Colm Tóibín, the acclaimed author of 'Brooklyn' and 'Long Island', delves deep into the themes of belonging and identity. He discusses the emotional turmoil of migrants trying to adapt to new cultures and how this can lead to irrational group dynamics. Tóibín also reflects on personal experiences as a gay man and the complexities of faith within the Catholic Church. He emphasizes the importance of empathy amidst rising nationalism, showcasing the delicate balance between feeling at home and facing isolation in a new land.
24:47
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Tóibín's Early Wanderlust
Colm Tóibín describes his early desire to leave his hometown, feeling drawn to travel and new experiences from a young age.
He was eager to explore anywhere, showing a restlessness rooted in seeking belonging beyond his origins.
insights INSIGHT
Silence as Oppression
The oppression of being gay in mid-20th century Ireland came primarily from societal silence, not explicit church condemnation.
The inability to discuss or acknowledge it was a profound form of repression, more impactful than legal issues.
insights INSIGHT
Pope Francis's Quiet Defiance
Pope Francis represents a thoughtful, quiet voice against the political noise and divisiveness, exemplified in opposition to Trump.
The Vatican is engaged in a subtle but significant power struggle tied to global politics and social issues.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
The novel tells the story of Eilis Lacey, a young woman from small-town Ireland who, in the hard years following World War II, leaves her fragile mother and charismatic sister behind to start a new life in Brooklyn. Sponsored by an Irish priest, Eilis finds work in a department store and begins evening classes in bookkeeping. She faces homesickness and culture shock but eventually finds love with Tony, an Italian-American. However, devastating news from Ireland forces her to make a critical decision between her old and new lives. The book is a quiet tour de force, exploring themes of self-determination, love, and the complexities of immigrant life.
The Masters
C. P. Snow
The novel follows the contest for the Mastership of a Cambridge college as the old Master dies of cancer. The two main candidates are Paul Jago and Crawford, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. The narrative, told through the eyes of Lewis Eliot, delves into the politics and personal issues of the college's faculty, providing a meticulous study of power dynamics in an academic setting during post-war Britain[2][5].
Long Island
Colm Tóibín
In 'Long Island', Colm Tóibín continues the story of Eilis Lacey, a character from his earlier novel 'Brooklyn'. Eilis, now in her forties and living on Long Island with her husband Tony and their two teenage children, faces a crisis when she learns that Tony has fathered a child with another woman. This revelation prompts Eilis to return to her hometown in Ireland, where she reconnects with old friends and acquaintances, including Jim Farrell, the man she once loved. The novel delves into themes of unfulfilled desires, the search for identity, and the complex nature of home, as Eilis grapples with her feelings for Tony, her responsibilities to her children, and the future she desires for herself. The story is marked by its exploration of human emotions, the weight of secrets, and the intricate web of relationships that define Eilis's life[1][3][5].
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.
The Morning Edition 
