About this episode

Bella Freud interviews Irish writer Colm Tóibín about his literary works and personal experiences.

Colm Tóibín is an Irish writer. Born in Enniscorthy, he is the author of eleven novels, including The Master, Brooklyn and The Magician, and two collections of stories.  His novel Brooklyn was an immediate bestseller on publication and was adapted into an Oscar- nominated film starring Saoirse Ronan in 2015. His most recent novel Long Island is a sequel to Brooklyn. In his new short story collection The News from Dublin, these luminous short stories delve into the days and nights of those living far from home: lives of great longing, at a great distance from past lives and past selves. Colm Toíbín has been three times shortlisted for the Booker Prize. In 2021, he was awarded the David Cohen Prize for Literature. He was appointed the Laureate for Irish Fiction 2022-2024, and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Oxford in 2025. In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Colm Toibin discuss string underpants, playing tennis with Pedro Almodovar, and Irish trauma. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Bella Freud

Guest: Colm Tóibín

Topics covered

• Irish literature
• writing
• identity
• trauma
• film adaptation

Keywords

• Colm Tóibín
• Brooklyn
• Irish literature
• The News from Dublin
• Booker Prize

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Oxford

Books & works: The Master, Brooklyn, The Magician, Long Island, The News from Dublin

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