Amsterdam by
Ian McEwan

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On a chilly February day two old friends meet in the throng outside a crematorium to pay their last respects to Molly Lane. Both Clive Linley and Vernon Halliday had been Molly`s lovers in the days before they reached their current eminence, Clive as Britain`s most successful modern composer, Vernon as editor of the quality broadsheet, The Judge. Gorgeous, feisty Molly had had other lovers too, notably Julian Garmony, Foreign Secretary, a notorious right-winger tipped to be the next prime minister. In the days that follow Molly`s funeral Clive and Vernon will make a pact that will have consequences neither has foreseen. Each will make a disastrous moral decision, their friendship will be tested to its limits and Julian Garmony will be fighting for his political life. A contemporary morality tale that is as profound as it is witty, this short novel is perhaps the most purely enjoyable fiction Ian McEwan has ever written. And why Amsterdam ? What happens there to Clive and Vernon is the most delicious shock in a novel brimming with surprises.
Ian McEwan has written two collections of stories, several film scripts, and seven novels, including Enduring Love, short-listed for the 1999 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. He won the 1998 Booker Prize for Amsterdam.

Here's what the members of the Reading Group based at our Raheny branch library think of Amsterdam:

I have always taken pleasure in reading Ian McEwan's novels and I was not disappointed by Amsterdam. I was particularly intrigued by the characters in this book, all apparently successful in their chosen careers: George, a publisher, Clive, a composer, Vernon, a newspaper editor and Julian, the Foreign Secretary, all of whom have been in love with the now deceased Molly. They are initially portrayed as particularly ruthless and self-seeking but are fleshed out to appear as quite vulnerable specimens of male-hood. McEwan uses humour and intrigue in equal parts but towards the end of this all too brief novel, develops the theme of moral integrity. This adds to the psychological study of the characters he portrays without diminishing my enjoyment of McEwan's sharp wit. Unfortunately I found the ending, which is set in Amsterdam, hence the title, rather too contrived and slapstick for my taste. Nevertheless I would recommend this book for those who enjoy a compelling read. It was impossible to put down until finished.
(Member of Raheny Library Reading Group)