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Article: The thinker; Ian McEwan.(Ian McEwan's new novel)
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- February 5, 2005
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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IT IS 3.40 in the morning of Saturday February 15th 2003. Henry Perowne is standing at the bedroom window of his smart London home. Wondering why he has woken so early, he sees a plane with one of its engines on fire, streaking like a comet towards Heathrow airport. In a post-September 11th world this fills him with unease: "Everyone agrees, airliners look different in the sky these days, predatory and doomed." This is the opening to "Saturday", Ian McEwan's enthralling tenth novel.
The book is a product of a world where terrorism and war make headlines, but also filter into the smallest corners of people's lives. The action takes place on a single day--shades of ...