Episodes
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For many years, Irish writer Paul Lynch was a household name…in France. And while his work was popular in translation, and received numerous French literary awards, it was still considered niche. This all changed in 2023, following the release of Prophet Song, which was critically lauded and eventually won the holy grail of English language literary awards: the Booker Prize. This week we return to the Melbourne Writers’ Festival to hear a conversation between Michael and Paul about how Paul became a writer, and why he doesn’t think Prophet Song is a political novel.
Reading list:
Red Sky in Morning, Paul Lynch, 2013
The Black Snow, Paul Lynch, 2014
Grace, Paul Lynch, 2017
Beyond the Sea, Paul Lynch, 2020
Prophet Song, Paul Lynch, 2023
The Prisoner of Zenda, Anthony Hope, 1894
King Solomon's Mines, H. Rider Haggard, 1885
The Mayor of Casterbridge, Thomas Hardy, 1886
The Heart in Winter, Kevin Barry, 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: Paul Lynch. -
Leslie Jamison is celebrated for her ability to link the personal to the cultural to the critical in ways that resonate and move and connect with readers. She first did it with The Empathy Exams – an essay, then a best-selling, award-winning collection. Now she is back with a new book, Splinters: Another Kind of Love Story, a memoir about rebuilding a life after the end of a marriage. This week, Michael sits down with Leslie to discuss this latest work and what it means to be many things – a teacher, an artist, a lover and a mother.
Reading list:
The Gin Closet, Leslie Jamison, 2010
The Empathy Exams, Leslie Jamison, 2014
The Recovering, Leslie Jamison, 2018
Splinters: Another Kind of Love Story, Leslie Jamison, 2024
Sleepless Nights, Elizabeth Hardwick, 1979
Fragile Creatures, Khin Myint, 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: Leslie Jamison -
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In 2015, Viet Thanh Nguyen was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for his debut novel, The Sympathizer. Now, nearly a decade later, the book has been adapted into an HBO miniseries of the same name. This week, Michael sits down with Viet for a conversation about his latest book, A Man with Two Faces, which expands beyond the familiar beats of memoir, and features the author’s trademark interest in the broader political and colonial implications of the personal.
Reading list:
The Sympathizer, Viet Thanh Nguyen, 2014
The Committed, Viet Thanh Nguyen, 2021
A Man of Two Faces, Viet Thanh Nguyen, 2023
Dune, Frank Herbert, 1965
Portnoy's Complaint, Philip Roth,1968
Quarterly Essay: Highway to Hell, Joëlle Gergis, 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: Viet Thanh Nguyen -
It was 2014 when Bruce Pascoe went from being a prolific, yet relatively unknown writer, to public enemy #1 in Australia’s culture wars. That was the year that Bruce published his now infamous book, Dark Emu, and its re-examination of accepted historical accounts of pre-invasion Australia. This week, he joins Michael for a discussion about his new novel Imperial Harvest and shares why he still believes we need the messiness of democracy.
Reading list:
Dark Emu, Bruce Pascoe, 2014
Imperial Harvest, Bruce Pascoe, 2024
Time’s Monster, Priya Satia, 2020
The Ministry of Time, Kellyanne Bradley, 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: Bruce Pascoe -
Writer, artist, and filmmaker Miranda July has a devoted – even rabid – following, through her writing, her work on the screen, and her collaborative art projects. Her debut 2007 collection of short stories No One Belongs Here More Than You was a publishing sensation, and her debut film, Me and You and Everyone We Know, won the Palme D’Or at Cannes Film Festival. This week, she and Michael discuss her new novel, All Fours, which explores desire, intimacy, dance, and an often overlooked part of the ageing process.
Reading list:
Books
No One Belongs Here More Than You, Miranda July, 2007
The First Bad Man, Miranda July, 2019
All Fours, Miranda July, 2024
Short Stories
‘Roy Spivey’, Miranda July, 2009 (The New Yorker)
‘The Metal Bowl’, Miranda July, 2017 (The New Yorker)
‘Women Have Been Misled About Menopause’, Susan Dominus, 2023 (The New York Times)
What Fresh Hell Is This?, Heather Corinna, 2021
Long Island, Colm Tóibín, 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: Miranda July -
Across half a dozen novels, Andrew O’Hagan has made a name for himself as an author of delicacy and grace, painting the community he comes from, in Scotland’s west, with tenderness and wry, affectionate humour. His latest, Caledonian Road, follows art historian Campbell Flynn. A man who is at a turning point and is about to come up against his own downfall. This week, Michael sits down with Andrew for a conversation about the Dickensian world he has created in his new novel and why he considers it his most optimistic book yet.
Reading list:
Our Fathers, Andrew O’Hagan, 1999
Be Near Me, Andrew O’Hagan, 2006
Mayflies, Andrew O’Hagan, 2020
Caledonian Road, Andrew O’Hagan, 2024
Lives of Girls and Women, Alice Munro, 1971
Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage, Alice Munro, 2001
Dear Life, Alice Munro, 2012
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: Andrew O’Hagan -
Winnie Dunn is used to being behind the scenes. As the general manager of Sweatshop Literacy Movement in Western Sydney, she has been instrumental in helping other writers find their voice. But now, the spotlight is on her. This week, Michael sits down with Winnie for a conversation about her debut novel, Dirt Poor Islanders. She reflects on the demonising narratives she had to fight and the piece of writing advice that she’d given to others that resonated for her.
Reading list:
Dirt Poor Islanders, Winnie Dunn, 2024
I Am Lupe, Sela Ahosivi-Atiola, Yani Agustina, 2023
Only the Astronauts, Ceridwen Dovey, 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: Winnie Dunn -
Sloane Crosley is known for her funny and acerbic personal essays, including her New York Times’ best-selling collection I Was Told There’d Be Cake. But in her new memoir she digs much deeper to examine the loss of her best friend. This week, Michael sits down with Sloane to discuss Grief Is For People, and Sloane reveals the challenges of writing an intimate portrait of a singular friendship.
Reading list:
I Was Told There’d Be Cake, Sloane Crosley, 2008
How Did You Get This Number, Sloane Crosley, 2010
Look Alive Out There, Sloane Crosley, 2018
Cult Classic, Sloane Crosley, 2022
Grief Is For People, Sloane Crosley, 2023
Truth and Beauty, Ann Patchett, 2004
The Writing Life, Annie Dillard, 1989
Stoner, John Williams, 1965
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: Sloane Crosley -
We're off this Thursday, but we'll be back next week.
Email us: [email protected]
Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter -
Morris Gleitzman is an Australian institution. A beloved author of novels for young people, Morris is known for his ability to be funny and warm without shying away from the realities of life. He has been writing for almost half a century now and has delighted generations of readers with his more than 40 books of fiction. This week, Michael and Morris sit down to reflect on Morris’s multi-generational impact and to discuss his latest novel, Tweet.
Reading list:
Two Weeks with the Queen, Morris Gleitzman, 1989
Misery Guts, Morris Gleitzman, 1991
Worry Warts, Morris Gleitzman, 1992
Blabber Mouth, Morris Gleitzman, 1993
Sticky Beak, Morris Gleitzman, 1994
Now, Morris Gleitzman, 2010
Tweet, Morris Gleitzman, 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: Morris Gleitzman -
Patrick deWitt has made a career out of creating eccentric, unforgettable characters. From his gun-slinging duo in the darkly comic The Sisters Brothers, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize to the severely unsympathetic down-at-heel aristocrats in The French Exit. But in his fifth novel, The Librarianist, Patrick employs his signature verve and wit to reveal the extraordinary in the otherwise ordinary life of retired librarian Bob Comet. This week, Patrick joins Michael in the studio for a conversation about the joys of being an introvert, making friends at 40, and writing his latest novel.
Reading list:
The Sisters Brothers, Patrick deWitt, 2011
Undermajordomo Minor, Patrick deWitt, 2015
French Exit, Patrick deWitt, 2018
The Librarianist, Patrick deWitt, 2023
Deep Blue: The World in the Ocean, James Bradley, 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: Patrick deWitt -
Star investigative journalist Louise Milligan has spent her career working on some of the most high-profile criminal cases in Australia. This incredible breadth of experience informs her first novel Pheasant’s Nest, which follows the abduction of a young journalist and provides a unique insight into the media, policing and politics that surround a crime like this. This week, Michael sits down with Louise to discuss the leap from reporting to fiction and why writing this book was a kind of therapy.
Reading list:
Cardinal, Louise Milligan, 2017
Witness, Louise Milligan, 2020
Pheasant’s Nest, Louise Milligan, 2024
A Year of Last Things, Michael Ondaatje, 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: Louise Milligan -
Even if you’re not an obsessive Ancient Rome aficionado, you may have heard of Mary Beard. With more than 20 books to her name, including the wildly successful SPQR, Mary might be most famous for her work as a BBC host for shows such as Pompeii: Life and Death in a Roman Town and Julius Caesar Revealed. Her latest book is Emperor of Rome and this week on the show she sits down with Michael to discuss her life sentence — the half dozen words that set her on the path to becoming Britain’s best-known classicist — and why the Roman Empire is so misunderstood.
Reading list:
SPQR, Mary Beard, 2015
Twelve Caesars, Mary Beard, 2021
Emperor of Rome, Mary Beard, 2023
Meditations, Marcus Aurealius, 167 A.C.E..
Tidelines, Sarah Sasson, 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: Mary Beard -
Jonathan Lethem made his name with his 1999 novel Motherless Brooklyn, but it was his next book, a semi-autobiographical re-telling of his childhood in Brooklyn, The Fortress of Solitude, that solidified his reputation as one of America's most celebrated authors. In Brooklyn Crime Novel, Jonathan returns to the Brooklyn of his childhood, but this time with a very different perspective. This week, Michael and Jonathan discuss making and unmaking the past in his latest book.
Reading list:
Motherless Brooklyn, Jonathan Lethem, 1999
The Fortress of Solitude, Jonathan Lethem, 2003
Brooklyn Crime Novel, Jonathan Lethem, 2023
Edenglassie, Melissa Lucashenko, 2023
The Restless Dolly Maunder, Kate Grenville, 2023
Wifedom, Anna Funder, 2023
The Wren, The Wren, Anne Enright, 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: Jonathan Lethem -
Anne Enright has been publishing books for more than two decades, winning numerous awards, including the Booker Prize for her 2007 novel, The Gathering. This week, Michael sits down with Anne for a wide-ranging conversation about the changing cultural context she is writing into, how a multiplicity of perspectives shape her work, and her latest book The Wren, The Wren.
Reading list:
The Gathering, Anne Enright, 2007
The Forgotten Waltz, Anne Enright, 2011
The Green Road, Anne Enright, 2015
Actress, Anne Enright, 2020
The Wren, the Wren, Anne Enright, 2023
Orbital, Samantha Harvey, 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: Anne Enright -
When Nam Le’s debut book of short stories, The Boat, came out in 2008, it was met with unanimous praise and scooped up awards from around the world. Now, 16 years later, Nam has produced his follow up called 36 Ways to Write A Vietnamese Poem. This week, Michael sits down with Nam to discuss his latest work and the importance of violence in his conception of poetry and language.
Reading list:
The Boat, Nam Le, 2008
On David Malouf, Nam Le, 2019
36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem, Nam Le, 2014
What Happened to Nina?, Dervla McTiernan, 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: Nam Le -
Joseph Conrad only ever captained one ship in his lifetime – the Otago. In a strange turn of events, the wreckage of Joseph Conrad’s ship now lies on the banks of the Derwent River in Hobart. And it's there that novelist Gail Jones took the inspiration for her latest novel, One Another. This week, Michael sits down with Gail for a wide-ranging discussion about desire, hauntings, and the life and work of Joseph Conrad.
Reading list:
Black Mirror, Gail Jones, 2002
Sixty Lights, Gail Jones, 2004
Dreams of Speaking, Gail Jones, 2006
Sorry, Gail Jones, 2007
Five Bells, Gail Jones, 2011
A Guide to Berlin, Gail Jones, 2015
The Death of Noah Glass, Gail Jones, 2018
Our Shadows, Gail Jones, 2020
Salonika Burning, Gail Jones, 2022
Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 1899
The Secret Agent, Joseph Conrad, 1907
Always Will Be, Mykaela Saunders, 2024
The Best Minds, Jonathan Rosen, 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: Gail Jones -
Erik Jensen was just 20 years old when he met Australian author Kate Jennings for the first time, forging a close relationship that continued until Kate’s death in 2021. This week, Michael chats with The Saturday Paper’s editor in chief about Kate’s life and her underappreciated work and Erik shares why her novel, Snake, is the best Australian book he’s ever read.
Reading list:
Snake, Kate Jennings, 1996
Moral Hazard, Kate Jennings, 2002
Cats, Dogs and Pitchforks, Kate Jennings, 1993
On Kate Jennings, Erik Jensen, 2017
I said the sea was folded: Love poems, Erik Jensen, 2021
Angry at Breakfast, Erik Jensen, 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: Erik Jensen -
This week, Michael chats with author Briohny Doyle, whose most recent novel Why We Are Here explores the complexities of grief, both individual and collective. They discuss the role of writing during the pandemic and how relationships with non-human others enable us to access repressed parts of ourselves.
Reading list:
The Island Will Sink, Briohny Doyle, 2013
Adult Fantasy, Briohny Doyle, 2017
Echolalia, Briohny Doyle, 2021
Why We Are Here, Briohny Doyle, 2023
The Great Undoing, Sharlene Allsopp, 2024
Tremor, Teju Cole, 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: Briohny Doyle -
For our first episode of 2024, Michael speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks. She shares her life sentence and reflects on how her upbringing provided the perfect building blocks for a career as a writer. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Reading list:
Nine Parts of Desire, Geraldine Brooks, 1994
Foreign Correspondence, Geraldine Brooks, 1997
March, Geraldine Brooks, 2005
Horse, Geraldine Brook, 2022
Dreams of My Russian Summers, Andreï Makine, 1995
We All Lived In Bondi Then, Georgia Blain, 2024
A Day in the Life of Abed Salama, Nathan Thrall, 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: Geraldine Brooks - Show more
