Ian McEwan

Ian McEwan with his Booker Prize winning book Amsterdam

The man who wrote what many critics regarded as the novel of the year, Atonement, Ian McEwan was widely expected to win the 2001 Booker Prize.

However, he didn't and the award went instead to Peter Carey.

Although disappointed, he reflects that he had won the prize for his previous book, and winning twice in a row would be 'too demanding of fortune,' but he reveals that others felt the loss more keenly than he did.

Nigel Wrench spoke to Ian McEwan and listened to him reading from Atonement.

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To listen to the interview click on the link above.