Renowned author Colm Tóibín's international bestseller Brooklyn deals with the agonies of trying to adapt to the customs of a strange new land. When we meet main character Eilis Lacey 20 years later, in Tóibín’s latest novel, Long Island, she again grapples with the pull of her home country Ireland.

So what does Tóibín make of our yearning to belong, and how it can twist us internally? How it can drive otherwise rational people to damn entire groups of people?

In this special episode, Tóibín, who is in Australia for the Sydney Writers’ Festival and the Melbourne Writers Festival, toys with these themes in a discussion on migrants, Donald Trump and the new Pope. And the times when even he can’t find the right words, in his own life.

Renowned author Colm T&oacute;ib&iacute;n's international bestseller Brooklyn deals with the agonies of trying to adapt to the customs of a strange new land.&nbsp;When we meet main character Eilis Lacey 20 years later, in T&oacute;ib&iacute;n&rsquo;s latest novel, Long Island, she again grapples with the pull of her home country Ireland.
So what does T&oacute;ib&iacute;n make of our yearning to belong, and how it can twist us internally? How it can drive otherwise rational people to damn entire groups of people?
In this special episode, T&oacute;ib&iacute;n, who is in Australia for the Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival and the Melbourne Writers Festival, toys with these themes in a discussion on migrants, Donald Trump and the new Pope. And the times when even he can&rsquo;t find the right words, in his own life.

The Morning Edition (formerly Please Explain) brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition (formerly Please Explain) brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

'Brooklyn' author Colm Tóibín on belonging

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/d1f12c96-c4ff-4246-9a87-b2e60057ad1d/transcript

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