Synopsis (credit: front flap)

Michael Beard is a Nobel prize-winning physicist whose best work is behind him. Trading on his reputation, he speaks for enormous fees, lends his name to the letterheads of renowned scientific institutions and half-heartedly heads a government-backed initiative tackling global warming. A compulsive womaniser, Beard finds his fifth marriage floundering. But this time it is different: she is having the affair, and he is still in love with her.

When Beard’s professional and personal worlds collide in a freak accident, an opportunity presents itself for him to extricate himself from his marital mess, reinvigorate his career and very possibly save the world from environmental disaster.

(Received from SS & AC for BookCrossing purposes.)

This was my first book by Ian McEwan. I can understand why his books are so popular. His research is thorough and he goes to a lot of trouble to make the characters and the milieu believable.

The theme of Solar could scarcely have been more topical: renewable energy is very much in the news and much of what is happening in the book could just as well have featured in modern-day media. I found his approach interesting.

When I found an audiobook version of this book in the library, I grabbed the opportunity despite having the book on my bookshelf. The advantage is that I could listen to it while commuting, thereby gaining bonus 'reading' time.

Left the book at the nursery after a meandering cycle through Mowbray, Rosebank, Rondebosch and Newlands.


If you are new to BookCrossing and found this book, welcome! Enjoy the site, the book, and the BookCrossing community.

BookCrossing has not taken off in a big way in South Africa yet, but there are a number of dedicated BookCrossers across the country who are actively involved to grow the concept. A discussion group for BookCrossers in the wider Cape Town area, BCct, was set up to make it easier to arrange meetups or to spread local news. If you are a BookCrosser from this part of the world or planning a visit, pease feel free to join. Visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bcct for more information.

Whether you decide to join or not, please make a journal entry — now, and again when you decide to release the book to continue its journey.

Found this book at Starke Ayres Garden Centre. have not read it yet but will update when I have passed it on.