Mar 28, 2010 ian mcewan is on safe ground having a nobel physicist as the central character of his new novel, solar. Gore, iraq, obamas election, and the science and technology are up to the minute and sufficiently digested for a lay reader to feel edified. Mar, 2010 solar is a sly, sardonic novel about a dislikable english physicist and philanderer named michael beard. New york times 100 notable books of 2010 fiction and nonfiction.
Mcewan avoids the problem of how to dramatise and emotive area of science by uncharacteristically and highly effectively deploying a sly streak of comedy. Solar is a novel by author ian mcewan, first published on 18 march 2010 by jonathan cape. With saturday, mcewan has crafted perhaps his most unique achievement to date. A complex novel that traces the arc of one mans ambitions and selfdeceptions.
His solar power plant is in the final stages of construction in lordsburg, new mexico, where he has acquired. A british newspaper pointed out the resemblance between passages in his celebrated 2001 novel, atonement. Ian mcewan on solar his new book about climate change. A nobel laureate awarded the prize for his work on the beardeinstein conflation theres nothing like the conflation, nothing like this elaboration of the photovoltaics nothing more elegant, nothing truer, an acolyte enthuses, beard is, at age fifty. Hes a recognisable ian mcewan type, a onedimensional, selfdeceiving man of science. Solar by ian mcewan 2010, audio, other for sale online. Ian mcewan answers our questions about his march book, solar. Ian mcewan excels at climate science but his onedimensional protagonist.
Despite the books somber, scientific backdrop and global warming here is little but that, solar is mr. A climate scientists priapic urges eclipse his professional drive in ian mcewans. Solar is a dark and savagely funny book, a withering portrait of michael beard, the nobel laureate behind the solar project. Solar is a sly, sardonic novel about a dislikable english physicist and philanderer named michael beard. Solar by ian mcewan and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Top 10 best ian mcewan books you should read honest readers. Solar, the new novel by ian mcewan, is just the opposite. Beard has little time for the ponytails who staff the centre with their keen new science and even keener idealism. Physicist michael beard, the unlikely seducer at the centre of ian mcewans latest novel, won the nobel. Ian mcewan is the critically acclaimed author of seventeen books. Michael beard is a nobel prizewinning physicist whose best. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading solar. His novels include the child in time, which won the 1987 whitbread novel of the year award. The introduction, discussion questions, and suggested further reading that follow are designed to enhance your groups discussion of solar, the new novel by ian mcewan, booker prize winner and bestselling author of amsterdam and atonement.
About this guide the introduction, discussion questions, and suggested further reading that follow are designed to enhance your groups discussion of solar, the new novel by ian mcewan, booker prize winner and bestselling author of amsterdam and atonement. Since most of us have no idea what nobel winners are like or. Michael beard is a nobel prizewinning physicist and compulsive overeater whose best work is behind him. Mcewan is published by jonathan cape in the uk and nan a. Ian mcewan is a british writer who was born in 1948 in aldershot. But of course this is a mcewan novel, and there will always be a price to pay for michaels sins, as well as a skewering of politics in general. Buy solar first edition first printing by mcewan, ian isbn.
His first published work, a collection of short stories, first love, last rites, won the somerset maugham award. It is a satire about a jaded nobelwinning physicist whose dysfunctional personal life and cynical ambition see him pursuing a solarenergy based solution for climate change. In mcewans most recent book, solar the author takes on the most all encompassing subject ever. New scientist, 31 march 2010 graeme mitchison is a physicist at the centre for quantum computation at the university of cambridge. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Hes a brilliant scientist, to be sure, the winner of the nobel prize in physics for the beardeinstein conflation, much in demand not only as a research scientist but also as a public. Ian mcewans solar is a threepart novel, its very central character the physicist michael beard. There was a new fullness in her lower lip, a promise of trouble when she lowered her gaze, and her shortened hair lay curled on her nape in a compelling, oldfashioned way. The comfort of strangers and black dogs, both shortlisted for the booker prize. His latest appointment, as head of the governments new national. Certain books are so bad that theyre actually rather good. The story is about an old scientist trying to reverse climate change by inventing a new type of energy. Our cheap used books come with free delivery in the uk. Solar by ian mcewan 2011, paperback for sale online ebay.
His father served the military and as such much of mcewans childhood was spent in north africa, germany and asia. Mar 05, 2010 ian mcewan on solar his new book about climate change. Solar won the bollinger everyman wodehouse prize for comic fiction in 2010 and sweet tooth won the paddy power political fiction book of the year award in 2012. Mar 30, 2010 despite the books somber, scientific backdrop and global warming here is little but that, solar is mr. Metro climatechange comedy thats every bit as brilliant as its title suggests the sunday times solar has an engagingly direct, bleakly comic view of science and scientists. Since most of us have no idea what nobel winners are like or how they behave, were in no. It is a satire about a jaded nobelwinning physicist whose dysfunctional personal life and cynical ambition see him pursuing a solar energy based solution for climate change. The only thing falling apart faster than our planet is the personal life of michael beard, the fictional lead of ian mcewan s solar. The only thing falling apart faster than our planet is the personal life of michael beard, the fictional lead of ian mcewans solar. To find other great titles by random house australia, visit. Apr 18, 2010 solar, the new novel by ian mcewan, is just the opposite. Mar 01, 2010 the task he has set himself in solar appears to be the most ambitious one yet. The bestselling british authors new book, solar, is out this week, but readers shouldnt miss some of his older work. A complex novel that brilliantly traces the arc of one mans ambitions and selfdeceptions, solar is a startling, witty, and stylish new work from one of the worlds great writers.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Mar 08, 2011 ian mcewan is the bestselling author of seventeen books, including the novels nutshell. When he has a new book out, i read it right away, and this one was no exception. Solar, winner of the bollinger everyman wodehouse prize.
Black dogs is a dark and brooding masterpiece from bookerprize winning sunday times bestselling author ian mcewan. Hes a brilliant scientist, to be sure, the winner of the nobel prize in physics for the beardeinstein conflation, much in demand not only as a research scientist but also as a public intellectual of sorts, the. Trading on his reputation, he speaks for enormous fees. Mar 18, 2010 buy solar first edition first printing by mcewan, ian isbn. Solar by ian mcewan 2010, audio, other for sale online ebay. Ian mcewan s solar is a threepart novel, its very central character the physicist michael beard. A british newspaper pointed out the resemblance between. Mcewans funniest novel yet a novel that in tone and affect often reads more like something by zoe heller or david lodge. Ian mcewan is on safe ground having a nobel physicist as the central character of his new novel, solar. Upon returning to england he pursued his studies and was awarded a degree in english literature in 1970 from the prestigious university of sussex. I was reading solar while waiting for a delayed flight at gatwick and the power of beards. Mar 16, 2010 to find other great titles by random house australia, visit. Out of all his novels, solar, according to ian mcewan himself, is the one that bombed in the.
Solar by ian mcewan used like new 9780099549024 world. Solar, spanning the years 20002009, is divided into three sections, each with its own catalogue of humiliations in solarjust as in 2006s plodding, oddly lifeless saturdaythe historical markers are all in place bush v. Ian mcewans solar features a boorish physicist the new. Ian mcewan talks about his new book, solar youtube. Someone very old with snow in his beard and a damp, unlit cigarette on his lower lip came in muttering illtemperedly, snatched beards bag, took it. Mcewan asked for his assistance with certain aspects of the novel solar. Mar 12, 2010 c limate change is chiefly an engineering problem to michael beard, the central character in ian mcewans new novel. Fired by their ideals and passion for one another, they had planned an idyllic holiday, but in france they witness an event that alters the course of their lives entirely. In 1946, june and bernard set off on their honeymoon. I am a big fan of ian mcewan, and have read all of his books. Please be aware that this discussion guide may contain spoilers. In 2006, ian mcewan survived a minor scrape with the plagiarism police.
The guardian, 6 march 2010 mcewan on his new novel solar. New york times bestselling author ian mcewans 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. Atonement, winner of the national book critics circle award and the w. Whatever about the feeble homage to joyces the dead marring the close of his new novel, the children act, the impeccable, astutely. In the study of physics, quantum mechanics is used to explain the movement and actions of the very, very small. Ian mcewan on a cape farewell expedition to spitsbergen in the arctic. C limate change is chiefly an engineering problem to michael beard, the central character in ian mcewans new novel. Solar by mcewan, ian and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Solar is a novel by author ian mcewan, first published on 18 march 2010 by jonathan cape, an imprint of random house. Mcewans coldhearted scientist melts down in ian mcewans novel, a morally corrupt physicist.
838 308 1132 1284 662 783 850 1273 1467 881 1309 483 893 966 956 30 627 333 456 110 344 1497 713 1289 281 795 1490 98 1166 1002 765 739