Episode 2: Imagining others

Available for over a year

In a series of five essays, award-winning novelist Leïla Slimani reflects on otherness. From her arrival in Paris as an immigrant from Morocco to her experience of motherhood, it’s an exploration that is central to her identity and writing. She examines the wide-ranging influence of the theme on her life, her thinking and her engagement with the world. In the second essay, Leïla reflects on her fascination as a writer with others. It’s a passion that she traces to her mother’s empathy as a doctor for her patients. All her writing investigates the tension between being an individual and the desire to belong, exploring multiple perspectives and identities. Literature not only offers a path to understanding other people’s experiences, it can also be a stand against dogmatism. Leïla Slimani was awarded the Prix Goncourt, France’s most prestigious literary award, in 2016 for her novel Lullaby. Her other novels include The Country of Others and Adèle. Presenter: Leïla Slimani Producer: Jo Glanville Editor: Sara Davies Sound Engineer: Jon Calver A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4