Saturday

Saturday

Written by Ian McEwan

Read by Andrew Sachs

Published by HarperCollins

Price: £15.99

Saturday, February 15, 2003 must be way up top with the definition of ‘a bad day’! This is exactly what Henry Perowne is in for when he wakes up early on this particular morning.

Perowne wakes up suddenly and is drawn to his bedroom window. Looking out he sees an aeroplane with its engines in flames, heading for Heathrow airport. It’s a disturbing scene, and we are left feeling disturbed as we brace ourselves for the crash. But it never comes.

I felt Andrew Sachs sounds just as Perowne should. Listening to this middle aged mans softly spoken and almost philosophical inner thoughts I could roughly picture what he would look like. Perowne analyses everything around him in descriptive detail, breaking it down in to its simplest forms.

Perowne is a successful neurosurgeon and lives very comfortably in a large, Central London home. He has a beautiful and successful wife, whom he adores. His daughter Daisy is due to arrive from Paris and has just become a published poet. His youngest, Theo, is already a leading blues guitarist at just 18 years old. Perowne comes across as slightly surprised and awed by both his son and daughter’s successes. He’s a very proud father.

McEwan has interwoven this story with the terror of 9/11 and 7/7. Daisy is passionate about the politics surrounding the March in London and draws Perowne into a debate within minutes of arriving home. He can see the case both for and against the invasion of Iraq, while Daisy is strictly anti war. It’s a tool that sets us on edge when he leaves that morning to drive to a squash match with his anaesthetist friend, Strauss. The feeling is reiterated when he has to negotiate London streets that are blocked because of an anti-war march. And again, when a group of stereotypical thugs turn his day upside-down.

Steering into a side road off Tottenham Court Road, Perowne gets side swiped by another car, ruining his paint work. The other car is a little worse off as it loses a wing mirror. Three men get out, and one in particular, Baxter, is more menacing.

Perowne immediately takes a moral high ground. He of course was in the right, and all they have to do is exchange details. While he talks to Baxter, the obvious leader, he recognises the symptoms of Huntington's disease. Baxter is unstable, and spoiling for a fight. We feel his sense of isolation and that although, in the middle of London and an anti-war march, Perowne is isolated – and alone with the thugs. Perowne’s revelation in front of Baxter’s henchmen of course undermines his authority, and almost as a show of power, Baxter punches him hard in the chest. Perowne is able to get away, and although late, does make his squash match.

Later that afternoon and slightly bruised, Perowne dwells on his happiness while making a seafood dish for his family. His daughter and cantankerous father-in-law arrive, and everything is set for the family reunion. That is until Baxter coerces Perowne’s wife and storms in. Like a finale, McEwan fills the penultimate step of the book with moral retrospect. Perowne is forced to face revelations that could upset his happy world and he deals with it all with a quite dignity and dogged loyalty. The fact that he has to operate on his aggressor made me raise my eyes to the roof of the car. Apathy? A theme that came across strongly for me, listening to this. Or, a kind of ‘patriotism’ - where no matter what happens, you always stand up for what you think is right? Have a listen and let me know what you think…