Saturday
by Ian McEwan
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Book Summary Information
Author: Ian McEwanEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2006-04-11
ISBN: 1400076196
Number of pages: 304
Publisher: Anchor
Book Reviews of Saturday
Book Review: Insights
Summary: 4 Stars
In "SATURDAY" Ian McEwan takes us inside the mind of a man who gets inside of brains. In this one Saturday in the life of Henry Perowne, a British neurosurgeon, by way of the good doctor's interior monologue, he shares his thoughts and emotions about our post 9-11 world. Identifying with a brain surgeon is about as high minded as you can go (even better than rocket scientist) so there is a sort of satisfaction in seeing the world as he does while he articulates his vision. To follow Perowne's rambling rational thinking is to partake of his wistful insights although he does take his scientific reductionism a bit far. "Who could ever reckon up the damage done to love and friendship and all hopes of happiness by a surfeit or depletion of this or that neurotransmitter."
When not resigning himself to biological determinism, or interacting with his wife, daughter, son or mother, Perown seems to spend his hours ruminating about the next terrorist attack. So how does a neurosurgeon deal with the reality of religious extremism and the horrors waiting to unfold? Saving lives puts political worries out of his mind while he is performing surgical procedures. But on this particular Saturday he happens to get out of bed before dawn and looking out his window, he sees a flaming aircraft approaching Heathrow Airport. After 9-11 the assumption is that another terrorist attack is underway.
Okay, no spoilers now. I'll just say the book becomes a richly satisfying philosophical meditation on chance, health, aging,family, love, war and peace, compassion and the current state of the world with all its fanatics. The intermix of one man's Saturday routine activities with his thoughts and observations on life in our post 9-11 world puts a layer of immediacy onto the underlying suspense. And there's a wry humor in Perowne's skepticism and resignation. "He suspect he's becoming a dupe, the willing, febrile consumer of news fodder, speculation and all the crumbs the authorities let fall."
Summary of Saturday
In his triumphant new novel, Ian McEwan, the bestselling author of Atonement, follows an ordinary man through a Saturday whose high promise gradually turns nightmarish. Henry Perowne-a neurosurgeon, urbane, privileged, deeply in love with his wife and grown-up children-plans to play a game of squash, visit his elderly mother, and cook dinner for his family. But after a minor traffic accident leads to an unsettling confrontation, Perowne must set aside his plans and summon a strength greater than he knew he had in order to preserve the life that is dear to him.McEwan, Ian Books
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