Episodes
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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 -
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 -
Missing episodes?
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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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 millennia, 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 - Show more
