The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience Bonus: Matt Haig Reads an Excerpt from 'The Midnight Library' on Storybound - Redux
Mar 14, 2025
Matt Haig, bestselling author known for 'The Midnight Library', brings listeners into the world of limitless possibility. He reads a gripping excerpt where Nora Seed finds herself on an Arctic research boat, revealing her polar bear watch duties. Tension rises during a thrilling confrontation with a bear, showcasing Nora’s unexpected will to live. The clever mix of storytelling and sound design enriches the narrative, inviting reflection on life's choices and alternate paths.
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Why Nora Ends Up On A Polar Boat
- Matt Haig reads a scene where Nora wakes on a cold research boat and meets Ingrid, a hardened glaciologist.
- Ingrid explains she left Oslo after her partner died, seeking escape in polar research to avoid memories.
You Can't Run From Grief By Moving
- Ingrid admits that escaping a city doesn't erase grief; places don't expel memories.
- Physical distance only partly helps, because memories and feelings travel with you.
What Being A Polar Bear Lookout Feels Like
- Nora spends hours alone as the team's polar-bear lookout, experiencing raw Arctic conditions.
- She tracks wildlife, eats a protein bar, and notices the quiet sharpens what noise means.
