9. Normal People: Class, Ireland, and Heartbreak

About this episode

The episode explores the themes of class and heartbreak in Sally Rooney's novel 'Normal People'.

Is Sally Rooney's hit novel really a love story? How does class division impact the love Marianne and Connell feel for each other? Is Rooney creating a relatable story of miscommunication during first loves, or a tale of heartbreak and loss? Join Dominic Sandbrook and Tabitha Syrett as they delve into the fascinating story behind the writing of Normal People, the world it was born of, and the novel itself. Email us: ⁠⁠thebookclub@goalhanger.com⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠@bookclubpodhq⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠@thebookclubpodhq⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠@bookclubpodhq⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠@TheBookClubPodHQ⁠⁠ Senior Producer: Nicole Maslen Assistant Producer: Alfie Norris Social Producer: Harry Balden Video Editor: James Clayden Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Dominic Sandbrook

Guest: Tabitha Syrett

Topics covered

• class division
• love story
• miscommunication
• heartbreak
• Irish literature

Keywords

• Normal People
• Sally Rooney
• class division
• love story
• heartbreak
• Ireland
• miscommunication

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Goalhanger

Books & works: Normal People

Places: Ireland

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