Episode Overview
Podcast: New Books Network
Host: G.P. Gottlieb
Guest: Janet Burroway
Book: Simone in Pieces (U Wisconsin Press, 2025)
Date: November 3, 2025
This episode of the New Books Network features novelist Janet Burroway discussing her forthcoming novel, Simone in Pieces. The conversation dives into the origins of the book, its themes of memory, identity, and refugee experience, as well as Burroway’s creative process over the nearly 30 years it took to write this intricately structured novel. The episode is rich with insights both literary and personal, offering a glimpse into the mind of a celebrated writer reflecting on trauma, resilience, and the meaning of belonging.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
The Genesis of Simone in Pieces
- Unexpected Beginnings (02:24)
- Burroway shares the novel began as a satirical short story about an English department meeting, but the narrative took an unexpected turn into grief, prompting deeper exploration of the central woman’s life.
- Quote: “I realized that I had to understand that woman’s whole story in order to finish the short story. So I worked it all out, what had happened to her... And my husband said, that's your next novel. But that was nearly 30 years ago. The novel has come to me in pieces, in different voices, and it's taken this long, really, to tell the story in all these voices.” (03:13)
Themes of Memory, Identity, and Refuge
- The Refugee Experience (04:02)
- The story centers around refugees—Simone from Belgium, Leo and Anneke from Hungary.
- Burroway’s personal connection: “I guess I felt that I had the right to write about refugees because I've been married to two of them, one from Egypt and one from Hungary.” (04:16)
- She contrasts America’s past openness to refugees with today’s climate.
- Fragmentation and Perspective (05:22)
- The novel is told from multiple perspectives, mimicking Simone’s own fractured sense of self.
- Burroway says, “This story I kept coming back to... there was something about the characters and the way that Simone has to put her life together in pieces... encounters with other people... are the experiences that help her decide who she is.” (05:51)
Simone’s Youth and Psychological Trauma
- Early Trauma and Displacement (06:33)
- Simone, a child refugee, suffers memory loss after escaping wartime Belgium.
- The narrative explores PTSD and the absence of psychological support: “Nobody thinks of getting help for her, but she clearly needs it... there's certainly nothing in the way of mental health services for them.” (08:51)
- Awakening through Relationships (09:29)
- As a teenager, Simone bonds with Darla, experiencing both friendship and budding sexuality through make-believe.
- Quote: “For Simone, that relationship... is a kind of beginning of a sexual awakening... teenage girls do have crushes on each other.” (09:41–10:35)
The Power of Teaching and Poetry
- Transformative Mentorship (10:46)
- A high school teacher inspires Simone’s love for poetry and teaching.
- Burroway links this character’s influence to her own experience: “Mr. Alsworth... was wonderful. He taught me the poetic feet in such a way that 20 years later, I was lecturing... using exactly what he had told me in... seventh grade.” (12:41–13:48)
Memory and Identity
- Memory as Prediction (14:02)
- Simone’s partner Martin argues: “In purely evolutionary terms, the only function [of] memory is prediction.” (14:02)
- Simone’s emotional struggle with her lack of past: “What Simone needs is... the emotional connection with her own past. And it's not what he's talking about.” (14:22–15:33)
- Chopped and Patched Identity (15:33)
- Simone describes herself as “a chopped and patched sort of person,” referencing her fragmented memories.
- Burroway explains: “For her, the chopped and patched sort of person, I think essentially means I'm trying to put myself together.” (17:10–17:30)
- Reflection: “All of us do that. We put our own identity together with... these short little memories of what we’ve done and who we are and especially who we’ve encountered and how that mattered to us.” (17:36–18:06)
Adult Life, Friendship, and Social Roles
- Friendships Shaped by Circumstance (18:06)
- “She makes a friend in each place who truly matters to her... She never wanted lots of friends, but she wants one person who matters.” (20:34–20:41)
- Academic & Midwestern Life (18:57)
- The college town (Jepson, Missouri) and its setting are based partly on Burroway's personal acquaintances and experiences at Florida State University.
Political Engagement and War
- Women and War (20:41)
- Reflection on Virginia Woolf’s statement—women should be indifferent to war.
- Burroway: “I think she would like to... She’s afraid of war... she doesn’t want to be involved, though she inevitably becomes involved...” (21:20–22:12)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “I love it when my character surprise me, but this was a big surprise.” (02:35, Janet Burroway)
- “America was feeling remorseful by then and took in 40,000 of the refugees.” (03:47, Host)
- “This story I kept coming back to. There was something about the characters and the way that Simone has to put her life together in pieces...” (05:51, Burroway)
- “He gives her that word, eidetic... And then he's ashamed of having come up with a vocabulary word when she's clearly emotional. But for her, the chopped and patched sort of person, I think essentially means I'm trying to put myself together.” (17:10, Burroway)
- “All of us do that. We put our own identity together with these short little memories of what we've done and who we are and especially who we've encountered and how that mattered to us.” (17:36, Burroway)
- “She never wanted lots of friends, but she wants one person who matters to her.” (20:41, Host)
- On War and Involvement: “I think in some ways I toy with that notion, you know, and I can't do it. I have to get involved.” (22:16, Burroway)
Important Timestamps
- 02:24 – How the idea for Simone in Pieces emerged
- 04:02 – Discussing the refugee theme and Burroway’s personal connections
- 05:22–06:33 – The unique structure and point of view choices
- 08:51 – Absence of psychological support for war children
- 10:46–13:48 – The role of transformative teaching
- 14:02–17:30 – Memory, prediction, and fragmented identity
- 18:06–20:41 – Adult friendships, academic life, and importance of chosen family
- 20:41–22:12 – Women’s roles in wartime, political engagement, and agency
- 23:11 – Burroway’s next project: a memoir in pieces
Closing Thoughts & Future Work
- Burroway announces she is working on a memoir, using the same method of assembling memories in pieces.
- She reflects on childhood influences, maternal relationships, and a lifetime of finding happiness despite early wounds.
- Quote: “I've had an extraordinarily happy, full, rich life, and I’m very happily married and happy to be 89 years old and still...” (24:10)