Colum McCann

But through the exchange of personal stories, they create this world where they realize they're not so different to one another. So what would happen is we would get together. I'd tell you a story. You'd tell me a story. I'd go back in, and I'd say, hi, my name is Jordan, and I have a lovely head of hair. And... And I say column, and I wish I had Jordan's hair. Exactly.

But through the exchange of personal stories, they create this world where they realize they're not so different to one another. So what would happen is we would get together. I'd tell you a story. You'd tell me a story. I'd go back in, and I'd say, hi, my name is Jordan, and I have a lovely head of hair. And... And I say column, and I wish I had Jordan's hair. Exactly.

But, you know, they tell really powerful stories that sort of negotiate the distance that we supposedly have between us. Say, for example, there's a young girl in the Bronx who wears a hijab. She's talking with a boy from Kentucky. Well, underneath her hijab, she might have AirPods. And in those AirPods, she's listening to Beyonce.

But, you know, they tell really powerful stories that sort of negotiate the distance that we supposedly have between us. Say, for example, there's a young girl in the Bronx who wears a hijab. She's talking with a boy from Kentucky. Well, underneath her hijab, she might have AirPods. And in those AirPods, she's listening to Beyonce.

And the boy down in Kentucky has been listening to Beyonce's most recent album.

And the boy down in Kentucky has been listening to Beyonce's most recent album.

Exactly. And people come together. People come together in music. People come together in stories. People come together in laughter. And I do think, you're talking about hope, I do think, I do believe, sort of maybe naively, in the availability of hope.

Exactly. And people come together. People come together in music. People come together in stories. People come together in laughter. And I do think, you're talking about hope, I do think, I do believe, sort of maybe naively, in the availability of hope.