Infinite Books

“What We Can Know” is the new novel by Ian McEwan, and it primarily explores the way we perceive ourselves now, as humanity, in comparison to those who lived before.  The year is 2119, and Thomas Metcalfe, a professor of literature from 1990 to 2030, is obsessed with a singular piece of poetry: a cycle of sonnets, known as the corona, which was read only once, at a famous dinner held in 2014. The poet who wrote this lost masterpiece was Francis Blundy, a literary authority in his time, who dedicated his opus magnum to his wife Vivien.

The professor obviously wishes he had lived in 2014  and attended that famous dinner. His world in 2119 is much smaller: Britain has become an archipelago, the number of species is severely limited, people sustain themselves by eating protein bars, and the average life expectancy is sixty-two. As he says, “The Blundys and their guests lived in what we would regard as a paradise.” Together with Rose, who is also a professor as well as Thomas’s lover, they embark on a journey to locate the lost sonnets.

The second part is narrated from a different perspective. We finally hear what Vivian, the fascinating object of Blundy’s sonnets, has to say in her memoir. And the past, which is Vivian’s present day, doesn’t look as Thomas imagines. There is a murder, dealing with dementia, attempted kidnapping, and child negligence, not to mention multiple cases of adultery. Even the corona might not be what the professor expected, and Francis turns out to be a narcissist, faking his love for nature for the sake of a captivating poem.

This novel is beautifully written.  It’s a great pleasure to read it, and it shows how a writer in total command of his art can describe the world, well, even create a world. For me, the variety of subjects, ranging from philosophical questions of our existence and history to the everyday life issues, such as marriage,  love, commitment, and despair, makes “What We Can Know” one of the best books I’ve read this year, and certainly one that I’ll think about for a long time.

WHAT WE CAN KNOW by Ian McEwan, Penguin Random House 2025