Man Booker Winner and Author of 'Atonement' Ian McEwan Comes to The Bookworm Oct 28
As arguably one of England’s all-time famous novelists and screenwriters, the late announcement that Ian McEwan would appear at The Bookworm via the venue's WeChat account earlier this week, is now certainly generating a buzz.
That's unsurprising given the numerous accolades the 70-year-old author has to his name, including winning the Man Booker Prize for his 1998 novel Amsterdam which was then followed up with the acclaimed Atonement (2001), later adapted into an Academy award-winning movie starring Keira Knightley.
Such milestones mean that it was only a matter of time before word began to spread about this landmark book talk, making for what should be a chock-a-block crowd at The Bookworm on Sunday.
Bookworm General Manager Peter Goff tells the Beijinger: “It is a big honor for us to be welcoming Ian McEwan to The Bookworm this weekend. He is, of course, a literary icon, a gifted writer, and his work has a truly global reach – already translated into more than 30 languages."
“In the world of books, he is a leading light who consistently challenges and inspires,” Goff adds.
Zhang Lijia – a London-based Chinese author who recently gave a talk about her own bestselling book, Lotus, at The Bookworm – says McEwan's upcoming appearance at that café is a boon for Beijing bibliophiles. She calls Atonement "a contemporary classic and absolute masterpiece. It tells a great story with astonishing depth and psychological accuracy. An extremely engaging read, the novel also deals with the serious issues of love, class, trauma, and forgiveness."
"I think Chinese writers and reader will appreciate its modern way of story-telling and narration, something lacking in modern Chinese literature," Zhang adds.
The talk will be moderated by the Beijing-based author Alec Ash, known for his book Wish Lanterns (read more about that here).
Ian McEwan will appear in conversation at The Bookworm on Sunday, Oct 28. Entry is RMB 60. For more information, click here.
Photo: Murdo Mcleod (via Our Daily Read)
