Ian McEwan’s latest novel ‘What We Can Know’ is science fiction without the science
In this episode of NPR's Book of the Day, Ian McEwan discusses his novel about a transformed 22nd-century Britain, where environmental catastrophes and nuclear conflicts have reshaped both the landscape and society. The story follows academic Tom Metcalf's search for a lost poem, "A Corona for Vivian," which was read by poet Francis Blunde to his wife in 2014 but never recovered.
Through Metcalf's quest, the episode explores how historical understanding changes in a world of overwhelming digital information. McEwan examines the challenges of preserving cultural artifacts and artistic expression in an era of vast data, while considering how art and creativity continue to adapt despite social and environmental upheaval. The discussion touches on themes of memory, historical truth, and the persistence of human creativity in difficult times.
This is a preview of the Shortform summary of the Sep 29, 2025 episode of the NPR's Book of the Day
Sign up for Shortform to access the whole episode summary along with additional materials like counterarguments and context.
1-Page Summary
McEwan's Dystopian Vision of the Future
Ian McEwan portrays a transformed 22nd-century Britain, where nuclear wars, mass migrations, and climate change have halved the population and turned England into a scattered archipelago. Despite these dramatic changes, life continues in a surprisingly conventional manner.
The Quest to Uncover the Lost Poem
At the heart of the narrative is the search for "A Corona for Vivian," a missing poem by Francis Blunde that was read to his wife in 2014. Tom Metcalf, an academic, has dedicated his life to finding this lost work, hoping to understand both its literary significance and what it reveals about Blunde's relationship with his wife. The poem's disappearance serves as a metaphor for the challenges of preserving cultural artifacts in our data-heavy world.
Historical Truth and Memory in the Digital Age
McEwan explores the complexities of historical research through Tom Metcalf's struggle to understand Blunde's life. Despite having access to vast amounts of digital information, including emails, texts, and lectures, Metcalf finds that the sheer volume of data often obscures rather than illuminates the truth. The novel shifts to a contemporary narrator in its second half, emphasizing how historical understanding requires diverse perspectives rather than relying on a single narrative.
Persistence and Evolution of Art, Culture, and Creativity
Through Tom Metcalf's perspective, McEwan examines the endurance of artistic expression in trying times. Metcalf looks back with nostalgia at the 20th century's vibrant cultural landscape, yet the novel shows how art, music, and storytelling continue to adapt and evolve in response to social and environmental upheaval. McEwan suggests that while traditional forms of artistic expression may transform, the human drive to create and connect through art remains resilient.
1-Page Summary
Additional Materials
Actionables
- You can explore the resilience of art by creating a time capsule with your own artistic expressions, such as poems, drawings, or songs, that reflect your current environment and thoughts. Explain the context of your creations in a letter, seal it in a container, and bury it or store it in a safe place for future generations to find. This activity connects you to the concept of art enduring through time and change, and it gives you a personal stake in the preservation of cultural artifacts.
- Start a digital diary to document your daily life, thoughts, and reactions to current events, using a variety of media like text, photos, and videos. This practice not only serves as a personal archive but also challenges you to sift through the 'data' of your own life to find the truth in your experiences, mirroring the podcast's theme of the overwhelming nature of digital information.
- Engage with different historical narratives by reading or listening to stories from various cultures and time periods, then write a reflective piece on how these diverse perspectives have shaped your understanding of history. This encourages you to think critically about the importance of multiple viewpoints in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the past, as suggested by the podcast's discussion on historical research complexities.
Related Shortform Content
Get access to the context and additional materials
McEwan's Dystopian Vision of the Future
Ian McEwan paints a gloomy picture of 22nd-century Britain in his literary portrayal of a climate-ravaged, population-decimated, archipelagic England.
22nd-Century Britain: Climate-Ravaged, Decimated Population, Archipelagic England
The 21st century witnessed a series of grueling crises that have definitively shaped the world that McEwan's characters inhabit.
21st-Century Crises: Nuclear Wars, Mass Migration, Population Decline
The backstory to this dystopia includes harrowing events such as two or three nuclear wars, colossal migrations, and a significant decline in population—cutting the number of people to roughly half.
England, now Scattered Islands due to Rising Seas, Continues Life Dully and Conventionally
England, altered dramatically by climate change, has become a group of scattered islands carved out from the land by rising seas. Here, life plods on in a dull and conventional manner despite the monumental changes the country has undergone.
The Novel Explores Humanity's Adaptations to 21st-Century Upheaval, Focusing On Cultural Expression and Intellectual Pursuits
In the wake of environmental catastrophe and societal collapse, the novel turns to how remaining human communities adapt and continue their cultural practices.
Universities and Academics Like Tom Medcalf Study the Past, Driven by Curiosity and Nostalgia For the 20th Century's Vibrant Cultural Landscape
In this future, universities remain bastions of culture and curiosity. Academics, exemplified by the character Tom Medcalf, delve into the past wi ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
McEwan's Dystopian Vision of the Future
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- While McEwan's vision is gloomy, it could be argued that it is a realistic extrapolation of current trends, and not necessarily pessimistic for the sake of it.
- The idea that life continues "dully and conventionally" despite dramatic changes could be challenged by suggesting that human resilience often leads to innovation and vibrant new ways of living in response to adversity.
- The focus on cultural expression and intellectual pursuits might overlook the potential for significant technological advancements and scientific solutions that could emerge in response to such crises.
- The portrayal of universities and academics as primarily driven by nostalgia might be seen as a narrow view of academia, which could also be a leading force in finding solutions to the world's problems.
- The endurance of art, music, and storytelling could be interpreted not just as a testament to their resilience but also as an essential component of human recovery and the rebuilding of society.
- The ...
Actionables
- You can write a short story or create a piece of art that depicts a future shaped by current global issues, using your imagination to explore how society might adapt. This activity encourages you to think critically about the trajectory of current events and their potential long-term impact, while also allowing you to express your concerns or hopes creatively.
- Start a "Future Journal" where you document your daily life but with a twist: imagine how each aspect of your day might change if you were living in a dramatically altered world like the one described. This could include changes in your commute, food, social interactions, or entertainment. This exercise can help you appreciate the stability of your current environment and consider the resilience required to adapt to significant changes.
- Engage in conversations with friends or family about how cultu ...
Related Shortform Content
Get access to the context and additional materials
The Quest to Uncover the Lost Poem
The elusive poem "A Corona for Vivian" composed by Francis Blunde and the ongoing search for it embodies the struggle to preserve cultural artifacts and understand our past.
Search "a Corona For Vivian" By Francis Blunde
The poem, which Blunde read to his wife during a dinner in 2014, remains missing despite the best efforts of scholars and enthusiasts eager to grasp its significance.
Poem Presented To Blunde's Wife Remains Undiscovered
The undetected status of "A Corona for Vivian" presents a gap in the understanding of Blunde's personal life, specifically his relationship with his wife, and deprives the literary community of potentially significant work.
Tom Metcalf Seeks the Lost Poem to Grasp Its Significance and Blunde's Relationship With His Wife
Tom Metcalfe, an academic, has made it his life's work to locate the lost poem. He aims to understand not only the poem's relevance to Blunde's oeuvre but also to gain insight into the personal aspect of the poet's relationship revealed through the verses.
Poem's Disappearance Highlights Fragility of Historical Knowledge and Challenges In Preserving Digital Cultural Artifacts
The inability to find "A Corona for Vivian" underscores the precarious nature of historical knowledge and the strenuous efforts req ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
The Quest to Uncover the Lost Poem
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- The significance of "A Corona for Vivian" may be overstated; not all lost works have substantial impact on the understanding of an artist's oeuvre or cultural history.
- The focus on a single poem might divert attention and resources from other important works that are also at risk of being lost or forgotten.
- The assumption that the poem would provide insight into Blunde's personal life may be misguided; not all art reflects direct personal experience or relationships.
- The search for the poem, while noble, could be seen as an obsession that may not yield the expected results, and the resources could potentially be better spent on broader preservation efforts.
- The idea that the poem's disappearance highlights the fragility of historical knowledge might be an over-dramatization; many artifacts are well-preserved and the loss of one poem does not necessarily indicate a systemic issue.
- The metaphor of the poem's search representing the challenges of historical understanding in a data-heavy world might not hold if the poem was not digitized or if ...
Actionables
- You can explore the history behind a favorite piece of literature to deepen your appreciation for its context. Start by choosing a book or poem you love and research the author's life, the period it was written in, and the historical events that may have influenced its creation. For example, if you enjoy Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," look into the social norms and gender roles of early 19th-century England to better understand the characters' motivations and challenges.
- Create a digital time capsule of your own significant documents and personal writings to ensure their preservation for future generations. Use a cloud storage service to upload your letters, journals, or creative works, and set reminders to update the collection periodically. Share access with trusted family members or friends who might be interested in maintaining the capsule if you're unable to do so.
- Engage in a creative writing exercise where you compose a letter or ...
Get access to the context and additional materials
Historical Truth and Memory in the Digital Age
In the digital era, our understanding of the past—and how we remember it—faces new challenges and complexities. McEwan explores these themes through the narrative of Tom Metcalf and the character-shift to a contemporary narrator.
Complexities of Historical Research and Digital Record Limitations
Tom Metcalf Struggles to Unravel Blunde's True Nature and Relationships
McEwan introduces us to the character Tom Metcalf, a researcher with an abundance of digital resources at his disposal. Metcalf accesses emails, texts, interviews, and lectures tied to the life of Francis Blandy, yet he struggles to discern Blandy’s true nature and relationships.
Digital Info Overload Obscures Historical Truth
McEwan raises a concern regarding the digital age: Does the sheer quantity of information available to us help in uncovering the truth, or does it actually obscure it? He juxtaposes our current situation with the work of 19th-century scholars who delved into the rich correspondences of individuals like Napoleon or Darwin. He implies that those scholars had a more thoughtful and meaningful collection of data to analyze, as opposed to today’s information overload which can sometimes make the search for historical truth even more difficult.
Memory and Recollection In Understanding History
Second Narrator Introduction Highlights Subjective Historical Perspectives
The novel introduces a shift when the second half is taken up by a new narrator, who exists contemporaneously with the reader. This change emphasizes that historical truth is not only about collecting data but also involves understanding the subjective nature of memory and recollection. The second narrator's different viewpoint is not just a storytelling de ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
Historical Truth and Memory in the Digital Age
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- While Tom Metcalf struggles with digital resources, it could be argued that the issue is not the quantity of information but rather the quality of his research methods or analytical skills.
- The abundance of digital information does not inherently obscure historical truth; it may instead require more sophisticated techniques for data management and analysis.
- The notion that 19th-century scholars had a more thoughtful collection of data romanticizes the past and overlooks the biases and limitations of historical records from any era.
- The introduction of a second narrator does highlight subjective perspectives, but it does not automatically ensure a more accurate understanding of history; it could also introduce more bias or confusion.
- Understanding the subjective nature of memory and recollection is important, but it should be ...
Actionables
- You can create a personal history project by gathering stories and memories from older family members to appreciate the subjective nature of recollection. Start by recording conversations with relatives about their past experiences, focusing on how their memories differ on the same events. This will give you a hands-on understanding of how personal history is shaped by individual perspectives.
- Develop a habit of cross-referencing information by using multiple sources when researching any topic of interest. Whenever you come across a historical fact or event that intrigues you, look it up in at least three different types of sources, such as books, documentaries, and academic journals. This practice will help you see how different narratives emerge from various perspectives and will train you to seek a more nuanced understanding of history.
- Engage in digital decluttering to manage information overload ...
Related Shortform Content
Get access to the context and additional materials
Persistence and Evolution of Art, Culture, and Creativity
A reflection on the durability of artistic expression, McEwan's account emphasizes not only the survival but also the evolution of culture through new experiences and forms amidst adversity.
Art and Culture Thrive Despite 22nd-Century Challenges
Tom Metcalf, with a blend of nostalgia and envy, looks back at the vibrancy of the 20th century’s cultural landscape, which he believes was a time of heightened creativity.
Tom Metcalf, Driven by Nostalgia and Envy For the 20th Century's Rich Cultural Landscape, Sees It As a Time of Greater Creativity and Vibrancy
Tom Metcalf is portrayed as someone who yearns for the rich cultural atmosphere of the 20th century, a period he regards as brimming with creativity and vibrancy. His sentiment reflects a deep appreciation for the cultural heritage of the past.
The Novel Examines Art, Music, and Storytelling's Adaptation and Persistence During Social and Environmental Upheaval, Showcasing Human Resilience
In a manner similar to the post-World War II era, where cultural expressions like rock and roll, literature, and higher education flourished, McEwan’s account demonstrates that irrespective of adversities, human beings persist in their pursuit of art, music, and storytelling. This persistence showcases the indomitable nature of human spirit and resilience.
The Novel Suggests Art and Culture's Future May Evolve With Traditional Media Transformed by a Changing World
The evolution of art and culture, adapted to a transformed world, is a central theme.
Depiction of Blunde's Poem Recitation Highlights Art and Literature's Experiential Evolution
Francis Blundey’s poem recitation is not just a reading; it's a journey through the minds of the audience. McEwan uses this scene t ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
Persistence and Evolution of Art, Culture, and Creativity
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- Tom Metcalf is portrayed as someone nostalgic for the cultural richness of the 20th century, which he views as a time of heightened creativity and vibrancy. His senti ...
Counterarguments
- The perception of the 20th century as a peak of cultural vibrancy and creativity could be influenced by nostalgia bias, overlooking the innovations and unique cultural developments of later periods.
- While art and culture do evolve, there is a risk of over-romanticizing their resilience, as not all cultural forms survive or adapt successfully to new challenges.
- The idea that traditional media must transform in response to a changing world might underappreciate the enduring value and relevance of classical forms of art and literature.
- The experiential evolution of art and literature, as depicted through Blundey's poem recitation, may not resonate with all audiences, and some might argue for a more objective or traditional approach to evaluating art.
- The suggestion that literature will evolve ...
Related Shortform Content
Get access to the context and additional materials
Create Summaries for anything on the web
Download the Shortform Chrome extension for your browser
