ON
← Back to feed
Ian McEwan speculates on 'What We Can Know' in the 22nd century
France🎭 CultureCenter

Ian McEwan speculates on 'What We Can Know' in the 22nd century

In a recent interview, Booker Prize winner Ian McEwan discusses themes from his latest novel, 'What We Can Know,' which is currently being translated into French. The book depicts a 22nd-century society dealing with the aftermath of a catastrophic event referred to as the 'great derangement,' resulting in the submersion of many major global capitals. During the conversation, McEwan reflects on humanity's impending confrontation with the climate crisis. The narrative centers on scholars searching for a mythical lost poem, while also exploring the rise of celebrity artists and the potential decline of traditional reading habits. Additionally, the author offers insights on how artificial intelligence could fundamentally alter human civilization.

Ian McEwan discussed his latest novel, What We Can Know, during an interview with Olivia Salazar-Winspear for France 24’s arts program. The conversation took place as the Booker Prize-winning author’s new work was being translated into French. In the book, set in the 22nd century, characters navigate a society recovering from a catastrophic event referred to as the great derangement. This historical trauma resulted in the submersion of numerous major capital cities from the previous century. The narrative centers on a mythical lost poem that drives academic figures to pursue its discovery. Through these plot elements, McEwan explores themes such as the cult of the celebrity artist and the potential extinction of reading habits. He also addressed the capacity of artificial intelligence to fundamentally reshape human civilization. During the discussion, which aired on October 29, 2026, the pair considered humanity’s impending reckoning with the climate crisis. The segment, produced by Stéphane Bodenne, ran for twelve minutes and four seconds. In separate cultural news, playwright Yasmina Reza released her novel Nos divertissements sont terminés (Our Diversions Are Over) through publisher Flammarion. Published on October 25, 2026, the book is described as her most personal work to date. It draws inspiration from her parents, whom she characterizes as extraordinary figures. The text features a cast of tragicomic characters. In the opening pages, Reza describes how an adult daughter becomes a writer who constructs a public persona distinct from her private self. She notes that when sharing life stories, individuals often present optimized and imprecise versions of their pasts. The narrator observes that she merely imitated her parents, who remained vague and nebulous regarding their own history. Louis-Henri de La Rochefoucauld wrote the accompanying article for L'Express, noting that Reza is both a star and a secretive figure in the theater world. The piece highlights the rich character dynamics within this new literary release.

How this report was made. Objective News wrote this report from 4 source articles, using AI-assisted synthesis under our methodology. It is our own text, not a copy of any single outlet. Read our methodology.

Responsible editor: Matej BašaSpotted an error? Report it

4 reports

Le Point logoLe PointIndependent🔒CenterFactual: no official source document/info detectedObjective 90
Did Feliza Bursztyn die of sadness or something ? Juan Gabriel Vasquez has a life to live

The Colombian writer Juan Gabriel Vasquez has published a new book tracing the life of Feliza Bursztyn, a plastic artist who was exiled due to her political commitments. The narrative follows her journey from Bogota to Paris, exploring the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and death. The work investigates whether she died of sadness, delving into the complexities of her personal history and artistic legacy.

Bias read (Center): The article focuses primarily on a literary release and biographical investigation rather than current political debates. While the subject involves historical political exile, the framing is cultural and journalistic, lacking strong ideological slant or partisan advocacy.

Why factuality: no official source document/info detected

Why objectivity (90): The tone is neutral and journalistic. It presents the book's content as a narrative inquiry ('remonte le fil') without injecting personal opinion or sensationalizing the 'death by sadness' question beyond what is implied by the title/subject matter.

France 24 (English) logoFrance 24 (English)State / PublicCenter
Ian McEwan speculates on 'What We Can Know' in the 22nd century

In a recent interview, Booker Prize winner Ian McEwan discusses themes from his latest novel, 'What We Can Know,' which is currently being translated into French. The book depicts a 22nd-century society dealing with the aftermath of a catastrophic event referred to as the 'great derangement,' resulting in the submersion of many major global capitals. During the conversation, McEwan reflects on humanity's impending confrontation with the climate crisis. The narrative centers on scholars searching for a mythical lost poem, while also exploring the rise of celebrity artists and the potential decline of traditional reading habits. Additionally, the author offers insights on how artificial intelligence could fundamentally alter human civilization.

Bias read (Center): The article focuses primarily on literary criticism and cultural trends, specifically discussing a fictional novel and the future of art and technology. Although it mentions the climate crisis, it does so within the context of the book's plot rather than analyzing current political policies or party

L'Express logoL'ExpressIndependent🔒Center
"Our entertainments are over", the intimate theater of Yasmina Reza

The article reviews the latest novel by French playwright Yasmina Reza, titled 'Nos divertissements sont terminés.' Published by Flammarion, the book is described as her most personal work to date, drawing inspiration from the lives of her unconventional parents. The piece highlights the author's reputation for secrecy and contrasts this intimate narrative with her previous public persona. It includes a lengthy excerpt from the opening pages where the narrator reflects on the construction of a public identity versus private reality, noting how childhood stories told to others were often optimized or false versions of events. The review emphasizes the rich cast of tragicomic characters within the new literary release.

Bias read (Center): The article focuses exclusively on a literary release and biographical elements of the author's life. There is no discussion of political policies, parties, or governance. As a cultural review, it carries no political charge, making any directional lean irrelevant.

Le Parisien logoLe ParisienIndependentCenter
He will always be patient zero : Thélyson Orélien, the sudden fall of an extraordinary literary phenomenon

The provided text consists solely of a headline and publication metadata, lacking any body content to summarize. The headline identifies Thélyson Orélien as a literary phenomenon who has experienced a sudden decline. It describes him using the metaphorical term 'patient zero,' suggesting he was a central figure in a specific cultural or social issue within the literary world. No further details regarding his work, the nature of his fall, or the context of the event are available in the supplied excerpt.

Bias read (Center): The subject matter concerns literature and individual biography, which are apolitical topics. There is no evidence of political framing, partisan sourcing, or ideological emphasis in the limited text provided.

How each side covered it

The same event, grouped by the political lean of the outlets covering it.

How each side covered it

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Covered around the world

The same event as reported in other countries.

Covered around the world

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Claims check

Key factual claims, and how many sources assert vs dispute each.

Claims check

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Keep the news honest.

ObjectiveNews is reader-funded and ad-free — we show you the bias instead of hiding it. Support independent journalism for €4/month.

Become a Supporter

Related stories