Ian McEwan

Ian McEwan, the writer, was born in England in 1948.  As his father was an officer in the British Army, Ian spent his early life in places such as Singapore, Germany, and Libya.  He returned to England when he was twelve years-old.  McEwan earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature from the University of Sussex.  He also earned a Master’s Degree in creative writing. 

Ian McEwan first published a collection of short stories in 1975.  He started writing novels in 1978.  In 2001, I first became acquainted with his work when I read the acclaimed novel, Atonement.  After reading it, I developed a thirst for more of his work as I thoroughly enjoyed his sophisticated style and manner of story-telling.  I have since read other books of his including  On Chesil Beach, Saturday, The Comfort of Strangers, Black Dogs, First Love, Last Rights, Amsterdam and Sweet Tooth.   

While browsing in a book store here in São Paulo earlier this year, I came across McEwan’s recent novel, The Children Act.  After I finished reading it while on vacation in Guaruja, I did something I had never done before.  I immediately re-read it.  It had such an intoxicating effect on me that I almost couldn’t give it up.

It is the story of a middle-aged English woman, Fiona May, a High Court Judge in London who specializes in Family Law.  While continuing to deal with her caseload, which usually involves children’s issues, she is also undergoing a personal crisis, the possible dissolution of her long-term childless marriage. 

Fiona’s latest case concerns a 17 year-old boy who refuses a life-saving blood transfusion for leukemia because of his religious convictions.  How should she decide?  What is in the best interest of the boy?  Does he have freedom of religion?  Can someone refuse medical treatment?  And what will happen to her marriage?  McEwan will keep you turning those pages, spellbound by his marvelous use of the English language in telling a fascinating story.  I highly recommend The Children Act. 

Here’s a quick look at the book’s beginning for a sneak peek of McEwan’s writing style:

“London.  Trinity term one week old.  Implacable June weather.  Fiona May, a High Court judge, at home on Sunday evening, supine on a chaise longue, staring past her stockinged feet towards the end of the room, towards a partial view of recessed bookshelves by the fireplace and, to one side, a tall window, a tiny Renoir lithograph of a bather, bought by her thirty years ago for fifty pounds.  Probably a fake.”

In 2017, McEwan wrote the screenplay for the movie version of his story.  It starred Emma Thompson (Fiona), Stanley Tucci (her husband) and Fionn Whitehead (the boy).