Ian McEwan’s next novel, titled “What We Can Know,” takes us into a post-apocalyptic world set partially in the 22nd century. The story revolves around a scholar exploring a poem from a brighter past.
McEwan, who won the Booker Prize, describes his new book as “science fiction without the science.” He elaborates, saying it involves a quest, a crime, revenge, fame, a complicated love affair, mental health struggles, and a deep appreciation for nature and poetry. Through these themes, he aims to highlight humanity’s perseverance through both natural disasters and self-inflicted troubles.
The author believes we’ve gained unprecedented knowledge about our world today, and this understanding is difficult to forget. In “What We Can Know,” he seeks to weave together the past, present, and future, allowing them to communicate across time.
At 76, McEwan has a history of envisioning challenges and how we respond to them. In previous works like “Solar,” he tackled climate change; in “Lessons,” he addressed a radiation crisis; and in “Machines Like Me,” he ventured into artificial intelligence. Jordan Pavlin, publisher and editor-in-chief at Knopf, noted that McEwan’s latest book explores the limits of what we know about each other and history itself. The title raises important questions about the secrets and stories that may be lost to time.
McEwan’s storytelling talent shines as he seeks to uncover a long-buried secret, making this novel a promising exploration of knowledge and human experience.
