Ian McEwan discusses his novel, “Amsterdam.” He details the plot, which begins with the death of photographer/restaurant critic, Molly Lane. Molly’s death leads her many friends and lovers to ponder their own mortality. Two of her former lovers, a composer named Clive, and Vernon, an editor of a failing newspaper, decide to make a euthanasia pact. From there the book goes on to grapple with several issues, such as the true nature of art and moral accountability. During the interview, McEwan reads a section from his book and discusses his writing process and background. When asked if he would consider adapting the book for the screen, he reveals that he would prefer to have someone else adapt his work because he feels that, “When you make a screenplay of a novel it is an act of vandalism and it is far better to perform that on other people’s books and get them to do it to you.”
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