‘Meet the Writer: Lionel Shriver’

American writer Lionel Shriver is best known for her novel We Need to Talk About Kevin (2003) and the acclaimed film adaptation starring Tilda Swinton, about a teenager who carries out a massacre at school. Shriver doesn’t shy away from taboos and awkward characters in her other novels, either. For example, she based Big Brother on her brother’s morbid obesity, and exposed the pain points around old age and voluntary death with her latest novel Should We Stay or Should We Go (2022).

In recent years, Shriver has increasingly been interpreting a distinctive voice in the social debate (Brexit, lockdown, identity politics, ...) She writes what she thinks, averse from the prevailing cancel culture.

Klara journalist Nicky Aerts will talk to Shriver about her work and ideas.