Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Likely Stories - Normal People

Why hello there, I’m Malcolm Foster, Operations Assistant at KWBU, habitual collector of books and lifelong lover of compelling storytelling. Today I want to talk about a body of work that captured both my head and my heart. A book that I still find myself thinking of years after my first read through.

Normal People, Sally Rooney’s sophomore novel, begins in Sligo, a coastal town in Ireland which is moving through the aftermath of a national recession. It centers around Connell and Marianne, two high school students entrenched in very different spaces. For starters, Marianne’s is the daughter of an affluent lawyer who lives in a large house, and Connell is the son of the woman who cleans said large house.

But it’s not just their socioeconomic standings which differ. Although Connell is quiet and unassuming, he is popular, to the point of being beloved. Marianne however, is an outspoken lone wolf with self destructive tendencies. The most obvious of which is how she habitually uses her intelligence as a measuring stick, which of course further ostracizes herself from her peers. Connell on the other hand hides his curiosity and his literary interests from his friends so that he can remain camouflaged in plain sight.

Despite their differences, Marianne and Connell are drawn together. Initially through the problematic, transactional relationship that exists between their mothers, however as the two encircle one another in the privacy of Marianne’s home, they find a crack of insight within one another. A safe space to remove the masks that they wear in public.

From here they embark upon a fractured, ever shifting relationship that unfurls throughout their time at University in Dublin. This leap from small town to big city is one that not only alters their relationship, but also turns the tables on their individual dynamics. Where Connell thrived in a small pond, he finds himself drowning in disconnect upon moving to the capital. Marianne however blossoms…to some extent, as although she finds herself immersed in a more fitting crowd, she still struggles with crippling self-esteem. A brittle issue that stems from a home life that closely resembles a frozen tundra. A decaying foundation that only seems to be quelled in the presence of Connel.

But as their relationship moves from secret dalliances to stretches of silence and periods of time when they are friends, who can never be just friends, the peace, understanding, and acceptance they find within one another and within themselves is continuously tested.

On paper, Normal People seem like it’s steeped in familiar material, but the complexity and the nuances of Rooney’s protagonists coupled with her exploration of formative backgrounds, class privilege, insecurities, intimacy, and identity makes Normal People, an extraordinary read. It is and will remain a personal favorite of mine, for the way in which Rooney navigates both the daunting landscape of feeling lost and the warmth of finding hope.

For those who feel deeply, who love character driven studies, and are drawn to the strange, beautiful, and inexplicable mannerisms of human nature…this one’s for you.

Likely Stories - Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Hey there. Lauren here. I’m KWBU’s public relations intern as well as a Baylor student and a bookseller at Fabled. Today I’m going to be talking all about the book, Carrie Sotozis Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Let me tell you, I love me some Taylor Jenkins Reid. I would probably say she’s my favorite author. She writes such fascinating stories with the most interesting characters. One of these interesting characters being Carrie Soto.
Likely Stories - Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley
Have you ever been in a daily commute, or in a class, and sat next to the same people day in and day out, and not known one thing about them? Not their names, not their jobs, and certainly not their lives. You give them nicknames in your head attributed to what they wear and what they drink, but you have no idea who they are. Of course, you never speak. The first rule is “don’t talk to strangers.” What would it take to get to know these people, and in turn to let them into your life?
Likely Stories - Bringing Ben Home: A Murder, A Conviction, and the Fight to Redeem American Justice by Barbara Bradley Hagerty
I’m Joe Riley with KWBU, and this is Likely Stories.Every couple of weeks, I visit the Waco McLennan County Library and browse the New Book shelves. That’s where I saw Bringing Ben Home: A Murder, A Conviction, and the Fight to Redeem American Justice. Actually, it was the author’s name that first caught my eye – Barbara Bradley Hagerty is currently a contributing writer at The Atlantic. Before that, she spent 19 years reporting on justice issues and religion for NPR. I checked the book out because I’ve always been impressed by her work.
Likely Stories - The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
It’s not Christmastime anymore, but that's never stopped me from enjoying any story set during the most wonderful time of the year. This one is heavy on mystery, lightly romantic, deeply nostalgic, fully entrenched in the setting.
Likely Stories - Everything We Never Had
Nearly every time my husband sees me reading he asks, “Reading one of your “happy” books again?” To be fair, he may have a point. For example, listening to the audiobook of a novel that unpacks the emotional trauma of four generations of Filipino men, is possibly not the most uplifting way to spend a drive through the plains of the Texas Panhandle. But Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay was so worth it. I’m Gia Chevis with this week’s installment of Likely Stories.
Likely Stories - Killer Story: The Truth Behind True Crime Television
For this week's episode of Likely stories, Kevin Tankersley, from the Department of Journalism, Public Relations & New Media at Baylor, is investigating what goes into the making of True Crime Television.
Likely Stories - Trust
Hi, I’m Molly-Jo Tilton, reporter at KWBU and hobbyist reader. On this week’s episode of Likely Stories, we’ll be talking about Trust by Hernan Diaz.
Likely Stories - Counting Miracles
Hello. My name is Douglas Henry, Dean of the Honors College at Baylor University, with this week’s edition of Likely Stories.
Likely Stories - All Fours
My name is Heather White, I teach Art History classes at Baylor. Before I begin this segment of Likely Stories, I wanted to let you know that this review acknowledges the existence of sexual desire, if this is not appropriate for everyone in your listening space, you may want to return after this three minute segment has ended. Okay, here we go.
Likely Stories - Butter
If it has taken you an annoyingly long time to learn that perfection isn’t a healthy goal and getting help isn’t a sign of a character flaw, then you might empathize with Rika’s journey in Butter, A Novel of Food and Murder by Asako Yuzuki. I’m Gia Chevis with this week’s installment of Likely Stories.

After emigrating from Northern England in 2019, Malcolm joined the KWBU team in March of 2023. His experience in podcast production, audio, and video editing have provided a solid base to begin life as an operations assistant and afternoon host. Malcolm is an infinitely curious soul; avid writer, lover of film and music, ardent fan of Liverpool FC, husband to the incredibly patient Robyn, and food giver to Kiki, his fluffy feline overlord.