''Intimacy'' was published in 1998 by playwright and novelist

Hanif Kureishi Hanif Kureishi (born 5 December 1954) is a British playwright, screenwriter, filmmaker and novelist of South Asian and English descent. In 2008, ''The Times'' included Kureishi in its list of the 50 greatest British writers since 1945. Early l ...

. The novel deals with a middle-aged man and his thoughts about leaving his wife and two young sons.

Plot summary

Set in contemporary London, the story tells why the protagonist wants to leave his family. The timespan of the novel is roughly 24 hours. He has lived with his partner for six years and has known her for ten. He is unhappy in his relationship and has had several affairs. His young lover one day says to him, "If you want me, I'm here". He spends 24 hours reflecting on his relationships with his wife, sons, friends and lover.

Style

The writing style is similar to

Imre Kertész Imre Kertész (; 9 November 192931 March 2016) was a Hungarian author and recipient of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Literature, "for writing that upholds the fragile experience of the individual against the barbaric arbitrariness of history". He was ...

's '' Kaddis a meg nem született gyermekért'' (Kaddish for a Child Not Born) -inner dialogue mixed with flashbacks, explaining and contemplating the thoughts of the protagonist.

Major themes

Some of the themes of the book are: * Old family constructs in a modern society. * Sexual desires versus intellectual desires.

Film adaptation

Intimacy was adapted into a 2001 film of the same name directed by

Patrice Chéreau Patrice Chéreau (; 2 November 1944 – 7 October 2013) was a French opera and theatre director, filmmaker, actor and producer. In France he is best known for his work for the theatre, internationally for his films '' La Reine Margot'' and ...

, starring

Mark Rylance Sir David Mark Rylance Waters (born 18 January 1960) is a British actor, playwright and theatre director. He is known for his roles on stage and screen having received numerous awards including an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, two Laurence ...

and

Kerry Fox Kerry Lauren Fox (born 30 July 1966) is a New Zealand actress. She came to prominence playing author Janet Frame in the movie '' An Angel at My Table'' directed by Jane Campion, which gained her a Best Actress Award from the New Zealand Film and ...

. Novels by Hanif Kureishi Novels set in London 1998 British novels Faber and Faber books British novels adapted into films Novels set in one day {{1990s-novel-stub