Saturday (novel)

Saturday is a 2005 novel by British author Ian McEwan. It follows Henry Perowne, a successful neurosurgeon, through a single Saturday in London, February 15, 2003, a day coinciding with a massive anti-war protest against the impending invasion of Iraq.

The narrative is largely confined to Perowne's internal thoughts and observations as he navigates the city, attends a squash game, visits his aging mother, and prepares for a dinner party. The unfolding events of the day, both large-scale political anxieties and smaller, more personal dramas, are filtered through Perowne's rational, scientific worldview.

A pivotal event occurs when Perowne has a minor traffic accident involving Baxter, a volatile and Huntington's disease-afflicted man, and his companions. This encounter has a significant and unsettling impact on the rest of Perowne's day and family.

The novel explores themes of rationality versus irrationality, the impact of global events on personal lives, the anxieties of modern life, and the fragility of security and happiness. McEwan weaves political commentary seamlessly into the intimate portrait of a complex character. Saturday is known for its detailed prose, its realistic depiction of London, and its thoughtful exploration of contemporary anxieties.