In Between the Sheets
by Ian McEwan, Ian McEwan
published
August 6th 1979
by Simon & Schuster
edit
binding
Hardcover, 153 pages
isbn
0671242903
(isbn13: 9780671242909)
Sign in to Goodreads to see your friends' reviews of this book.
discuss this book
There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »
friend reviews (0)
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.
lists with this book
Where's the love? Add this book to your favorite list.
other reviews (showing 1-20 of 293)
Wow. Bad.
My history with Ian McEwan is probably in order - maybe 10 years ago, someone gave me his first collection of short stories, "First Love, Last Rites". I loved it, short little filthy stories that were mysterious yet left you with a feeling that you'd discovered something true.
I checked out "Atonement" about a year ago, and stopped 2/3 of the way through...just bored the hell out of me. So I went back to find his first book and see if my earlier impression w...more
My history with Ian McEwan is probably in order - maybe 10 years ago, someone gave me his first collection of short stories, "First Love, Last Rites". I loved it, short little filthy stories that were mysterious yet left you with a feeling that you'd discovered something true.
I checked out "Atonement" about a year ago, and stopped 2/3 of the way through...just bored the hell out of me. So I went back to find his first book and see if my earlier impression w...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in December, 2007
recommends it for:
short story connoisseurs/readers of McEwan
This a collection of some of the early short stories of the acclaimed British writer Ian McEwan. They show a broad range of literary styles and thematic interests, but McEwan's characteristic prose style (very smoothly flowing sentences and ideas) and deep interest in sexuality is on beautiful display. He is a young writer in these stories, and they are missing some of the gravity that comes in his later works. This is no Atonement. But that is okay, and if you don't go in expecting something li...more
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
i decided to plow through mcewan's body of work and am discovering that i really really like him, but kind of loathe his early books. ugh. they're dull and mannered and gimmicky. and this one is the bottom of the barrel. and while i don't particularly enjoy slamming a writer i admire i find it encouraging that the same guy who wrote this piece of shit went on to write atonement and on chesil beach... maybe one day i'll write a war and peace or don quixote? heh heh.
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
15 comments
Read in October, 2007
This is the second book written by Ian McEwan, which includes 7 very disturbing short stories. I was leary of it because of the title and table of contents, but decided to read anyway due to this self-imposed goal to get through all of Ian McEwan's books. Honestly, I didn't understand most of the stories. Some of the endings left me completely hanging with no clue about what just happened. Warning: there are some graphic words and images in most of the stories.
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
Read in July, 2007
A bizarre yet readable group of short stories. Easy to read, yet not sure how memorable they are. I recommend it, but note that this was written by McEwan while still a young (thirties ;)) author. I would recommend comparing this book to some of his more recent works for his view on human nature.
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
Read in December, 2001
Very very unsettling. McEwan manages to look at sex in a thoroughly unnerving and disturbing way while maintaining the veneer of normalcy in the stories. Just too weird for me.
Like this review?
yes
(2 people liked it)
add a comment
I'm a bit glad that McEwan went away from his "Macabre" moniker after his first four books, because while he writes sexy/creepy quite well (a British Mary Gaitskill), the stories sort of blended together for me. I think The Cement Garden is the best of early Ian.
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
Read in March, 2008
Sweet-and-sour, slightly twisted short stories about sex and relationships. I wouldn't want to read any of these stories as a novel, but they were great as vignettes. McEwan is amazing at blending the touching, funny, and unsettling.
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
Read in April, 2003
It's been a while but I remember this as being a very yummy collection.
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
As usual, McEwan reads like poetry and every word counts. Short stories from the bizarre to the beautiful - this was a satisfying read.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Oh shit! I just bought another one.
Like this review?
yes
1 comments
