How does a nation’s language shape its identity? Hannah Kent on her year in Iceland

一个国家的语言如何塑造其身份?汉娜·肯特谈她在冰岛的岁月

Intelligence Squared

2025-11-18

45 分钟
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单集简介 ...

When Australian writer Hannah Kent first travelled to Iceland at the age of 17, she had never seen snow before, and didn’t speak a word of Icelandic. Living in a remote part of Iceland during the dark winter, she fell in love with the country, its landscape and its people. This experience inspired her bestselling novel, Burial Rites. She has now returned to the country that formed her identity as a writer, with a new memoir, Always Home, Always Homesick. For this episode, she spoke to host Danielle Sands about her deep love of Iceland’s landscape, its traditions and its people, how you can understand the history and culture of a country through its language, and how learning a new language can alter and enrich a writer’s own identity.  Hannah Kent is the author of Burial Rites, Good People and Devotion. Her memoir about her lifelong connection to Iceland, Always Home, Always Homesick, is out now.  If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our 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  ...  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 and early access. … 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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单集文稿 ...

  • Welcome to Intelligence Squared, where great minds meet.

  • I'm producer Mia Sorrenti.

  • On today's episode, writer Hannah Kent joins us to discuss her new memoir, Always Home,

  • Always Homesick, a reflection on the profound bond she formed with Iceland as a young traveller,

  • a bond that would inspire her best-selling novel,

  • Berry All Rights, and help define her voice as a writer.

  • In conversation with Danielle Sands, she explores Iceland's language,

  • culture and traditions and how learning to speak a new language can deepen a writer's sense of self.

  • Let's join our host, Danielle Sands, now with more.

  • Welcome to Intelligence Squad.

  • I'm Danielle Sands,

  • Senior Lecturer in Comparative Literature at Royal Holloway University of London and our guest today is the Australian novelist Hannah Kent.

  • Hannah first travelled to Iceland at the age of 17.

  • She'd never seen snow before and didn't speak a word of Icelandic.

  • Living in a remote part of Iceland during the dark winter,

  • she fell in love with the country, its landscape and its people.

  • The experience inspired her best-selling novel, Burial Rights,

  • a haunting work of historical fiction set in 19th century Iceland.

  • She is joining us today to talk about a new memoir, Always Home,

  • always homesick, which is her love letter to Iceland and the time that she spent there.