Ben Hinshaw on Exactly What You Mean

In this episode, we spoke to debut novelist Ben Hinshaw about his new book, "Exactly What You Mean," a series of 11 interconnected short stories revolving around the island of Guernsey.

Characters appear and reappear throughout the book, ricocheting through each other's lives in ways that can be either funny or tragic and altogether unexpected. In this way, Hinshaw reminds us of the ways that we are all connected, and the impact we make on those around us, for better or worse.

Hinshaw spoke to us about his memories coming-of-age on the island throughout the 80s and 90s, his years spent as a London bookseller, his later years in America, and his unique journey towards becoming a novelist.

With echoes of Raymond Carver, Alice Munro, and the ensemble films of Paul Thomas Anderson, Hinshaw's book marks the arrival of a major new literary voice.