logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2024
38m 32s

Finding the Story within Ordinary Human ...

Intelligence Squared
About this episode

Megan Nolan is an Irish journalist and author who has made a name for herself by cutting to the quick of the most uncomfortable facets of the human experience. She first appeared on Intelligence Squared to discuss her widely acclaimed debut, Acts of Desperation, back in 2022 and she returns now with her latest novel, Ordinary Human Failings, which follows a family and a tabloid journalist embroiled in a harrowing murder, which was recently selected for the Women’s Fiction Prize longlist. In this episode Nolan discusses her recent rise to fame, the nuances involved in depicting intergenerational trauma and her plans for future writing with fellow writer and critic Holly Williams, whose own latest novel is The Start of Something.

We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/is for £100 sponsored credit.

If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all of our longer form interviews and Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.

For £4.99 per month you'll also receive:

- Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts

- Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series

- 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events

- Our member-only newsletter The Monthly Read, sent straight to your inbox

...

Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99:

- Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts

- Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series

...

Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more

...

Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more.

https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Yesterday
Classic Debate: Neville Chamberlain Did The Right Thing
If ever a politician got a bum rap it’s Neville Chamberlain. He has gone down in history as the British prime minster whose policy of appeasement in the 1930s allowed the Nazis to flourish unopposed. He has never been forgiven for ceding part of Czechoslovakia to Hitler in the Mu ... Show More
1h 6m
Jul 7
Are bureaucrats a force for good? With Michael Lewis and Gillian Tett (Part Two)
The concept of government is under attack. In the United States, Donald Trump has fired tens of thousands of federal workers; ignored congressional statutes; insulted judges; and allowed Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, access to sensitive government information in a slash-and ... Show More
40m 33s
Jul 5
Are bureaucrats a force for good? With Michael Lewis and Gillian Tett (Part One)
The concept of government is under attack. In the United States, Donald Trump has fired tens of thousands of federal workers; ignored congressional statutes; insulted judges; and allowed Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, access to sensitive government information in a slash-and ... Show More
40m 50s
Recommended Episodes
May 2019
Tracey Emin
Guest host Razia Iqbal speaks to contemporary artist Tracey Emin. Emin talks about the moments that shaped and inspired her voice, including her family's sudden poverty, her sexual encounters with older men as a teenage girl, and her emergence as one of Britain's most famous and ... Show More
46m 34s
Nov 2023
The Weekend Intelligence: The hope and the heartbreak of IVF
In our second episode of The Weekend Intelligence, The Economist correspondents Catherine Brahic and Sacha Nauta tell a different story about fertility treatment. A story about the pain, the hope and the despair that is paid for a life to be created. And a personal story about tw ... Show More
49m 14s
Nov 2023
The Weekend Intelligence: The hope and the heartbreak of IVF
In our second episode of The Weekend Intelligence, The Economist correspondents Catherine Brahic and Sacha Nauta tell a different story about fertility treatment. A story about the pain, the hope and the despair that is paid for a life to be created. And a personal story about tw ... Show More
49m 14s
Sep 2023
Soledad O'Brien
Peabody and Emmy award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien joins the show. Over burgers and shakes, we discuss her impressive reporting career, earning accolades for her coverage of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Plus, we get her take on why cases of B ... Show More
41m 55s
Mar 2023
An Announcement
Big news! In the Dark has a new home and a new team of partners. The podcast now comes to you from The New Yorker—the legendary home of extraordinary journalism.____ In the Dark is a Peabody Award-winning podcast that tells deeply reported stories. Season 1 investigates lapses by ... Show More
11m 1s
Sep 2023
Women’s spending power is the story of summer
With Barbie, Taylor Swift, and Beyonce leading the way, women’s spending power is making the economy go ‘round. Plus: How to ease return-to-office pain and the challenges ahead of AI-generated music. Recorded in front of a live audience at Inbound in Boston.  Join our hosts Mark ... Show More
11m 52s
Jun 2024
Taylor Swift and Prince William Shake it Off at Wembley Concert!
Taylor Swift and Prince William Shake it Off at Wembley Concert! A source told Vanity Fair, Kate’s return was “the princess’s decision and hers alone. Catherine discussed the idea with William and with the king after having the okay from her medical team. Thankfully, she has been ... Show More
7m 36s
Apr 2024
The One Where We Weren't Invited to the Cécred Launch
Get ready for a spicy episode of Sibling Rivalry! Bob and Monet kick things off with a sizzling debate about the Amanda Seales and the recent controversy surrounding her. Then, they dive headfirst into the juicy world of celebrity gossip, from the Kardashians to the Hadids. Bob a ... Show More
56m 38s
May 2024
Brittney Griner is Coming Home
Brittney Griner finally made it home and immediately put her story on paper. For those who missed it, Brittney Griner is a star WNBA player who was held as a political prisoner in Russia for almost an entire year. Her book chronicles the entire journey, to help prisoners still be ... Show More
1h 12m
Nov 2021
After Hours: New Vaccine Industry Billionaires and Other Covid Pandemic Business Booms
Amid the many economic tragedies of the Covid-19 shutdowns, find out about some remarkable pandemic success stories-- including creation of new vaccine industry billionaires. Subscribe to my two podcasts: “The Sharyl Attkisson Podcast” and “Full Measure After Hours.” Leave a revi ... Show More
30m 47s