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John Yorke takes a look at Ian McEwan’s 1997 complex thriller Enduring Love. It's a bold novel, set in the aftermath of a tragic accident, but the substance of the story is formed from a beautifully simple yet complex premise – everyone sees that accident in a totally different way.

The central character, Joe Rose, is stalked by a stranger, Jed Parry, whom he meets purely by chance at the scene of the accident. As Joe continues to reject Jed, their confrontation spirals from fear into violence. We hear the events described by different characters throughout the book which makes it very hard to understand the world they are describing. Whose version is right? Who should we believe? This is a novel about the perception of reality itself.

John Yorke has worked in television and radio for nearly 30 years, and he shares his experience with Radio 4 listeners as he unpacks the themes and impact of the books, plays and stories that are being dramatised on Â鶹Éç Radio 4.

From EastEnders to the Archers, Life on Mars to Shameless, he has been obsessed with telling big popular stories. He has spent years analysing not just how stories work but why they resonate with audiences around the globe and has brought together his experience in his bestselling book Into the Woods. As former Head of Channel Four Drama, Controller of Â鶹Éç Drama Production and MD of Company Pictures, John has tested his theories during an extensive production career working on some of the world’s most lucrative, widely viewed and critically acclaimed TV drama. As founder of the hugely successful Â鶹Éç Writers Academy John has trained a generation of screenwriters - his students have had 17 green-lights in the last two years alone.

Contributors:
Dr Emma Short, Psychologist at London Metropolitan University, specialising in stalking and its impact.
Ian McEwan, author, discussing writing in archive interviews.

Credits:
Enduring Love, Ian McEwan, 1997
Book Club - Ian McEwan’s Enduring Love, Radio 4, 2000
Open Book - Ian McEwan, Radio 4, 2022

Producer: Laura Grimshaw
Executive Producer: Caroline Raphael
Readings: Sam Dale
Researcher: Nina Semple
Production Manager: Sarah Wright
Sound: Sean Kerwin

A Pier production for Â鶹Éç Radio 4