Episodes
-
Two-time Miles Franklin Award-winning author Michelle de Kretser has never been afraid of formal experimentation. Her seventh and latest book supports that idea. It is bold and, once again, a heady mix of serious intellectual inquiry with beautifully observed characterisation and formal play. This week on the show, Michael sits down with Michelle for a conversation about Theory & Practice and she reveals why writing it felt so different to all of her other books.
Reading list:
The Rose Grower, Michelle de Kretser, 1999
The Hamilton Case, Michelle de Kretser, 2003
The Lost Dog, Michelle de Kretser, 2007
Questions of Travel, Michelle de Kretser, 2012
Springtime, Michelle de Kretser, 2014
The Life to Come, Michelle de Kretser, 2017
On Shirley Hazzard, Michelle de Kretser, 2019
Scary Monsters, Michelle de Kretser, 2021
Theory & Practice, Michelle de Kretser, 2024
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
Guest: Michelle de Kretser
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Lech Blaine’s debut book Car Crash, told the gripping story of his life in the aftermath of a horrendous road accident that killed several of his friends. Since then he’s written political essays and thoughtful journalism: for The Monthly, for the Quarterly Essay and beyond. This week, we’re bringing you Michael’s conversation with Lech at Canberra Writers’ Festival, where they discussed his latest book Australian Gospel: A Family Saga. The book details the outrageous true story of the tangled fates of two couples and the children trapped between them.
Reading list:
Car Crash, Lech Blaine 2019
Australian Gospel: A Family Saga, Lech Blaine 2024
Gunnawah, Ronni Salt, 2024
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
Guest: Lech Blaine
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Missing episodes?
-
For so many, Noni Hazlehurst is the patron saint of early childhood nostalgia, known for her magnetic presence on Playschool. But Noni has had a long and storied career on stage and screen in Australia – from hosting Better Homes & Gardens to starring in the award-winning one-woman play Mother. This week on the show Noni chats with Michael about her new memoir, Dropping the Mask, where she reclaims a lifetime in the public eye and shares it back on the page.
Reading list:
Dropping the Mask, Noni Hazlehurst, 2024
Martyr!, Kaveh Akbar, 2024
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
Guest: Noni Hazlehurst
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Read This returns next Thursday 16 January! We’re kicking off 2025 with Australian icon Noni Hazlehurst, who is on the show to discuss her new memoir Dropping the Mask.
Join us for another year of insightful, fascinating, and revealing conversations with some of the best writers from Australia and around the world.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
For our last episode of 2024, Michael heads back to Fitzroy Pool to find out what people are reading as the weather warms up. Plus, some of our previous guests offer book recommendations for the summer holidays.
Reading list:
Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter, Simone de Beauvoir, 1958
The Slap, Christos Tsiolkas, 2008
Ritual, Chloe Elizabeth Wilson, 2025
The Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz Zafón, 2001
I Could Not Believe It, Sean DeLear, 1979
Unlicensed: Bootlegging as Creative Practice, Ben Schwartz, 2024
Deadly Embrace, Jackie Collins, 2001
Of Love and Other Demons, Gabriel García Márquez, 1993
The Season, Helen Garner, 2024
The Safe Keep, Yael van der Wouden, 2024
All Fours, Miranda July, 2024
Time’s Monster, Priya Satia, 2020
The Lovers, Yumna Kassab, 2022
Deep Water, James Bradley, 2024
The Tribe, Michael Mohammed Ahmad, 2014
Edith Trilogy, Frank Moorhouse, 1992-2011
The Even More Complete Book of Australian Verse, John Clarke, 1994
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Best known for his thought-provoking explorations of sexuality and identity across generations, British author Alan Hollinghurst rose to international stardom after his 2004 novel The Line of Beauty was awarded the Booker Prize. In his seventh novel, Our Evenings, Alan adopts the memoir format, offering a delicate meditation on memory, loss, and the passage of time. On this week’s episode, Michael is joined by Alan on Zoom to discuss his life and career and why this book is as close as Alan will get to writing his own memoir.
Reading list:
The Swimming Pool Library, Alan Hollinghurst, 1988
The Folding Start, Alan Hollinghurst, 1994
The Line of Beauty, Alan Hollinghurst, 2004
The Sparsholt Affair, Alan Hollinghurst, 2017
Our Evenings, Alan Hollinghurst, 2024
Theory and Practice, Michelle de Kretser, 2024
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
Guest: Alan Hollinghurst
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
John Safran has been a fixture in Australian media since his breakthrough in 1997 with ABC TV's Race Around the World. After several TV series of his own that explored ideas about faith, race and culture, John made the shift to book-length journalism. This week, Michael sits down for a conversation with John about his latest book, Squat, and he reveals the deeper story behind his week living in Kanye West’s Malibu mansion.
Reading list:
Murder in Mississippi, John Safran, 2013
Depends What You Mean By Extremist, John Safran, 2017
Puff Piece, John Safran, 2021
Squat, John Safran, 2024
Glyph, Ali Smith, 2024
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
Guest: John Safran
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Historian and author Professor Clare Wright’s award-winning work is about righting the wrongs of Australian history. Across three books she takes a historical artefact and uses it to understand the voices that are too often missing from the historical record: the Eureka flag, the suffragette banner, and now the Bark Petitions. This week, Michael sits down with Clare for a conversation about her new book Naku Dharuk The Bark Petitions.
Reading list:
The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka, Clare Wright, 2014
You Daughters of Freedom, Clare Wright, 2018
Naku Dharuk The Bark Petitions, Clare Wright, 2024
The Season, Helen Garner, 2024
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
Guest: Clare Wright
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
The Robodebt scheme is considered by many to be one of the Australian government’s worst scandals. Senior Reporter for The Saturday Paper and Walkley Award-winning journalist Rick Morton followed the case closely and he documents the crisis and its devastating effects in his latest book. This week, we bring you Michael’s conversation from Canberra Writers’ Festival with Rick as they discuss Mean Streak.
Reading list:
Mean Streak, Rick Morton, 2024
One Hundred Years of Dirt, Rick Morton, 2023
My Year Of Living Vulnerably, Rick Morton, 2022
Words to Sing the World Alive, Jasmin McGaughey, 2024
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
Guest: Rick Morton
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Rachel Kushner always seemed destined to become a writer. At just five years old, her unconventional parents had her working in a feminist bookstore. Now, several decades and three award-winning novels later, she is back with a new book that follows a spy-for-hire who infiltrates a commune of eco-activists in rural France. This week, Michael joins Rachel on Zoom for a conversation about Creation Lake, which was shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize.
Reading list:
Telex from Cuba, Rachel Kushner, 2008
The Flamethrowers, Rachel Kushner, 2013
The Mars Room, Rachel Kushner, 2018
Creation Lake, Rachel Kushner, 2024
Orbital, Samantha Harvey, 2024
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
Guest: Rachel Kushner
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Santilla Chingaipe was born to tell stories. The Zambian-born filmmaker, historian and author, has spent her career exploring settler colonialism, slavery, and contemporary migration in Australia and she has just released her first book of non-fiction. This week, Michael is joined in studio by Santilla to discuss Black Convicts, which was inspired by the critically acclaimed and award-winning documentary, Our African Roots. In it, she offers a fresh understanding of the ways in which empire, slavery, race and memory have shaped this nation.
Reading List:
Black Convicts, Santilla Chingaipe, 2024
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
Guest: Santilla Chingaipe
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
It is more or less impossible to imagine Australian literature of the past half century without Tim Winton. From his debut, An Open Swimmer to his epic Cloudstreet, the four-time Miles Franklin Award winner is beloved by generations of readers. This week, Michael sits down with Tim to discuss his latest novel, Juice, a gripping tale of determination, survival, and the limits of the human spirit.
Reading list:
That Eye, The Sky, Tim Winton, 1986
Lockie Leonard, Tim Winton, 1990–1997
Cloudstreet, Tim Winton, 1991
Dirt Music, Tim Winton, 2001
Breath, Tim Winton, 2008
Juice, Tim Winton, 2024
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
Guest: Tim Winton
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Musician and writer Nardi Simpson is a Yuwaalaraay woman from freshwater country in north-west New South Wales. Her debut novel was 2020’s critically acclaimed and multi-award-winning Song of the Crocodile. Now she is back with her second novel, which explores creation, belonging, and the precious fragility of a life. This week, Michael sits down with Nardi for a wide ranging conversation about her new book, The Belburd.
Reading list:
Song of the Crocodile, Nardi Simpson, 2024
The Belburd, Nardi Simpson, 2024
Midnight and Blue, Ian Rankin, 2024
The Ledge, Christian White, 2024
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
Guest: Nardi Simpson
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
In just three books Robbie Arnott has established himself as a writer to trust. Flames (2018), The Rain Heron (2022) and Limberlost (2022) were all rapturously reviewed and garnered a hefty swag of award nominations and wins. This week, Michael sits down with Robbie to discuss his new novel, Dusk, which explores loss and redemption and survival in Tasmania’s high country.
Reading list:
Flames, Robbie Arnott, 2018
The Rain Heron, Robbie Arnott, 2020
Limberlost, Robbie Arnott, 2022
Dusk, Robbie Arnott, 2024
Paris In Ruins, Sebastian Smee, 2024
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
Guest: Robbie Arnott
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
There are few people in this country as obsessed with understanding the cultural and social potential of Australian cuisine as New Zealand-born chef Ben Shewry. And there are even fewer who have managed to combine that passion with the highest echelons of success. This week, Michael sits down with Attica’s head chef to discuss his new memoir, Uses for Obsession, and Ben share’s why he wanted to write a kind of antidote to the macho chef culture we’ve all come to expect.
Reading List:
Uses for Obsession, Ben Shewry, 2024
A Bit on the Side, Virginia Trioli, 2024
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
Guest: Ben Shewry
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Melanie Cheng began her writing career as an author of short stories. Her first collection, Australia Day, was published in 2017 to much acclaim. Her second novel, The Burrow, follows a Melbourne family forced to confront the tragedy of their shared past. This week, Michael sits down for a conversation with Melanie about family, connection, and the power of narrative medicine.
Reading list:
Australia Day, Melanie Cheng, 2017
Room for a Stranger, Melanie Cheng, 2019
The Burrow, Melanie Cheng, 2024
Intermezzo, Sally Rooney, 2024
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
Guest: Melanie Cheng
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Rumaan Alam is the author of four novels. He broke out in 2020 with his New York Times best-selling novel Leave the World Behind. This week Michael sits down with Rumaan for a conversation about his latest novel, Entitlement, and they discuss class, desire, and the influence of Sylvia Plath.
Reading list:
Rich and Pretty, Rumaan Alam, 2016
That Kind of Mother, Rumaan Alam, 2018
Leave the World Behind, Rumaan Alam, 2020
Entitlement, Rumaan Alam, 2024
Intermezzo, Sally Rooney, 2024
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
Guest: Rumaan Alam
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Richard Osman wears many hats, from television producer to comedian to podcaster. Now, however, he’s best known as a bestselling author for his series The Thursday Murder Club. Richard’s new series is called We Solve Murders and this week, he sits down with Michael to discuss it and he reveals the piece of advice he gave to Pierce Brosnan.
Reading list:
The Thursday Murder Club, Richard Osman, 2020
The Man Who Died Twice, Richard Osman, 2021
The Bullet That Missed, Richard Osman, 2022
The Last Devil To Die, Richard Osman, 2023
We Solve Murders, Richard Osman, 2024
Max Perkins: Editor of Genius, Berg, A. Scott,1978
Stone Yard Devotional, Charlotte Wood, 2023
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
Guest: Richard Osman
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Malcolm Knox began his career as a journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald, back in the 90s. His breakout was in 2004 when, as literary editor, he broke the story of the fake Jordanian memoirist, Norma Khouri for which he won a Walkley Award. Since then he has written more than a dozen books of nonfiction and has been publishing fiction since 2000. The First Friend is his seventh novel.
Reading list:
The Wonder Lover, Malcolm Knox, 2015
Bluebird, Malcolm Knox, 2020
The First Friend, Malcolm Knox, 2024
The Temperature, Katerina Gibson, 2024
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
Guest: Malcolm Knox
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
-
Caoilinn Hughes is an Irish poet and writer whose debut novel Orchid And The Wasp was published in 2018 to rave reviews. Her third and latest novel, The Alternatives, might be her best yet, and this week she sits down with Michael to discuss it.
Reading list:
Gathering Evidence, Caoilinn Hughes, 2014
Orchid And The Wasp, Caoilinn Hughes, 2018
The Wild Laughter, Caoilinn Hughes, 2020
The Alternatives, Caoilinn Hughes, 2024
Enter Ghost, Isabella Hammad, 2023
Long Island Compromise, Taffy Brodesser-Akner, 2024
You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
Guest: Caoilinn Hughes
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Show more
