Lionel Shriver on Immigration, Identity and Why She Refuses to Stay Quiet

Lionel Shriver has often tackled complex or contentious issues in her fiction. From school shootings in We Need to Talk About Kevin to economic collapse in The Mandibles. Her new novel, A Better Life, is the story of a family home taken over by outsiders. In this conversation with Mishal Husain, Shriver discusses the sociological concerns behind the story, which she says is a metaphor for the increase in undocumented US immigration during the Biden administration. Shriver is a regular columnist for The Spectator, a conservative UK magazine. The link between the writing styles in that publication and her novel also feature in this episode. In the written version of this conversation, you’ll find more information on how Mishal Husain researched and prepared for this interview, including her own notes, data, historical context and further quotes from Lionel Shriver. www.bloomberg.com/latest/weekend-interview 02:27 - Inspiration for A Better Life 03:39 - Extended adolescence 06:32 - A metaphor for America 10:21 - Shriver’s political journey 12:42 - Declining populations 17:02 - ICE tactics 20:34 - From North Carolina to Northern Ireland 22:57 - Rebelling against church 24:30 - Transgender debate 30:07 - Why Shriver left the UK 32:26 - Muslim immigration 35:32 - Novels versus columns 40:12 - Writing for shorter attention spans 41:30 - Shriver’s recovery from illness Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.