The Cockroach
(Vintage)
Ian McEwan
"I believe the novella is the perfect form of prose fiction," wrote Ian McEwan in a 2012 piece for The New Yorker. "It is the beautiful daughter of a rambling, bloated, ill-shaven giant." For the most part, McEwan's giants have to date been neither long-winded nor unsightly. The closest he has come to creating that "perfect form" was On Chesil Beach. McEwan insisted it was a novella, but the judges for the 2007 Booker Prize deemed it a novel and placed it on their shortlist. Those 166 pages defined it – size mattered.
McEwan's latest book weighs in at 100 pages, which makes its classification less contentious. The Cockroach is the author's first bona fide novella and it takes its lead from one of the finest in world literature: Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis.
"That morning, Jim Sams, clever but by no means profound, woke from uneasy dreams to find himself transformed into a gigantic creature." McEwan's sly restyling of Kafka's famous opening line doesn't so much set the scene as establish the tone. What follows is a scabrous satire that pokes fun at, and tries to make sense of, an ongoing political crisis within a deeply divided UK.
After taking stock of the changes brought about by a "grotesque reversal" (fewer limbs, narrowed vision and "white buttons in a vertical line right down his unsegmented thorax") Sams casts his mind back to the events of the night before. He recalls leaving the Houses of Parliament, scuttling along the gutter, dodging the treacherous feet of flag-waving protesters and squeezing under a door and seeking refuge in a strange building. But it is not any old building and Sams has not turned into any old "gigantic creature". When a government aide informs him of his schedule, this former cockroach discovers that he has mutated overnight into the British Prime Minister.
Sams shrugs off his confusion and rises to the challenge. After all, his country needs him. A referendum has set Reversalists against Clockwisers. Reversalism, we learn, is a bold, new economic belief that the nation will prosper if it reverses its financial flow. People will pay a salary to work, but will be remunerated by shops for taking away their products. Sams was a lukewarm Clockwiser and now he has changed sides and is fully committed to honouring the referendum result and delivering Reversalism. "R-Day" will usher in an era that will cause the UK to be reunited and re-energised. All Sams has to do is to remain true to his word, forge ahead and ignore – or, if necessary, quell – any dissent.
This is McEwan's second published work this year. Written as a response to the imbroglio that is Brexit, The Cockroach is fresh and timely without for one moment feeling like a rush job. It is also the latest offering in what can best be described as a late playful stage in McEwan's career. Nutshell (2016) was a bravura repurposing of Hamlet as told by, of all things, a foetus. Machines Like Me, published in April, expertly incorporated a brave new world of artificial intelligence within a reimagined 1980s London. The Cockroach continues this streak and finds McEwan excelling with several witty scenes, absurd scenarios and ridiculous characters.
He writes about Sams waffling his way through Prime Minister's Questions, or asserting his supreme authority in a Cabinet meeting that has all the severity of a Politburo session (with each of his minions painfully aware that "a misplaced smile could terminate a career"). He digs himself out of holes with help from dastardly political expedients, whether devising a trumped-up charge to destroy his rebellious foreign secretary or demonising the French to end a diplomatic crisis ("in a difficult time such as this, the country needed a staunch enemy").
Written as a response to the imbroglio that is Brexit, The Cockroach is fresh and timely without for one moment feeling like a rush job. It is also the latest offering in what can best be described as a late playful stage in McEwan's career.
Imbecilic US president Archie Tupper provides comedic value. However, when Sams has a private meeting with the German chancellor, the joke is entirely on Sams. "Why are you doing this?" she asks him wearily. "Why, to what end, are you tearing your nation apart? Why are you inflicting these demands on your best friends and pretending we're your enemies? Why?" Her words change the tone and give Sams pause for thought. Suddenly, the whole debacle – Sams' ludicrous project, the UK's predicament – is revealed as being no laughing matter.
The Cockroach is only marginally in debt to Kafka's classic novella. McEwan owes more to Gulliver's Travels author Jonathan Swift, whose particular brand of satire was a means of improving society: "a public Spirit, prompting Men of Genius and Virtue, to mend the World as far as they are able", he wrote. McEwan's novella won't mend anything, but it can still be enjoyed as both a sparkling jeu d'esprit and a stinging evaluation of the state of a nation.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Pari
Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment
Director: Prosit Roy
Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani
Three stars
The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz C200 Coupe
Price, base: Dh201,153
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 204hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 300Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
The view from The National
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
more from Janine di Giovanni
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
No Shame
Lily Allen
(Parlophone)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')
Liverpool 1 (Lallana 84')
Man of the match: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
If you go…
Emirates launched a new daily service to Mexico City this week, flying via Barcelona from Dh3,995.
Emirati citizens are among 67 nationalities who do not require a visa to Mexico. Entry is granted on arrival for stays of up to 180 days.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
Results:
6.30pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,400m.
Winner: Walking Thunder, Connor Beasley (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap (rated 72-87) Dh 165,000 1,600m.
Winner: Syncopation, George Buckell, Doug Watson.
7.40pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,400m.
Winner: Big Brown Bear, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.15pm: Handicap (75-95) Dh 190,000 1,200m.
Winner: Stunned, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Handicap (85-105) Dh 210,000 2,000m.
Winner: New Trails, Connor Beasley, Ahmad bin Harmash.
9.25pm: Handicap (75-95) Dh 190,000 1,600m.
Winner: Pillar Of Society, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
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Queen
Nicki Minaj
(Young Money/Cash Money)
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ordinary Virtues: Moral Order in a Divided World by Michael Ignatieff
Harvard University Press
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.8-litre%204-cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E190hp%20at%205%2C200rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20320Nm%20from%201%2C800-5%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.7L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh111%2C195%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Scoreline:
Cardiff City 0
Liverpool 2
Wijnaldum 57', Milner 81' (pen)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
The specs
Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 180hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 250Nm at 3,00rpm
Transmission: 5-speed sequential auto
Price: From Dh139,995
On sale: now
If%20you%20go
%3Cp%3EThere%20are%20regular%20flights%20from%20Dubai%20to%20Kathmandu.%20Fares%20with%20Air%20Arabia%20and%20flydubai%20start%20at%20Dh1%2C265.%3Cbr%3EIn%20Kathmandu%2C%20rooms%20at%20the%20Oasis%20Kathmandu%20Hotel%20start%20at%20Dh195%20and%20Dh120%20at%20Hotel%20Ganesh%20Himal.%3Cbr%3EThird%20Rock%20Adventures%20offers%20professionally%20run%20group%20and%20individual%20treks%20and%20tours%20using%20highly%20experienced%20guides%20throughout%20Nepal%2C%20Bhutan%20and%20other%20parts%20of%20the%20Himalayas.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULT
Bayern Munich 5 Eintrracht Frankfurt 2
Bayern: Goretzka (17'), Müller (41'), Lewandowski (46'), Davies (61'), Hinteregger (74' og)
Frankfurt: Hinteregger (52', 55')
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
The Cockroach
(Vintage)
Ian McEwan
