Episoder

  • 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

  • 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

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  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • Rodney Hall might be the greatest Australian writer you’ve never heard of. He is a two-time Miles Franklin Award winner and has published dozens of books of fiction, poetry and memoir across his long career. Now 88, Rodney has just released his 14th novel titled Vortex and it might be his best. This week, Michael sits down with Rodney to discuss his new book and why writing is always a collaborative process between author and reader.

    Reading list:
    The Ship on the Coin: A Fable of the Bourgeoisie, Rodney Hall, 1972
    Just Relations, Rodney Hall, 1982
    Kisses of the Enemy, Rodney Hall, 1987
    Captivity Captive, Rodney Hall, 1988
    The Second Bridegroom, Rodney Hall, 1991
    The Grisly Wife, Rodney Hall, 1993
    The Island in the Mind, Rodney Hall, 1996
    The Day We Had Hitler Home, Rodney Hall, 2000
    The Last Love Story, Rodney Hall, 2004
    Love Without Hope, Rodney Hall, 2007
    Popeye Never Told You, Rodney Hall, 2010
    A Stolen Season, Rodney Hall, 2018
    Vortex, Rodney Hall, 2024

    I Claudius, Robert Graves, 1934
    Claudius the God, Robert Graves, 1935
    The White Goddess, Robert Graves, 1948

    An Experiment in Criticism, C.S. Lewis, 1961
    The New Science, Giambattista Vico, 1725
    Death at the Sign of the Rook, Kate Atkinson, 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: Rodney Hall

  • Roxane Gay is a prominent American author, professor, and cultural critic known for her unflinching honesty, quick wit, and razor-sharp intellect. She has gained acclaim for her essays, fiction, and memoirs that explore identity, gender, race, and body image. This week, Roxane joins Michael for a conversation about what it means to be a public intellectual and how this has shifted throughout her career.

    Reading list:
    Ayiti, Roxane Gay, 2011
    An Untamed State, Roxane Gay, 2014
    Bad Feminist, Roxane Gay, 2014
    Difficult Women, Roxane Gay, 2017
    Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body, Roxane Gay, 2017
    The Banks, Roxane Gay, 2019
    Opinions: A Decade of Arguments, Criticism, and Minding Other People's Business, Roxane Gay, 2023

    Jazz, Toni Morrison, 1992
    The Source of Self-Regard: Essays, Speeches, Meditations, Toni Morrison, 2019

    You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. 

    Roxane Gay appears at Carriageworks in Sydney, as part of the Festival of Dangerous Ideas (24-25 August) and at Melbourne Town Hall (27 August), presented by the Wheeler Centre and Now or Never. For more information head to their websites.

    Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
    Guest: Roxane Gay

  • Elif Shafak is an award-winning British Turkish novelist whose work has been translated into fifty-five languages. She is a self-described “citizen of the world” and has become a notable public intellectual and human rights activist. Elif's latest novel, There are Rivers in the Sky, stretches across millenia, following a single drop of water. This week, Michael chats with Elif about her new book and why she is not just a storyteller but a silence teller, too.

    Reading list:
    The Bastard of Istanbul, Elif Shafak, 2006
    The Forty Rules of Love, Elif Shafak, 2009
    Honour, Elif Shafak, 2011
    10 Minutes 38 Seconds In this Strange World, Elif Shafak, 2019
    The Island of Missing Trees, Elif Shafak, 2021
    There are Rivers in the Sky, Elif Shafak, 2024

    Orlando: A Biography, Virginia Woolf, 1928
    When Cops Are Criminals, Veronica Gorrie, 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: Elif Shafak

  • Eric Beecher is a news man. As a journalist, he’s worked for some of the most well-respected newspapers in the world, including the Sydney Morning Herald and the Wall Street Journal. As his career progressed, Eric climbed the media ladder: he’s currently the head of Private Media, which runs the website, Crikey. This week, Michael sits down with Eric to discuss his new book, The Men Who Killed the News.

    Reading list:
    The Men Who Killed the News, Eric Beecher, 2024
    Woo Woo, Ella Baxter, 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: Eric Beecher

  • Alexis Wright’s 2023 novel Praiseworthy has just been awarded the Miles Franklin Award. It also won the Stella Prize and has been described as “an astonishing feat of storytelling and sovereign imagination.” In this special episode, Alexis joins Michael for a conversation about Praiseworthy and reveals why she decided very early on in her literary career that she wasn't going to be trapped in anyone’s box.

    Reading list:
    Carpentaria, Alexis Wright, 2006
    The Swan Book, Alexis Wright, 2013
    Tracker, Alexis Wright 2017
    Praiseworthy, Alexis Wright, 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: Alexis Wright

  • Evie Wyld writes dark and often trauma-informed books, but she also has a remarkable capacity to capture the tenderness of memory. Her novels have been a critical and commercial success, with her second, All The Birds Singing, winning the Miles Franklin and her third, The Bass Rock, taking home the 2021 Stella Prize. This week, Michael sits down with Evie for a conversation about her latest book The Echoes, which explores how we tell stories around, and into the absences that define us.

    Reading list:
    After the Fire, A Still Small Voice, Evie Wyld, 2009
    All The Birds, Singing, Evie Wyld, 2013
    The Bass Rock, Evie Wyld, 2020
    The Echoes, Evie Wyld, 2024

    Only Sound Remains, Hossein Asgari, 2023
    Wall, Jen Craig, 2023 
    Anam, Andre Dao, 2023
    The Bell of the World, Gregory Day, 2023
    Hospital, Sanya Rushdi, 2023
    Praiseworthy, Alexis Wright, 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: Evie Wyld

  • Michael Robotham began his career as a ghost writer, working on more than a dozen bestselling books for people like Tony Bullimore and Geri Halliwell, before he published a novel under his own name. Twenty years later, he has just released his 18th book, a new crime novel titled Storm Child. This week, the two Michaels sit down together for a conversation about crime writing, truth wizards and what’s next.

    Reading list:
    The Suspect, Michael Robotham, 2004
    Life or Death, Michael Robotham, 2014
    Good Girl, Bad Girl, Michael Robotham, 2019
    When She Was Good, Michael Robotham, 2020
    Storm Child, Michael Robotham, 2024

    Stalking the Feature Story, William Ruehlmann, 1977
    For Life, Ailsa Piper, 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: Michael Robotham

  • Dylin Hardcastle has been publishing their writing since they were 21, having now completed a memoir, a book of YA fiction and two novels. In their latest work, Dylin takes the reader back to 1972, and across three decades, explores the parallel lives of two women, shaped by their contrasting experiences of desire. This week, Michael sits down with Dylin Hardcastle for a wide-ranging conversation about this new novel, A Language of Limbs.

    Reading list:
    A Language of Limbs, Dylin Hardcastle, 2024
    Below Deck, Sophie Hardcastle, 2020
    Breathing Underwater, Sophie Hardcastle, 2016
    Running Like China, Sophie Hardcastle, 2015

    In the Dream House, Carmen Maria Machado, 2019
    Voice of the Fish: A Lyric Essay, Lars Horn, 2022
    The List, Yomi Adegoke, 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: Dylin Hardcastle

  • Gerald Murnane doesn’t have readers, he has acolytes. The New Yorker described him as “the reclusive giant of Australian letters”. He’s written 10 novels, several collections of short stories and essays, and a memoir about horse racing. Together these books represent one of the most formidable and singular bodies of work in literature. This week, Michael drives out to the Goroke golf course to chat with Gerald on his home turf.

    Reading list:
    Tamarisk Row, Gerald Murnane, 1974
    A Lifetime on Clouds, Gerald Murnane, 1976
    The Plains, Gerald Murnane, 1982
    Inland, Gerald Murnane, 1988
    Emerald Blue, Gerald Murnane, 1995 
    Barley Patch, Gerald Murnane, 2009 
    A History of Books, Gerald Murnane, 2012
    A Million Windows, Gerald Murnane, 2014
    Something for the Pain: A Memoir of the Turf, Gerald Murnane, 2015 
    Border Districts, Gerald Murnane, 2017 
    A Season on Earth, Gerald Murnane, 2019 
    Last Letter to a Reader, Gerald Murnane, 2021

    You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. 

    Articles on Gerald Murnane
    Is the Next Nobel Laureate in Literature Tending Bar in a Dusty Australian Town?
    An Idiot in the Greek Sense
    The Reclusive Giant of Australian Letters

    Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
    Guest: Gerald Murnane

  • Sri Lankan-born Canadian essayist, poet, and Booker Prize-winning novelist Michael Ondaatje has just released a stunning collection of poems. Ondaatje is now 80 years old and it’s almost half a century since he published his first novel; even longer since he first published poetry. This week, Michael joins Read This for a conversation about A Year of Last Things and why writing remains such a joyful act of discovery.

    Reading list:
    Coming Through Slaughter, Michael Ondaatje, 1976
    In the Skin of a Lion, Michael Ondaatje, 1986
    The Cinnamon Peeler: Selected Poems, Michael Ondaatje, 1989
    The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje, 1992
    Handwriting, Michael Ondaatje, 1998
    Anil's Ghost, Michael Ondaatje, 2000
    Divisadero, Michael Ondaatje, 2007
    The Cat's Table, Michael Ondaatje, 2011
    Warlight, Michael Ondaatje, 2018
    A Year of Last Things, Michael Ondaatje, 2024

    The Collected Poems of W. S. Merwin, 2013

    Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter
    Guest: Michael Ondaatje