Are you too polite? Viv Groskop talks to writer and public intellectual Siri Hustvedt about sexism, misogyny and why she believes politeness is a bad policy. She recalls being a child whose illness and "Alice in Wonderland syndrome" altered her perception of the world. She describes being an adult drawn to break down the traditional boundaries between ways of thinking. And she reveals the secrets of keeping calm, speaking out - and owning the room in the face of the hostility which can be the price of confidence.

Siri's latest book, Mothers, Fathers and Others is out now. You can find out more about Siri and her work at her website sirihustvedt.net

Viv's latest book, Lift As You Climb is out now.

@vivgroskop