Colum McCann

On this Selected Shorts, host Meg Wolitzer invites us on a literary tour of Ireland with bestselling author Colum McCann, who hosted a live event at Symphony Space celebrating the rich heritage of Irish literature, and some gifted contemporary voices. The program includes, “Lucy’s Boyfriend,” a sharp-witted story about contemporary dating mores by Anne Enright, read by Crystal Dickinson; a touching reflection on the loss of Ireland’s young to jobs overseas, “Fishing in the Sloe-Black River,” by McCann himself, read by Aedin Maloney; and “Toronto and the State of Grace,” a wild social comedy by Kevin Barry that takes place at a bar at the end of the world and is read by Santino Fontana.

On this Selected Shorts , host Meg Wolitzer invites us on a literary tour of Ireland with bestselling author Colum McCann, who hosted a live event at Symphony Space celebrating the rich heritage of Irish literature, and some gifted contemporary voices. The program includes, “Lucy’s Boyfriend,” a sharp-witted story about contemporary dating mores by Anne Enright, read by Crystal Dickinson; a touching reflection on the loss of Ireland’s young to jobs overseas, “Fishing in the Sloe-Black River,” by McCann himself, read by Aedin Maloney; and “Toronto and the State of Grace,” a wild social comedy by Kevin Barry that takes place at a bar at the end of the world and is read by Santino Fontana. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode Overview In this episode we unpack Colum McCann’s beautiful short story What Time Is It Now, Where You Are? as a powerful mentor text for Year 12 Module C: Craft of Writing. We explore how McCann’s metafictional style, narrative voice, structure, imagery, and themes can inspire your own imaginative, discursive or reflective writing. You’ll get clear analysis points, key quotes, and practical strategies to help students strengthen their compositional craft and reflections for the current HSC and beyond. Key Questions Explored How does Colum McCann’s background and context influence the story? What is McCann’s primary purpose and how does he achieve it? How do the structure and style enhance the narrative and emotional impact? How do imagery and metaphor contribute to the story’s meaning? What are the central themes and how can students draw on them for their own writing? Highlights from the Episode Context: McCann’s Irish roots, global experiences, and the post-9/11 world of distance, technology and human connection Purpose: Exploring how people connect (or fail to) across time and space through the act of storytelling itself Structure & Style: Metafictional 13-section form, non-linear storytelling, contemplative tone, open ending Language Features: Vivid imagery of isolation and longing, metaphors of time and distance, lyrical yet simple prose Central Themes: Human connection vs isolation, time and perception, loneliness and longing, the beauty of small everyday moments Craft of Writing application: Using metafiction, narrative voice, motif, and reflective style in your own pieces Connect with Us Instagram: https://instagram.com/lit.happensseniorenglish TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@lit.happensse Email: lit.happensse@gmail.com Resources – available on Teachers Pay Teachers Call to Action Share your favourite line or how you might use this story in your own writing in the comments – we’ll feature the best ones next episode! Music produced by Instagram – @tmob2k YouTube – @tmob2000 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favourite platform. Visit https://lithappensse.com/ for more practical guides, downloadable resources and English teacher support across Years 7–12. Subscribe and join us as we unpack English together! #CraftOfWriting #ModuleC #HSC2026 #WhatTimeIsItNowWhereYouAre #ColumMcCann #Year12English #EnglishTeacherNSW #SeniorEnglish #LitHappensPodcast #NSWteachers

In this episode we hear from Colum McCann, a National Book Award–winning novelist and cofounder of Narrative 4, a nonprofit organization that uses personal storytelling to build empathy between young people. Colum is Irish and lives in New York, and he joined us in February 2026 for a conversation about stories, national character, identity, and the 250th anniversary, of the Declaration of Independence. You'll also hear from Beyti, Jaylen, Uliana, Malaki, and Steve—five students at Adrienne C. Nelson High School in Happy Valley who participated in a storytelling workshop led by Narrative 4.

Discover the favourite books from the 21st century of Colum McCann, Kate Grenville and Kaliane Bradley who share their best reads for ABC Radio National's Top 100 Books. The Book Show producer Sarah L'Estrange spoke to three acclaimed authors at Melbourne Writers Festival in the lead up to ABC Radio National's Top 100 Books countdown. Go here to vote for your favourite book of the last 25 years. Guests: Colum McCann is an Irish author of eight novels including Let the Great World Spin and Apeirogon and his latest is Twist which is a tale about disconnection in this hyper connected world. Kate Grenville is the author of over 15 books of fiction and non-fiction, including her Orange Prize winning book The Idea of Perfection, The Secret River and her latest book, Unsettled , explores the personal story behind The Secret River. Kaliane Bradley is a British-Cambodian writer and editor whose bestselling debut novel The Ministry of Time is a time travel novel about immigration, history and romance. Panel's top reads of the 21st century: Kate Grenville Mateship With Birds by Carrie Tiffany Anything Can Happen, by Susan Hampton Olive Cotton, a Life in Photography by Helen Ennis The Biggest Estate on Earth by Bill Gammage Carpentaria by Alexis Wright Kaliane Bradley Night Watch by Terry Pratchett Landbridge by Y-Dang Troeung Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang Grief Is the Thing With Feathers by Max Porter Colum McCann Ulysses by James Joyce True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey A Mercy by Toni Morrison Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Aidiche (and Gilead by Marilynne Robinson)

Tune in to Lit Happens , where we - two passionate HSC English educators - guide you through Advanced English Module C: The Craft of Writing, with a focus on Colum McCann’s reflective short story, What Time Is It Now, Where You Are? . In this episode, we explore how McCann uses metafiction to bridge time, place, and human connection through the act of storytelling, analyse techniques like fragmented structure and shifting perspectives, and provide strategies for students to craft their own layered, imaginative pieces inspired by the text. Tailored for educators seeking to inspire creativity and Advanced English students aiming for a Band 6, this episode will help you engage with the story’s emotional depth and create responses that showcase originality and insight. Check out the FREE PDF resource: COMING SOON! For a video of this resource in action, visit our YouTube page, Tiktok and Instagram. For episodes and support content: Follow us on YouTube: @Lit_HappensSE Follow us on Instagram: lit.happensseniorenglish TikTok: @lit.happensse Never miss a Lit Happens episode! Like and subscribe for syllabus tips, future episode themes, and to join our literary community. Available on multiple platforms - subscribe wherever you listen! If you enjoy our podcast, please consider supporting us by leaving a review and rating our show. Your feedback helps us keep delivering quality content for English teachers and students alike. We’d love to hear from you! Comment below or send us your thoughts, questions, or episode suggestions at lit.happensse@gmail.com

The Parents Circle - Families Forum: https://www.theparentscircle.org/en/stories/rami-elhanan_eng/ American Friends of the Parents Circle; Palestinian and Israeli Bereaved Families for Peace: https://parentscirclefriends.org/encounter/ Combatants for Peace: https://cfpeace.org/ Colum McCann's website: http://colummccann.com/ Narrative 4 Foundation: http://colummccann.com/narrative-4-main-page/ Amblin Films buys film rights: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/amblin-nabs-israeli-palestinian-friendship-novel-apeirogon-1278792 --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/tom-jackson2/support

James Naughtie talks to Colum McCann about TransAtlantic.