City Journal Audio

A Novel of New York City's Migrant Crisis

Feb 20, 2026
Lionel Shriver, novelist and columnist known for provocative fiction, discusses her book A Better Life. She explains how a mayoral proposal sparked the story and why mass migration demanded a novelistic approach. Conversations explore hosts' dilemmas, contested vetting and bureaucracy, performative altruism, ambiguous migrant characters, and themes of property, national confidence, and cultural tension.
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INSIGHT

Publishing Bias Shapes Narratives

  • Shriver links writers' university training and industry politics to uniform left-leaning publishing.
  • She credits Douglas Murray's nonfiction success for giving her courage to publish a contrarian novel.
ANECDOTE

Ambiguous Migrant Character

  • Shriver lets Martine remain ambiguous so readers decide her true nature.
  • Nico forms a contradictory, more admiring portrait of Martine that complicates simple labels.
ADVICE

Make Immigration Self-Interested

  • Favor immigration policies that are self-interested and selective for contributors.
  • Combine generosity with criteria that serve national well-being and capacity.
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