Paula McLain : Skylark
Paula McLain : Skylark  
Podcast: Bookreporter Talks To
Published On: Fri Jan 30 2026
Description: Paula McLain joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss her latest novel, SKYLARK. Paula has been enthralled with Paris since her 2011 bestseller, THE PARIS WIFE. Her new book features dual timelines set in Paris --- one in 1664 and the other in the 1940s during the Nazi occupation. The characters face parallel struggles across different time periods. Both storylines address how people find meaning and hope through connections with others. In SKYLARK, the underground tunnels beneath Paris serve as a space of refuge and resistance throughout history. Paula conducted extensive research, including physically exploring the city's underground tunnel network. She wanted to create a "drilled-down view" of Paris rather than the glamorous cafés portrayed in her earlier work. In addition to talking about how she worked with her editor, Peter Borland, to weave the two stories together, Paula discusses the audiobook narration by Alexa Davalos and Michiel Huisman, both of whom captured the emotional essence of the characters. Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews: Belle Burden: https://youtu.be/kmlJvv037Yg Rebecca Armitage: https://youtu.be/xVTebMX3Bg0 Vicky Nguyen: https://youtu.be/ssPMpaokVp8 Brisa Carleton: https://youtu.be/aE2cCH4oMsk Alex DeMille: https://youtu.be/EstkI7Caul8 Lily King: https://youtu.be/ir_IaUnaru4 Virginia Evans: https://youtu.be/6FtYT5KRW2Q Hank Phillippi Ryan: https://youtu.be/7O3gIC1IJN4 Sharon Kurtzman: https://youtu.be/CMCnGJitKMY Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events: Allen Levi: https://youtu.be/tELDtaqsD7g Clare Leslie Hall: https://youtu.be/j0j3_ScryJg Paula Hawkins: https://youtu.be/nxakmJRaKaY Amy Neff: https://youtu.be/lfHGY8VEyoA J. Courtney Sullivan: https://youtu.be/fE8XHj-vV40 Fiona Davis: https://youtu.be/hv68HE3tjLU Sign up for newsletters from Bookreporter and Reading Group Guides here: https://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/ FOLLOW US on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookreporter Website: https://www.bookreporter.com Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald Edited by Jordan Redd Productions