Ian McEwan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ian McEwan
|
|
|---|---|
McEwan in 2011
|
|
| Born | Ian Russell McEwan 21 June 1948 Aldershot, Hampshire, England |
| Occupation | Novelist, screenwriter |
| Alma mater | University of Sussex University of East Anglia |
| Period | 1975–present |
| Spouse | Penny Allen (1982–1995) Annalena McAfee (1997–present) |
| Children | 2 |
Ian Russell McEwan (born 21 June 1948) is a famous British novelist and screenwriter. He is known for writing many popular books. In 2008, The Times newspaper called him one of the "50 greatest British writers since 1945".
McEwan started his writing career with short stories that were sometimes a bit dark. His first two novels, The Cement Garden (1978) and The Comfort of Strangers (1981), even earned him the nickname "Ian Macabre" because of their spooky themes. Later, he wrote many successful novels. He won the important Booker Prize for his book Amsterdam (1998). Another well-known novel, Atonement, was made into an Oscar-winning movie starring Keira Knightley. Some of his other recent books include The Children Act, Nutshell, and Machines Like Me.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ian McEwan was born in Aldershot, Hampshire, England, on 21 June 1948. His father was a Scotsman who became a major in the army. His mother's name was Rose Lilian Violet.
Because his father was in the army, McEwan spent much of his childhood living in different countries. He lived in places like Singapore in East Asia, Germany, and Libya in North Africa. When he was 12 years old, his family moved back to England. He went to Woolverstone Hall School in Suffolk. Later, he studied English literature at the University of Sussex and the University of East Anglia.
Writing Career and Famous Books
Early Works and "Ian Macabre" Stories (1975–1987)
Ian McEwan's first published book was a collection of short stories called First Love, Last Rites (1975). This book won the Somerset Maugham Award in 1976. He also wrote another collection of short stories, In Between the Sheets, in 1978.
His early novels, The Cement Garden (1978) and The Comfort of Strangers (1981), were quite dark. Both of these books were later turned into movies. Because of the serious and sometimes unsettling nature of these stories, people started calling him "Ian Macabre." He also wrote his first children's book, Rose Blanche, in 1985. Then came The Child in Time (1987), which won the Whitbread Novel Award.
Mainstream Success and Major Awards (1988–2007)
After The Child in Time, McEwan's writing style began to change. He moved away from the very dark themes and started writing stories that reached more readers. This new phase began with The Innocent (1990), a spy story set during the Cold War. He then wrote Black Dogs (1992), which looked at the effects of the Nazi era and the end of the Cold War. He also wrote a second children's book, The Daydreamer (1994).
His 1997 novel, Enduring Love, was very popular with critics. It was made into a film in 2004. In 1998, McEwan won the prestigious Booker Prize for his novel Amsterdam. His next book, Atonement (2001), was highly praised. Time magazine even called it the best novel of 2002. In 2007, Atonement became a very successful movie, directed by Joe Wright and starring Keira Knightley.
McEwan's novel Saturday (2005) tells the story of an eventful day in the life of a brain surgeon. This book won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. His 2007 novel, On Chesil Beach, was also made into a film in 2017, and McEwan wrote the movie script himself. He has also written other screenplays, a play for the stage, and even music for a special type of musical story called an oratorio.
In 2006, there was some discussion about a passage in Atonement that was similar to a passage from a memoir by Lucilla Andrews. McEwan said he had used her book as a source and had mentioned it at the end of Atonement. Many other famous authors supported him during this time.
Recent Works and Themes (2008–Present)
McEwan's novel Solar (2010) is about a scientist trying to save the planet from climate change. He got the idea for this book after going on a trip with artists and scientists to discuss environmental issues near the North Pole.
His twelfth novel, Sweet Tooth (2012), is a historical novel set in the 1970s. McEwan said that writing this book was a way for him to tell a disguised story about his own life. The film rights for Sweet Tooth were bought by the same company that made the Atonement movie. Two years later, he published The Children Act, which explores topics like family law and difficult decisions about life.
In 2016, McEwan released Nutshell, a shorter novel. In 2019, he published Machines Like Me, a science fiction novel about artificial intelligence and an alternate history where Britain loses the Falklands War. Later that year, he wrote a short novel called The Cockroach, inspired by Brexit. His novel Lessons (2022) has been called a "masterpiece" by The Times newspaper.
Honours and Awards
Ian McEwan has been nominated for the Booker Prize six times. He won the prize in 1998 for his novel Amsterdam. He is a member of several important literary groups, including the Royal Society of Literature.
In 1999, he received the Shakespeare Prize. He was also made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2000 for his contributions to literature. In 2008, he received an honorary degree from University College London.
In 2011, McEwan was given the Jerusalem Prize for the Freedom of the Individual in Society. He accepted the award, even though some groups disagreed with his decision. He explained that he believed art could help more than politics. He also donated the prize money to an organization that brings together Israeli and Palestinian former fighters.
In 2014, the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas bought McEwan's literary archives for $2 million. These archives include early drafts of his novels. In 2020, he received the Goethe Medal, an award for people who have done great work for the German language and international culture. In 2023, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) for his services to literature.
Views on Society and World Events
Ian McEwan has often shared his thoughts on important social and political issues. In 2008, he spoke out against extremist views that he felt were against free thought and democracy. He clarified that his comments were about a small group of extremists, not about the religion of Islam itself. He said he had good memories of growing up in Libya, a Muslim country, and that he respected Islamic culture.
McEwan has also spoken about the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. When he accepted the Jerusalem Prize, he spoke in favor of Israel's existence and freedoms. However, he also strongly criticized some of Israel's policies and the expansion of settlements. He believes that visiting these places and speaking out can help make a difference.
In 2009, McEwan joined the 10:10 project, which encourages people to reduce their carbon emissions to help fight climate change. He has also discussed Brexit, the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union. He wrote an article in The Guardian in 2016, expressing his concerns about how Brexit would change Britain.
Personal Life
Ian McEwan lives in London. He has been married twice. His first marriage was to Penny Allen, and they had two sons. This marriage ended in 1995. In 1997, he married Annalena McAfee, who is also a journalist and writer.
In 2002, McEwan found out that he had a brother who had been adopted during the Second World War. This story became public in 2007. His brother, David Sharp, was born six years before McEwan. David had the same mother and father as Ian, but was born from an affair before his parents were married. After his mother's first husband died in the war, she married Ian's father. Ian and David are now in regular contact.
McEwan was also a close friend of the writer Christopher Hitchens.
See also
In Spanish: Ian McEwan para niños
