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

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