Intelligence Squared

Julian Barnes and Ian McEwan are widely celebrated as two of the finest writers of their generation. Along with Salman Rushdie and Kazuo Ishiguro, they were included on Granta’s prescient Best Young British Novelists list in 1993 and have gone on to write some of the most memorable novels of the past three decades. In January 2026 they came together to discuss the book that Barnes says will be his last, Departure(s). It follows a man named Stephen and a woman called Jean who fall in love when they are young and again when they are old. Barnes and McEwan will draw on the themes of the book to discuss topics including philosophy, art, the slipperiness of memory, the passage of time, mortality and grief. This was a rare opportunity to hear two of the most celebrated voices in contemporary British literature discussing their craft and reflections on life. This event was presented in partnership with Waterstones. --- This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and ge