NPR's Book of the Day The novel 'These Days' fictionalizes a lesser-known chapter in the history of Belfast
Jan 14, 2026
Lucy Caldwell, a Northern Irish novelist and playwright, shares insights on her novel, These Days, which tells the story of the 1941 Belfast Blitz. She explores Gabriel García Márquez's writing advice about capturing accurate details, revealing how personal stories from survivors shaped her narrative. Caldwell discusses the profound intimacy and distance experienced by characters during the bombings, reflecting on modern anxieties reminiscent of today's COVID times. Her mission? To illuminate this lesser-known chapter of Belfast’s history.
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Use One Convincing Detail
- Use a single convincing detail to ground historical fiction.
- Prioritize accurate sensory and domestic specifics to earn reader trust.
One Detail Anchors The Whole World
- Getting one detail right lets readers accept the entire fictional world.
- Gabriel García Márquez's journalism rule guided Lucy Caldwell's historical realism.
Grandmother's Small Domestic Memory
- Caldwell's grandmother survived the Belfast Blitz and gave small domestic details.
- Those everyday memories, like coal in a crisper, brought the novel's world to life.
