6 Ian McEwan books I would recommend to everyone

Today is Ian McEwan's birthday. He is a well loved and prolific author writing on a huge range of topics and amongst his back catalogue you are sure to find a book you love! Here are my top 6 recommendations - today is as good a day as any to pick one up and give it a try...

Atonement is probably his most famous novel and it is definitely my favourite. It spans many decades, following the life of Briony Tallis. We first meet her as a thirteen year old in 1935, when she witnesses an encounter between her older sister and their housekeeper's son. The way she interprets what she witnesses from afar and her actions in the aftermath have far reaching consequences for all 3 of them and she will spend the rest of her life trying to atone for her actions. This is a very powerful novel about love, war and regret, as well as an interesting look at how differently actions and words can be interpreted. Very moving and highly recommended.

Enduring Love is utterly compelling from the very first page - very difficult to put down and may well be read in one sitting. Following the story of Joe Rose whose whole life changes when a ballooning accident forces a chance encounter with Jed Parry who almost immediately becomes obsessed with Joe. Rose's life, relationships and sanity quickly begin to crumble under the weight of this obsession. McEwan is a master at creating tension and an atmosphere of foreboding, paranoia and suspicion. A very clever and affecting novel.

The Child in Time won the Whitbread Award in 1987. It opens with every parents worst nightmare when a father takes his three-year-old daughter to the supermarket and she goes missing. What follows is a heart wrenching exploration of bereavement and grief as well as a reflection on the nature of childhood. Powerful and affecting stuff.

Saturday is a complex and reflective novel following a day (Saturday 15th February 2003) in the life of neurosurgeon Henry Perowne. McEwan is accomplished at ratching up the tension in this slow-burner which is beautifully written and provides a window on the world in 2003 - definitely valuable as social history, and definitely worth a read.

The Children Act tells the story of  Fiona Maye, a high court judge caught up in a number of complex cases of family law, whilst also facing a crisis in her personal life. The themes explored are common to many of McEwan's novels: aging, obsession and stagnating relationships, but the subject matter is very thought provoking and the reader is frequently invited to examine their own morality. An interesting and compelling read.

On Chesil Beach is a very short novel, but its emotional intensity makes it an unforgettable one. It tells the story of  Edward and  Florence, arriving on the Dorset Coast on their wedding night in 1962 as virgins, and their fears of what is to come. It is at times almost unbearably poignant and you cannot fail to be moved by this story of awkwardness and miscommunication. It is beautifully written and brilliantly observed. Fantastic stuff.

What is your favourite Ian McEwan novel? Have I missed any that you would recommend?

Some literary love for Valentine's Day

It can't have escaped your notice that today is Valentine's Day, so I decided to wrack my brains for my favourite literary love stories. This list probably doesn't contain the normal literary greats and epic love stories but they are here because they are my favourites and I love the 2 central characters and the relationship that is portrayed. I have read each of these books many times and never fail to be moved by the love! Give them a try.

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen is  a novel that you probably would expect to turn up on a list like this. It's an iconic story of love between 2 people who don't realise that they love each other for quite a long time. The relationship between Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy is a slow burner full of false starts and setbacks and surrounded by other people's mistakes in love. A gentle story full of wit and humour and some very likeable characters. If you have never read Austen and you fancy some romance on Valentine's Day, this is a great place to start. And, as my husband pointed out, this is the only novel on my list with a happy ending so a nice feel-good book too, the literary equivalent of a hug!

Cold Mountain, by Charles Frazier is set during the American Civil War and describes the perilous journey of Inman, a wounded soldier who deserts the battlefield and tries to get home to Cold Mountain and Ada, the woman he loved before the war began. In parallel to Inman's story we hear of Ada's struggle to make a living from her father's land following his death. Neither Ada nor Inman knows if the other is still alive but their memories and thoughts of their imagined future together are what keeps them going through hardship and adversity. Frazier's writing is lyrical and beautiful and the time and place really comes alive. A truly haunting novel. 

The Constant Gardener, by John LeCarre is probably not what you think of when you think of great love stories in literature but Tessa and Justin Quayle are one of my favourite literary couples. Theirs is not a happy story, as the novel begins with Tessa's death and the rest of the novel follows Justin's all-consuming quest to uncover the conspiracy she had stumbled upon that led to her death. However, the story of their relationship is beautiful and Justin's loyalty in the face of much criticism of both Tessa and their relationship is truly moving. This novel is a fast paced thriller and a real page turner but also a heart breaking love story. 

Atonement, by Ian McEwan is an epic novel, spanning most of the twentieth century and begins when 13 year old Briony Tallis witnesses an encounter and the beginning of a budding relationship between her older sister Cecilia and Robbie Turner, the housekeeper's son. The way she interprets what she sees has far reaching consequences that mean that, despite their love, Robbie and Cecilia will be unable to be together. This is an incredibly moving examination of love, war and regret and a book that will stay with you for a very long time.

 Captain Corelli's Mandolin, by Louis de Bernieres is a stunning novel - unusual in both form and style and sweeping in scope. It takes place during the Italian occupation of Cephallonia in the Second World War and tells of the blossoming love between Italian army Captain Antonio Corelli and his Cephallonian host Pelagia. Another tragic story, with an ultimately uplifting ending and writing so beautiful and lyrical that quotes are often used in marriage ceremonies.

Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your root was so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. that is just being in love, which any fool can do. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Those that truly love have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two.

This really is a must-read.

What is your favourite love story?