The Book Club: Ian McEwan - Best of the Spectator

What this episode covers

Sam Leith's guest in this week’s Book Club is Ian McEwan – whose latest novel Lessons draws on his own biography to imagine an 'alternative life' for himself. He tells Sam about what drew him, in his late career, to using autobiography; about why there’s no contradiction in combining realism with metafiction; about the importance of sex; the rise of cancel culture – and why literary fiction by 'comfortable white men of a certain age' may have had its day, but he’s not complaining. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Best of the Spectator?

This episode is 47 minutes long.

When was this Best of the Spectator episode published?

This episode was published on September 7, 2022.

What is this episode about?

Sam Leith's guest in this week’s Book Club is Ian McEwan – whose latest novel Lessons draws on his own biography to imagine an 'alternative life' for himself. He tells Sam about what drew him, in his late career, to using autobiography; about why...

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