Get Lit Preview: 'The Dream Hotel' by Laila Lalami

Summary

All Of It Podcast Summary: Preview of 'The Dream Hotel' by Laila Lalami

Episode: Get Lit Preview: 'The Dream Hotel' by Laila Lalami
Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Laila Lalami
Release Date: April 10, 2025
Air Time: Weekdays, 12:00 - 2:00 PM on WNYC

---

Introduction

In this episode of All Of It, host Alison Stewart previews the upcoming book club discussion featuring Pulitzer Prize finalist Laila Lalami and her latest novel, "The Dream Hotel." Scheduled for May 6th at 6 PM at the New York Public Library (NYPL), the conversation promises deep insights into Lalami's exploration of surveillance, privacy, and the human condition in a technologically advanced society.

About "The Dream Hotel"

"The Dream Hotel" is Laila Lalami's sixth novel, set in a near-future society where individuals' thoughts and dreams carry as much weight as their actions. The story follows Sara Hussain, a museum archivist at the Getty Museum, who becomes entangled in a bureaucratic nightmare upon her return from a work trip in London.

Alison Stewart introduces the narrative arc:

"The book follows Sara Hussain, a museum archivist, on her way back from a work trip in London. At the airport, she's pulled into a room by authorities. She's a little bothered because she's been away from her husband and their twins. He's supposed to pick her up from the airport like right now. Imagine what happens when the authorities inform her that she is being detained because she is flagged for possibly having murderous thoughts about her husband." (00:17)

Sara is detained based on an algorithm that predicts her likelihood of committing a violent crime, blurring the lines between preemptive justice and invasion of privacy.

Inspiration Behind the Novel

Lalami shares the genesis of her novel, stemming from a personal experience with intrusive data collection:

"This happened in 2014. I was struggling to get out of bed and I reached for my phone first thing to look at the time and I saw a Google notification..." (01:30)

She recounts being unnerved by a Google alert that eerily predicted her arrival at a yoga studio, highlighting the pervasive and often invisible nature of data surveillance:

"The curtain of surveillance... that moment was kind of just sort of a wake-up call. It was very disturbing." (02:24)

This incident spurred her contemplation of a society where even dreams could be monitored, leading to the conceptual foundation of "The Dream Hotel."

Themes of Surveillance and Privacy

The dialogue delves deep into the themes of surveillance, privacy, and technological overreach. Lalami emphasizes the unholy alliance between big tech companies and the government, which poses threats not only to democratic governance but also to individual identities:

"The relationship between big tech companies and the government is an unholy alliance. And it really threatens everything... our sense of selves, who we are." (11:08)

She discusses how constant surveillance modifies human behavior, leading to conformity born out of fear of attracting attention from monitoring entities.

Excerpt Reading and Analysis

Lalami shares a poignant excerpt from "The Dream Hotel," providing listeners with a glimpse into Sara's experiences and the societal impact of surveillance:

"Another time, when they were returning from their yearly trip to Morocco, they were held just long enough at Dalys International to miss their cross-country flight home, then released without explanation..." (04:46)

This passage illustrates the arbitrary and anxiety-inducing nature of such surveillance, affecting families and personal milestones.

Character Development and Societal Reflection

Sara Hussain's character embodies the struggle between personal freedom and systemic control. Her journey in the retention center reveals the building of a separate community within the facility, mirroring broader societal structures:

"She holds herself a little bit apart from them. And as the novel opens, we see that it's been some time now. And so she has developed friendships..." (09:05)

This dynamic explores themes of isolation, community, and resistance within oppressive systems.

Speculative Fiction as a Canvas

Choosing a near-future setting allows Lalami to speculatively examine contemporary issues through her narrative. Alison Stewart notes the departure from Lalami's historical and contemporary works, highlighting the novel's relevance to current technological anxieties:

"I felt that a novel, a speculative novel, would be just the perfect canvas for exploring it." (12:14)

Easter Eggs and Reader Engagement

When asked about hidden elements or "Easter eggs" within the book, Lalami hints at future revelations during their in-person meeting, encouraging listeners to engage directly at the book club event.

Conclusion

The episode concludes with an invitation to listeners to join the upcoming discussion at NYPL, emphasizing the collaborative and community-driven spirit of All Of It. Lalami's "The Dream Hotel" serves as a thought-provoking exploration of surveillance's impact on personal and societal levels, making it a compelling subject for cultural discourse.

---

Notable Quotes:

• "The curtain of surveillance... that moment was kind of just sort of a wake-up call. It was very disturbing." — Laila Lalami (02:24)

• "The relationship between big tech companies and the government is an unholy alliance. And it really threatens everything... our sense of selves, who we are." — Laila Lalami (11:08)

• "What does it mean to be human in the 21st century." — Laila Lalami (12:14)

---

Join the Conversation:

Don’t miss the full discussion with Laila Lalami on May 6th at 6 PM at the New York Public Library. For more information and to participate, visit wnyc.org/getlit.

This summary is based on the transcript provided and aims to encapsulate the key elements discussed in the podcast episode.

Transcript

[Leila Lalami]

Listener Support WNYC Studios.

[Alison Stewart]

You are listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. In about a month I will be in conversation with our April get lit with all of It Book Club author Laila Lalamy. We'll discuss her new book the Dream Hotel on May 6th at 6pm at our partner's place, the NYPL. The book follows Sara Hussain, a museum archivist, on her way back from a work trip in London. At the airport she's pulled into a room by authorities. She's a little bothered because she's been away from her husband and their twins. He's supposed to pick her up from the airport like right now. Imagine what happens when the authorities inform her that she is being detained because she is flagged for possibly having murderous thoughts about her husband. Set in the not too distant future, people's thoughts and dreams have as much weight as their actions. Sarah is detained for a 21 day hold which then goes on and on. The Dream Hotel is Layla's sixth book. She is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and we are happy to have her here to preview the Dream Hotel. Hi Layla.

[Leila Lalami]

Hi, how are you?

[Alison Stewart]

I am doing well. I heard you got the idea for this book from a Google alert that appeared on your phone. What happened?

[Leila Lalami]

Ah yes, this happened in 2014. I was struggling to get out of bed and I reached for my phone first thing to look at the time and I saw a Google notification that said if you leave right now, you will make it to the name of my Yoga Studio at 7:28. And of course I had never told Google what day of the week or what time of day or even that I went to yoga. But over time, obviously the company had followed my movements and knew that every Tuesday and every Thursday I went to a location that its software said was a yoga studio.

[Unnamed Host]

And I guess quite helpfully that morning.

[Leila Lalami]

Had decided to remind me that I hadn't left yet, that I was running late.

[Unnamed Host]

And you know, I was understandably disturbed by this. It felt like a rare peak through.

[Leila Lalami]

The curtain of surveillance. I think we all know that our devices collect a lot of data about us, but that data collection is by design very seamless and nearly invisible. And so that moment was kind of just sort of a wake up call. It was very disturbing. And I remember I turned to my husband and I said, you know, pretty soon the only privacy any of us will have left will be in our dreams.

[Unnamed Host]

And of course, being a novelist, I.

[Leila Lalami]

Thought, well wait, what if someday the data collection manages to penetrate dreams?

[Alison Stewart]

What would happen Then, hence the Dream Hotel. Your book. Let's get in touch with our protagonist. What is going on with Sarah when we meet her at the airport?

[Leila Lalami]

Well, Sarah's basically somebody whose relationship with technology mirrors my own and probably yours as well. She's somebody who sort of made her peace with it. She feels like she uses these tools, you know, the way that we all use them. She's a museum archivist. She works for the Getty Museum, and every year she goes to the same conference. And in this year, she just had twins not Too long ago, 13 months before the story starts. And she's very eager to be reunited with them and with her husband.

[Unnamed Host]

After a five day trip to London.

[Leila Lalami]

For this conference, and as she's returning home and going through customs, she is pulled aside because the algorithm of the.

[Unnamed Host]

Risk Assessment Agency has decided that she has a very high likelihood of committing a violent crime.

[Leila Lalami]

She is pulled aside and she is transferred to what is called a retention center. Not a detention center, but a retention center. She is supposed to be held there for 21 days, but of course, at the start of the story, we realized that she has been there for far longer than that initial 21 day hold.

[Unnamed Guest]

And she already has a bit of nervousness. Not nervousness, but something in her soul about traveling. I'm going to ask you to read a little bit from the book and.

[Alison Stewart]

Set this little excerpt up for us.

[Leila Lalami]

Sure. Another time, when they were returning from their yearly trip to Morocco, they were held just long enough at Dalys International to miss their cross country flight home, then released without explanation. The delay meant that her father couldn't attend a ceremony at which he and three of his Caltech colleagues were to be honored for their work on a new generation of Mars rovers. What made these experiences difficult wasn't that they never turned up anything and were a waste of time for all parties involved. But the gnawing feeling that her family's ability to go about their business was entirely at the discretion of uniformed officers. Though she was only a child, Sara felt a visceral fear every time she was in an airport. But once the government deployed Scout at security checkpoints, the hassle disappeared. Sara was a sophomore in high school by then, and she noticed the difference during her soccer team's training trip to Mexico. All she had to do was present herself to Scout, and the AI instantly accessed her passenger identification, biometric information, and criminal records. The light turned green and she was clear through the checkpoint. No more long lines, no more questions. A new era of digital policing had begun, and young Sara for one, welcomed made transiting through airports fast and straightforward. Until today it seemed.

[Unnamed Guest]

That was Leila Lalami reading from the Dream Hotel. Can I tell you, I read this on a plane coming back from Morocco and I got.

[Unnamed Host]

I hope you didn't get pulled aside.

[Unnamed Guest]

I didn't, but I had a thought, let me tell you.

[Unnamed Host]

Yes, yes. I think the novel does tap into those fears that many people have in going through airports. Now, of course, for me, given that I'm from Morocco and I, you know, have had these experiences of being pulled into secondary and being asked questions. So it was an anxiety that I was able to tap into for this scene.

[Unnamed Guest]

Yeah, it's interest Sarah, you know, she's.

[Alison Stewart]

Experienced, she's tried to assimilate somewhat.

[Unnamed Guest]

She changed her last name. But at this point when she's in, she's been pulled aside by authorities. She gets mad and she accuses the guard of profiling her. I'm so curious, why does she get mad? Why does she let the guard get to her?

[Unnamed Host]

Well, I think so. Sarah is an American citizen, so her.

[Leila Lalami]

Parents are from Morocco and her father, when he naturalized as a citizen, decided.

[Unnamed Host]

To simplify his name, which is a.

[Leila Lalami]

Tal Husayn, and made it Hussein just.

[Unnamed Host]

To make it easier on himself.

[Leila Lalami]

So she has inherited that sort of ease. And so she thinks as she's going.

[Unnamed Host]

Through this interview with the officer, she feels that she has been patient, she.

[Leila Lalami]

Has answered all of his questions. It has been an hour. There is nothing in her record to suggest that she should be held back. And so she starts to lose her temper.

[Unnamed Host]

In other words, her big sort of flaw in this book is that she assumed that surveillance was universal, but she didn't realize that universal does not mean neutral. She thought that because she had done nothing wrong and because she's answered all their questions forthrightly, that that meant that.

[Leila Lalami]

She could just go on about her day.

[Unnamed Host]

And so it's at that point that.

[Leila Lalami]

She realizes that they are pulling her aside because her last name is Hussein.

[Unnamed Host]

And so she loses her temper. And even though it is only that moment, it's very short and she quickly.

[Leila Lalami]

Tries to make up for it.

[Unnamed Host]

She does then attract their attention and then they decide they really are going to look very closely at her and.

[Leila Lalami]

At her risk score.

[Alison Stewart]

What does she discover? Without giving too much away, what does she discover about these retention centers which she's sent to for at first, 21 days?

[Unnamed Host]

Yes. So the idea is that there is a national, it's a government federal level agency and it basically assigns a crime risk score to each individual. Now, because Sarah has been pulled aside.

[Leila Lalami]

Because of her dreams, which suggests that.

[Unnamed Host]

She'S going to commit a crime, she is sent to a retention center.

[Leila Lalami]

When she arrives, she obviously feels herself to be innocent of this future crime.

[Unnamed Host]

And so she doesn't really feel that she is the same as everybody else in that facility who are also there for suspected crimes. And so she holds herself a little bit apart from them. And as the novel opens, we see that it's been some time now. And so she has developed friendships with some of them, she has developed relationships with some of them. She's pretty close with her roommate, for example. And so she basically discovers a community that in a way, is separate from.

[Leila Lalami]

The rest of society, but also reflects that society as well.

[Unnamed Guest]

This is set in the near future, and it cracked me up because you talked about the aging playwright Lynn Nottage.

[Unnamed Host]

Hi, Lynn. If you're listening, she's wonderful and I'm a fan, and I want her to know that in the book she continues to produce the most wonderful plays.

[Unnamed Guest]

Why did you set it in the near future?

[Leila Lalami]

It is unusual, isn't it?

[Unnamed Host]

Because my previous novel or some of my previous work had been historical and contemporary. I think I just enamored with the idea and with the character. I have had long standing concerns about the technological surveillance system that we all are living under, all of us. And I don't just mean in the.

[Leila Lalami]

United states, but globally, 70% of the.

[Unnamed Host]

World'S population owns smartphones. And I feel that this. This relationship between big tech companies and the government is an unholy alliance. And it really threatens everything. Not just about our democratic governance and everything you can name, but also just about our sense of selves, who we are. We know from research that being subjected to surveillance modifies people's behavior. People begin to change their behaviors because they're afraid of attracting the attention of the people surveilling them. And so, since we are continually under technological surveillance, we are, in a sense, conforming and modifying our behaviors in order not to attract attention.

[Leila Lalami]

These are things that I think these.

[Unnamed Host]

Are very, very big ideas.

[Leila Lalami]

They're very. They go to their heart of what.

[Unnamed Host]

It means to be human in the 21st century. And it was something that I felt that a novel, a speculative novel, would be just the perfect canvas for exploring it.

[Unnamed Guest]

We ask all of our authors, is there an Easter egg or something in the book that you would really like our readers to look out for?

[Unnamed Host]

Oh, well, I think you mentioned the one about Lynn Nottage. Let me just think that is a great question. Well, you know, ask me again when we meet in person and I will. I'll be sure to have an answer for you.

[Unnamed Guest]

That's a deal. My guest has been author Leila Lalamy. We are talking about the Dream Hotel. We can't wait to talk to you.

[Leila Lalami]

Likewise.

[Unnamed Host]

Thanks so much for having me, New Yorkers.

[Unnamed Guest]

You can get an E copy of the Dream Hotel thanks to our partners at the New York Public library. Go to wnyc.org get lit and then join us on May 6th.

[USAA Advertisement]

The last thing you want to hear when you need your auto insurance most is a robot with countless irrelevant menu options. Which is why with USAA Auto Insurance, you'll get great service that is easy and reliable, all at the touch of a button. Get a quote Today. Restrictions apply.

[WNYC Sponsorship Announcement]

Since WNYC's first broadcast in 1924, we've been dedicated to creating the kind of content we know the world needs. In addition to this award winning reporting, your sponsorship also supports inspiring storytelling and extraordinary music that is free and accessible to all. To get in touch and find out more, visit sponsorship wnyc. Org.