Saturday

By: Ian McEwan

Narrated by: Steven Crossley

New York Times best-selling author Ian McEwan's novels have inspired sweeping critical acclaim and won such prestigious awards as the Booker Prize for Amsterdam and the National Book Critics Circle Award for his modern masterpiece, Atonement. With Saturday, McEwan has crafted perhaps his most unique achievement to date.

Neurosurgeon Henry Perowne enjoys life immensely and considers himself fortunate to love the woman he's married to. As he makes his way through an immense London crowd of Iraq protestors, he has a minor automobile accident. His trained eye immediately senses something neurologically wrong with Baxter, the other driver. So when the confrontational Baxter visits the Perowne home later that evening and events take a tragic turn, it is Henry who must employ his skills to save Baxter.

McEwan has been hailed as "one of the most gifted literary storytellers alive" by The New Republic, and Saturday is further proof of that claim.

Listen to an interview with Ian McEwan on Charlie Rose.©2005 Ian McEwan (P)2005 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Dazzling." (The New York Times)
"A wise and poignant portrait of the way we live now." (Publishers Weekly)
"McEwan is as provocative, transporting, and brilliant as ever as he considers both our vulnerability and our strength, particularly our ability to create sanctuary in a violent world." (Booklist)

Great writing and great reader

McEwan relies more heavily on character development than plot in this tale of a day's events, but what great character development it is. The reader hits a great tone. Thoroughly enjoyable.

The storyline will keep you reading

I liked the descriptions of the neurosurgical procedures. it made me feel like I was in the OR.

Wonderful

I loved this book so much I went out and bought a paperback after listening to the book. Great reader, the story moves at a pace that, as one of my friends said, makes you both dread the next lines and sit anxiously waiting for them. His coverage of the mind of a physician is as accurate as anyone could have done - physician or not. ( I am one, although not a neurosurgeon) It is a masterful reading, masterful book and one that will have endure well beyond the time in which it is set.

A thoughtful Inner dialog

This thoughtful book delves the inner thoughts of one man in a day in the post 9-11 world in London. Those who expect a thriller will be disappointed. Those who look for the author's trademark tight style and craftesmanlike prose, will be delighted, as I was.

The book convincingly addresses the meaning of life, equity, and integenerational relationships. This is NOT airplane reading ---indeed it starts off with a plane crash.

A great read though hyperbole (a charcter does an impossible number of surgeries in a day, etc) detracts a bit. It's thoughtful ruminating style colored with vague menace fit me perfectly.

Language!

Intricate suspenseful weave of post 911 London and neurological pathology in a flawless performance. Compelling read and repeatable listen.