Matt Cooper

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We're delighted to have Maggie O'Farrell back with us.

Her new novel is called Land.

Maggie, thank you so much for being with us.

The last time I think you were in studio with us was on the publication of Hamlet, which is a good few years ago now.

You have had workouts since Hamlet, but I suppose because of all of the publicity about the movie and the success of the movie, it's going to focus more attention upon land.

How do you feel about that?

I suppose it does open up, though, the potential of many, many new readers, doesn't it?

It may be that there were people, because of the movie, went to read Hamlet, who hadn't read it, who'll go to The Marriage Portrait, who'll go to many of your other novels.

Yeah, but you were able to keep more control of it than most novelists are of their work when it's adapted, weren't you?

Yeah.

Indeed.

This is your most Irish book, isn't it, of what you've written?

And this, in many respects, could be one of the great famine novels.

Because it actually is really an emotional journey through 19th century Ireland.

So tell us what prompted you finally to write about your homeland.

Just after the famine.