Intelligence Squared Arundhati Roy on Storytelling, Memory and The Human Condition (Part One)
Sep 13, 2025
Arundhati Roy, an acclaimed novelist and political essayist known for her Booker Prize-winning work, joins forces with Elif Shafak, a celebrated British-Turkish author. They discuss the intertwining of personal grief and political landscapes as Roy shares insights from her new memoir. The conversation highlights storytelling as a powerful tool for activism, the complex legacies of love and loss, and how writing serves as a conduit for emotional resilience. Their dialogue illuminates how personal narratives can shape public consciousness and inspire resistance.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Leaving To Preserve Love
- Roy describes leaving home at 18 to study in Delhi and cutting contact for years to preserve love for her mother.
- She explains the lie they settled on: "She loved me enough to let me go."
Memory And Fiction Intertwined
- Roy argues that fiction and memory intermix, making it hard to separate truth from invention.
- She suggests novelists inhabit labyrinths to see others' perspectives and make sense of loss.
Writing As Reckoning
- Roy frames writing the memoir as both a betrayal and necessity to comprehend her mother fully.
- She says the labyrinth of understanding must now make sense without her mother present.
