Granta

Susie Boyt, The Granta Podcast

May 29, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Susie Boyt, an acclaimed author known for her novels and memoirs, shares her insights on the intricate emotional landscapes in her work. She explores themes of guilt, duty, and redemption through poignant character journeys. The conversation touches on her admiration for Henry James and how encounters with artistic icons shape her writing. Boyt also reflects on navigating loss and the complexities of friendship, highlighting the delicate balance between cruelty and sentimentality in communication.
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ANECDOTE

Mourning Speech Rehearsed by Jean

  • Jean rehearses a heartfelt speech to comfort her dying friend Ruth and discusses how Ruth might like to be mourned.
  • The scene captures tender attempts to balance grief, memory, and the comforting rituals after death.
INSIGHT

Characters Demand Continued Attention

  • Susie Boyt wrote her short story as a natural extension of Loved and Missed, feeling the characters wouldn't leave her alone.
  • Writing from a secondary character's perspective opens new emotional dimensions and narrative complexity.
INSIGHT

Friendship Beyond Family

  • Boyt explores whether friendship can stretch beyond family ties to offer deep forms of caring and responsibility.
  • She reflects on the complexities and sometimes strained realities of family and friendship bonds.
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