I can relate to a degree of discomfort in respect of reading such books. When I have read something like an Ian McEwan or Iain Banks (or even something that simply questions my shared reality like ‘A Clockwork Orange’), I often find myself retreating to the relative safety of an Ian Rankin or Larry McMurtry. Therapeutic resetting maybe?

Anyway, I’ve not procured the McEwan book yet. Running around cross-family, funerals etc this last week or so. Looking forward to grappling with it. At least from past experience I can reasonably anticipate the writing will be superb. Will probably go the Kindle route this week.

Incidentally, we are/will be talking about the Ian McEwan book ‘Machines Like Me? Right? I’m not sure how we started talking about ‘Machines Like Us’. When this happens, it more often than not has something to do with me leading folk astray. If it’s me – apologies. 🙂 It is rather unfortunate that there IS actually a book in existence titled ‘Machines Like Us’ (probably a play on the McEwan book title). But that’s an academic tome on AI. Probably more interesting to philosophical scientists or scientific philosophers! 🙂