The BMW is being driven by a Baxter and his two hooligan chums – “ The car is a five series BMW, a vehicle he associates for no good reason with criminality, drug dealing“. On the way to his game and to avoid the anti-war marchers, Henry drives through a blocked road only to crash mildly into a BMW. Daisy is on the verge of publishing her first collection of poems. “ Forty- eight years old, profoundly asleep at nine thirty on a Friday night – this is modern professional life” – that is how successful he is! Henry is looking forward to his saturday for a good game of squash with his colleague, a visit to his ailing mother, a trip to the rehearsals of his son (Theo) who is an upcoming blues singer and above all an important family reunion which includes a visit from his poetess daughter (Daisy) and father-in-law (John Grammaticus) who is an accomplished man of letters. Set in London in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, “ Saturday” is a contemporary story of a unique day of happenings in the life of Henry Perowne – an accomplished neurosurgeon. I think I am beginning to understand why McEwan is rated so very high on the present literary scene. However, McEwan‘s “ Saturday” has clearly defogged me - It in my eyes is a culmination of breathtaking style and wonderful substance. It is this variation that left me a little confused.

For me “ Amsterdam” was good style over good substance and “ On Chesil Beach” was great substance over a difficult style (I enjoyed both though). For I was vacillating in my views about McEwan‘s writing even after having read his two well known books “ Amsterdam” and “ On Chesil Beach“. H who had kind words for me on my blog advised me to read Ian McEwan‘s “ Saturday” and Alan Bennett‘s “ The Uncommon Reader“. In matters of books learned advice can be disproportionately rewarding. To deride the hopes of progress is ultimate fatuity, the last word in poverty of spirit and meanness of mind - Sir Peter Brian Medawar – Co-winner of Nobel for Medicine in 1960

Saturday ian mcewan review