and multiple accounts of what happens when the vessel gets broken. However, I'm not 100% sure that McEwan is really referencing Kleist; I.M. never mentions Kleist in his interviews, and James's The Golden Bowl is usually cited as the source for the motif of the vase in Atonement. I think Kleist might fit better. Any thoughts?
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- The practicalities of running an author's website -- Dan O'Hanlon, 08:39:44 03/09/08 Sun
Hello Mr. McEwan.
Publishers today expect writers, especially those of the Nappy-class like myself, to include in a book proposal a committment to run a promotional website. You, of course, have graduated to paying professionals to run it for you. Writing, marketing and (other) promotional measures are time consuming enough--but to run a website as well? It seems impossible. Accordingly, I'm asking the same questions of every writer I can find who has managed it. How did you do it, at first, and how much time did it suck from your week? (Or did all this, in fact, come after you'd "made it"?)
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- influences -- jodee, 08:56:17 04/22/08 Tue
what do you all think the main core influence of Atonement was?
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- the Cement garden -- Sofia, 10:10:42 04/30/08 Wed
I just finished reading the Cement Garden, and was wondering what those of you who read it thought of the ending? What do you think happened after the police came? Would it have been different if the children had let Derek into their life and not excluded him about their mother's body through telling him that it was a dead dog? Does this show that children truly cannot survive on their own without parents? Also, did anyone think that Tom might have been gay, with the constant playing dress up and mimicking relationships with his friend? Or was it just a cry for attention, like the baby thing towards the end. I'm curious to hear what everyone else thought.
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- bergerie de tedenat causse du larzac -- fabrice dermenghem, 08:17:27 04/30/08 Wed
en esperant que vous comprenez le francais!!
je suis le propriétaire de la bergerie de tedenat a la vacquerie sur le causse du arzac et j ai lu votre livre les chiens noirs
comment avez vous connu ce lieu?
si vous repassez dans notre belle region j aurai plaisir a vous rencontrer
fabrice dermenghem
467 rue des gelinottes
34 090 montpellier
tel 04 67 79 22 94
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- bachelor work -- lenka (help), 09:17:11 04/06/08 Sun
hi there, I am writing a bachelor work, which is a translation of one of the books about Ian McEwans work. Could someone give me additional/more info about Ian McEwan, e.g. his past, his ex-wife etc. anything you can think of. that would be a great help. thank you so much
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- mcewan's avoidance of human genetic diversity -- niles stainkowski, 21:02:55 03/15/08 Sat
In On Chesil Beach, McEwan mentions that Flo's IQ is above 150, and Ed's above 130, and that these numbers were taken seriously at one time. Does the man can wring drama from a hyper-detailed account of a neursurgery really think that IQ is outmoded? A 100 years of psychometric testing show a powerful relationship between measured IQ and life outcomes - whether you can push science forward or write a cold, atheistic novel that captures with Tolstoyan accuracy the lives of the upper middle call in the 21st century.
McEwan's Henry Perowne doesn't hesitate to express stereotypes about Italian men - self-infatuated, making their wives into their mothers, cheating on their wives.
I wish McEwan had the stones to write fiction that addressed stereotypes aout non-Europeans. Perowne, appreciating the technological supremacy of the West, wonders what the stories of its hay day will be like once the barbarians unseat the Romans, and he then covers his ass by asking who the Romans are, and by implication who the barbarians are.
I'd enjoy a McEwan who was indifferent enough to popular opinion to explore that question with the same boldness and eloquence that he defends atheism.
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- Is Briony's imagination a curse? -- Lucy, 06:44:43 04/12/08 Sat
I would really like to know your opinions on Briony;is her imagination a gift or a curse, is it either?
There is the obvious; her imagination acts as a destructive tool against Robbie and Cecilia. Her imagination as redeption from her sins.
I am doing my coursework on the nature of storytelling within Atonement and i believe this is a vital point to my argument, but sadly, one i am finding increasingly hard to come to an opinion on... any views?
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- On Chesil Beach -- Edna, 07:49:40 11/26/07 Mon
I'm wondering if Florence is really frigid, or she thinks she is.It seems to me another possibility is her lack of knowledge and experience. Maybe time and communication could have helped her discover something she didn't know about herself.
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- The Child in Time -- Tom, 19:44:02 09/14/04 Tue
I have read and enjoyed several of Ian McEwans books but
when I recently started The Child in Time I couldn't finish
it even though I was over 100 pages in. It was way too
wordy, jumped around between time and situations causing
confusion, and frankly even though I was intrigued at the
beginning, it was boring. I would like to hear from anyone
who has read the entire book. Am I completely wrong,
did you enjoy it, or....? What am I missing here?
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- Re: The Child in Time -- H, 03:27:45 09/15/04 Wed
- Re: The Child in Time -- Maz, 03:43:56 09/21/04 Tue
- Re: The Child in Time -- Carl, 16:59:26 01/11/05 Tue
- Re: The Child in Time -- Linda C Savage, 07:12:20 01/13/05 Thu
- Re: The Child in Time -- Magda, 13:38:26 02/20/05 Sun
- Re: The Child in Time -- vee, 11:56:58 02/28/05 Mon
- Re: The Child in Time -- Rene Buhler, 20:33:21 07/25/05 Mon
- Re: The Child in Time -- gertz, 06:11:20 05/28/06 Sun
- Re: The Child in Time -- Silviya, 04:28:00 01/03/07 Wed
- Re: The Child in Time -- Glenn Parrington, 17:09:06 01/22/08 Tue
- Re: The Child in Time -- maria, 21:04:59 02/23/08 Sat
- Poen in Saturday -- Peter, 09:07:45 03/29/08 Sat
In teh novel "Fahrenheit 451" Montag recides a poem to his woman and two of her friends. This poem ist "Dover Beach".After he has finished, a woman starts to cry. In "Saturday" there is barely the same scene. Is this just random our is ist the authors intention to have a comparrison?
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- On Chesil Beach -- Nathan Z, 04:50:08 03/28/08 Fri
I feel somewhat embarassed to make such a crass comment about such a beautifully crafted work of fiction, but the marriage could have worked had Edward not refrained from *ahem* pleasuring himself for the week before the marriage. For the want of a w***...
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- On Chesil Beach -- Maud, 14:12:33 03/23/08 Sun
After I wrote my message on 'On Chesil Beach' I read in this discussion-forum, that other readers shared my questions about possible sexual abuse by Florence's father.
Cool!
And that indeed it had happened (weird to write that of fictional characters).
I wrote before that it did not matter to know it for sure, however it IS good to know it for sure.
Even more painful.
But in a subtle way.
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- On Chesil Beach -- Maud, 13:28:53 03/23/08 Sun
I am from the Netherlands, but I read Ian McEwan's books in English - I love them.
I think he is one of the best writers I know.
I finished 'On Chesil Beach' and it moved me deeply, even though it is way shorter than f.i. Saturday or Atonement.
His books make me cry - the love in them.
I love the way he describes women - it's been a while, I read the other books, but Florence from 'On Chesil Beach'- she becomes real to me and very lovely.
I kept wondering whether she had been sexually abused by her father - some of the things McEwan writes: how she remembered lying in the cabin of her father's boat and how 'she was of no use to her father as a sailor and that surely was the source of her shame' and later, after Edward has prematurely ejaculated she has 'summoning memories she had long ago decided were not really hers'.
Maby it is not necessary to really know that for a fact, maby it is even better to have these questions.
Anyways, just wanted to express my admiration and also my gratitude - his books feed my soul.
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- Enduring Love -- Katie, 06:22:39 10/08/07 Mon
Hello, just wondering if anyone knows...are Clarissa and Joe married in Enduring Love? In chapter one it says 'childless marriage of love' but in chapter two it mentions when Joe was about to propose. So... are they married or not?
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- questions -- Katkins282 (wondering), 04:11:08 03/04/08 Tue
does anybody believe that the controversial writing that Ian McEwan uses could have any thing to do with his own past? Almost like a controversial writing to match his controversial life?
Could someone email me back its for my work... if you dont think it is to do with that, maybe some other suggestions?
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- atonement -- jack, 12:31:52 03/10/08 Mon
Violence appears to play a role in Atonement, however I am interested in McEwan's treatment of violence, most notably in the retreat from Dunkirk. I was wondering if anyone could provide backgroud etc or point me in the direction of a useful article.
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- Some different thoughts on Global Warming -- Kevin Cox (optimistic), 02:16:46 03/10/08 Mon
While watching the 7:30 report I heard that Ian McEwan is writing a book on global warming. This message is to him and to others on a way of looking at "the problem" and a possible solution.
We see global warming as an example of "the tragedy of the commons" and we see the solution coming as a result of finding a general solution to this problem. The basic idea of a possible solution can be found in the article "Reward the frugal and charge the profligate" at http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=7085
The concept is explored further with a submission to the Garnaut investigation at
http://cscoxk.wordpress.com/2008/03/10/emissions-permits-trading-inferior-to/
A practical application of the idea and how it might work to address all manner of community issues can be found at http://rewards.edentiti.com
The idea at the heart of this works is that the "solution" is arrived at by choice and evolution and responsibility to community spending. That is, it gives us a general approach to the allocation of funds to the public good in the most cost effective way.
Another variation on the idea can be found in this talk on ants http://www.ted.com/index.php/speakers/view/id/127
Essentially the idea is that if we get person to person transactions "fair" to each party then we will get progress if we keep in mind community as well individual objectives. What gives us hope is that humans are wired for cooperation and not competition and our current emphasis on the cult of the individual and blatant consumerism is not the natural order.
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- Tasmania's forests -- Florence Harwood (Not happy Jan), 20:57:29 03/09/08 Sun
I offer these comments as I respect Mr McEwan's work deeply but I am extremely disappointed that Ian McEwan has been captured by a campaign that often disregards truth and facts.
Ian has recently visited Tasmania's forests with well Richard Flanagan and Bob Brown. I must say I am astonished that a writer of his sensibilities and intellect chose to accept such a one eyed view and did not seek any information about the other side of the forestry debate.
Then to involve the issue of climate change without the slightest nod to the findings of the Garnault and Stern reports on carbon sequestration through the forestry industry!
I adore McEwan's work and have read his novels with a sense of admiration and wonder. The most important duty an artist has, as Gunter Grass would say, is to speak out about what you observe in society. I do not and never would demur from that. But Gunter Grass never extolled speaking out in an unbalanced way and without some research to back up what Ian has said.
It would have been more helpful if he had qualified his comments by saying that he'd made observations in the presence of some very biased friends. Because that's all he did. He was shown something ("destruction") and chose to believe what was said about it. His reaction to it isn't exactly enlightened.
This is the same kind of tactic used by various anti forestry campaigners in Japan and overseas generally (in markets for Tasmanian forest products) who regularly show photos of "old growth trees" that have been "burnt" and misrepresent their location and their age (of course they're all old growth!). One group in particular was exposed for lying like this recently and they found themselves in a position where they had to apologise for lying and misleading the audience. I find that kind of tactic pretty disturbing.
The green groups make a great deal out of the terms pristine forests and old growth. I have been with well known campaigners in the Tasmanian forest and they haven't realised that what they are claiming to be old growth forest is actually regrowth after a wildfire in 1937. Their lack of knowledge on the subject is astounding.
What is happening is that they have captured the moral higher ground at the expense of facts, a propaganda war if ever there was one. And to be seen to defend the forestry industry in any way shape or form (including putting forward facts) is to be a rapist, a pillager, a completely unworthy person with indefensible views.
Is Ian aware that this campaign's persistence in claiming that these forests should not be touched by humans insults the Tasmanian Aboriginal community? They were effective land managers (using similar techniques to what is done now) long before anti forest campaigners decided that forests should be "wildernesses" which they usually define as having no people in them or "untouched by humans".
Other lies peddled around are that fires from forestry operations are burning down the Tasmanian world heritage area. However statistics from independent fire experts in Tasmania clearly indicate that if anything the fires into forestry operations from the world heritage area into forestry operations and not the other way around!
What I want to see considered by Ian is some facts. I would like Ian to come back to Tasmania in person and hear the other side of the debate. Only then should his views be respected. It's fine by me if that stage he still feels the the same way. But to show such disrespect to intellectual and scholarly principles of an objective examination of the facts puts him in a position where his credibility has been sorely undermined.
As I stated at the beginning, it's because I respect McEwan's work and capabilities so much that I've bothered to write in this way.
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- Humbert Humbert in Atonement -- Rachel Worden, 09:58:08 01/08/08 Tue
Humbert Humbert in ATONEMENT
(any advice on editing this note?)
Briony Tallis is the thirteen year old protagonist of Ian McEwen’s Atonement. Like any early-teen female in literature, Briony cannot avoid a comparison to another literary figure: Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita. McEwan is certainly aware of this and has peppered his text with allusions to the famous nymphet.
Atonement has a character named Lola. Lola is the pet name that Nabokov’s Humbert Humbert gives Lolita specifically when wearing slacks. McEwan’s Lola is fifteen (just a year too old to be classified as a nymphet) and like Lolita she is raped by a man much her senior who happens to notice and comment on the girl’s slacks. Another allusion comes from Briony’s migraine burdened mother who shares one of Humbert Humbert’s talents. Humbert who likes to keep informed of the doings in Lolita’s home without leaving his study describes himself as a spider sending silken threads throughout the house in search of the young girl. Briony’s mother, Emily, while staving off a headache sends “tendrils” out from her bed to keep track of her household. Nabokov’s dismissal of psychology is well documented and Emily Tallis’ Freudianism is quite comical. The reader also learns in Lolita’s preface that all the characters involved are deceased, Atonement’s final pages inform the reader likewise. Lolita’s preface also redirects readers who want to know “the real people behind the true story." Atonement’s final pages subtly admonish the reader who wants to know “what really happened." The novels seem to share important dates: Atonement opens in 1935 the year of Lolita’s birth and Briony’s second draft is complete in 1947 the fatidic date of Humbert and Lolita’s first acquaintance. You can even find Lolita’s name hidden in Briony Tallis. Briony writes a play titled “The trials of Arabella” which seems a nod to Humbert's first love Annabell. But it is in Briony’s “ancient lust” of writing where the young girls diverge.
Rather than producing another Lolita, Ian McEwan seems to have reinvented Humbert Humbert as a thirteen year old girl. Like Humbert, Briony is the author of the text. Like Humbert, Briony is only aware of her inner world and is therefore oblivious and destructive to the life of those around her. Like Humbert, Briony becomes aware of the extent of her lie too late and she, like Humbert, can only hope to achieve atonement through writing. Humbert believes in fate to the point where he supposes his hotel room number to be “a key” and He excuses his behavior as destined. This is where the characters differ; Briony’s room number “told (her) nothing” and her pain of guilt is sincere. Whether either achieves atonement is for the reader jury to decide.
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- on chesil beach -- Lorna Schofield (OK), 13:45:50 02/16/08 Sat
I kept being thrown during on Chesil Beach because everything was telling me it was 1912 rather than 1962.
The name Florence; the general air of restriction and repression; the gentility of the hotel, the absolute sexual innocence of the couple.
Perhaps this was deliberate, but over and over again I was imagining the woman in long skirts and pinned-up hair and the man in braces and collarless shirt and then - oops - she and he are in early 60s garb. It jarred, rather.
I suppose you wanted to underline the fact that there was so much restriction and repression until relatively recently...Perhaps if you had called the girl Angela or Susan or something more of that era, I wouldn't have drifted so far into the past!
Anyway, thank you for so many brilliant books.
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- Inspiration -- Elizabeth, 13:04:58 01/16/08 Wed
Forgive me if this question has already been asked, but I was wondering if anyone knew what the inspiration for the characters Robbie and Cecilia were derived from. The author used a great deal of letters sent back and forth during the war, and I'm interested in which ones.
Maybe it's my foolish hope to think that somewhere out there, the story might have been real. Or at least bits and parts of it.
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- "The Child In Time" length -- tre, 10:42:38 02/20/08 Wed
Possibly silly question here. Approximately how long is "The Child in Time"? A page count tells me very little.
I ask this because I'm slowly working my way through Mr. McEwan's oeuvre and prefer to start with the shorter novels. I don't have the actual book yet, hence the question!
Using one of his more recent books as a comparison will help: i.e. it's almost as long as "The Innocent", it's twice as long as "Black Dog", etc.
Thanks!
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- atonement -- MaryOverin (frustrated), 09:53:40 01/10/08 Thu
I find Atonement unsatisfactory because the plot rests on a total impossiblity: that someone might be convicted and imprisoned on the unsupported and unexamined evidence of a child (statement to police). She would have had to give evidence in court and be cross-questioned by Defence Counsel.
Does anyone see a way round this problem?
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- On Chesil Beach - Comments -- Tee, 19:02:40 09/26/07 Wed
I finished OCB last night, and it has left such an impression. The "surprise" ending was so shocking, so unexpected -- the last two pages were so beautiful. I respect McEwan for taking what I saw was a real chance with this book - surely some would find this story unbelievable, particularly in light of the pages devoted to their adoration for one another, but I found that I actually related to it - to the misgivings, the close proximity of love and hate, the misunderstandings. The only real criticisms I have are as follows: 1) I was so invested in whether these two would actually have sex, that I found myself bored with some of the abrupt background narrative that forestalled the ineveitable; and 2)Given their very different family/socioeconomic backgrounds, I found it curious that they chose to be together, much more that Flo's family supported her choice of a rather unsophisticated, undirected fellow.
I'd love to hear feedback.
Tee
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Re: Who writes like Mcewan? -- Bob Small, 12:12:53 11/12/06 Sun
Re: bachelor work -- Christine, 13:05:35 04/29/08 Tue