The Book Show

'My mother kept this secret for so long' — Esther Freud imagines a different path for her mother

July 26, 2021 00:05 - 54 minutes - 74.2 MB

Esther Freud's mother had babies at a time when many unwed mothers in the UK and Ireland had their children taken away. Freud says, 'When I thought about the situation of my mother, it struck me how alone and dangerous her situation was'. In I Couldn't Love You More, she imagines if her mother had been forced into one or Ireland's notorious mother and baby homes. Also David Allan-Petale on writing his first book, Locust Summer, on the road, and Jamie...

What happens when the internet cuts out? Rumaan Alam on his prescient domestic thriller

July 19, 2021 00:05 - 53 minutes - 74.1 MB

US author Rumaan Alam’s Leave The World Behind is a timely novel about isolation, fear, class and racism. Also, the 20-something women who are starring in coming of age novels and Rawah Arja's Punchbowl Boys High drama The F Team.

Pod extra with 2021 Miles Franklin winner Amanda Lohrey

July 15, 2021 06:30 - 17 minutes - 15.6 MB

Amanda Lohrey has been announced as the 2021 winner of the Miles Franklin Literary Award for The Labyrinth. Amanda tells Claire Nichols that her aim was to write a narrative that felt like a meditative walk into and out of a labyrinth.

What does the Miles Franklin shortlist say about Australia?

July 12, 2021 00:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MB

Ahead of the Miles Franklin Award announcement, we preview the shortlist and find overlapping themes of migration, violence, fractured families and climate change. Aravind Adiga, Amanda Lohrey, Andrew Pippos, Daniel Davis Wood, Madeleine Watts and Robbie Arnott also reflect on what their novels say about Australia today.

'We are where we are because of resilience' — Larissa Behrendt's book about grief, family and literary travel

July 05, 2021 00:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MB

Indigenous author Larissa Behrendt questioned whether to include a First Nations lawyer in her latest novel, but she says it felt more authentic given it's a world she knows intimately. Her novel, After Story, explores grief, family and literary travel. Also, Kim Scott on the legacies of history that have inspired his works and Alice Pung's first novel for adults, One Hundred Days, is about a pregnant teenager and her controlling mother. ...

Emma Jane Unsworth on the 'messy, punky stuff' of women's lives and bodies

June 28, 2021 00:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MB

Emma Jane Unsworth examines 21st century women in all their conflicted, messy glory in this in-depth interview about her books including Adults and Animals.

'There are no bodies' — Alexander McCall Smith on his version of Scandi crime fiction

June 21, 2021 00:05 - 53 minutes - 49.4 MB

You've heard of Nordic Noir but what about Scandi Blanc? Bestselling author Alexander McCall Smith has taken the noir out Swedish crime fiction in his latest series starring the warm-hearted detective Ulf Varg. Also, writer Jessie Tu on her preoccupation with loneliness and a big sweeping narrative about a fictional female pilot who goes missing in the act with US author Maggie Shipstead.

Pod Extra with Jessie Tu on the lessons of loneliness

June 17, 2021 22:18 - 48 minutes - 44.4 MB

Australian writer Jessie Tu says the question of female likeability should no longer exist and it's an idea she explores in her fiction. In this in-depth conversation, she also discusses child prodigies, music, racism and even Sex and the City.

'Why not make it accurate' — Andy Weir on putting the science in sci-fi

June 14, 2021 00:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MB

Andy Weir is most famous for The Martian, the science-heavy Mars survival story that was made in to a hit film starring Matt Damon, and now he's back now with a new book, Project Hail Mary. Journalist Jacqueline Maley on motherhood and ethics in her debut and the final in Michael Mohammed Ahmad's trilogy featuring his alter-ego, Bani Adam.

'We don't talk about Mummy issues' — Lisa Taddeo's follow-up to Three Women

June 07, 2021 00:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MB

Lisa Taddeo attracted worldwide attention with her 2019 non-fiction book, Three Women, which explored the depths of three real women's sexual desires. Now Lisa has taken that insight into the female experience, and put it in to a novel called Animal. We also take a look at how authors name their heroes and villains, and visit Perth-based children's author Shirley Marr at her favourite writing location.

'In this moment, I had to be there' — Patricia Lockwood on writing about the life and death of a child

May 31, 2021 00:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MB

The privilege of writing about the loss of a child: Women's Prize shortlisted author Patricia Lockwood on No One Is Talking About This which is laugh-out-loud funny in the first half, and is cry-out-loud devastating in the second half. And Sincerely, Ethel Malley in which Stephen Orr resuscitates the great Australian literary hoax of Ern Malley but with a twist: he reimagines a life for Ern's made-up sister, a woman called Ethel. ...

'If felt new and it was hard' — Jhumpa Lahiri on writing in Italian

May 24, 2021 00:05 - 48 minutes - 66.6 MB

Indian American writer, Jhumpa Lahiri, has made her name writing fiction in English, but in recent years she has been writing in Italian including her latest, Whereabouts, which she also translated into English. Also, Ella Baxter on how her writing relates to her artistic practice making death shrouds and philosopher Hugh Breakey on his philosophical romance The Beautiful Fall.

Shaun Tan finds the sublime in the ordinary

May 17, 2021 00:05 - 54 minutes - 49.6 MB

Oscar winner, Shaun Tan, tells of his appreciation of seemingly ordinary objects, like a bar of soap, and how he applies mindfulness to his practice as a writer and painter.

'I'm a restless writer' Nikki Gemmell on tackling colonial gothic horror

May 10, 2021 00:05 - 54 minutes - 74.3 MB

Nikki Gemmell wants to challenge herself as a writer so her latest is a colonial gothic horror called The Ripping Tree, written over seven years while raising four children. Meanwhile, Emily Maguire tackles hoarding, consent and climate change in Love Objects, a novel that also celebrates the intense love people can feel for children that are not their own. And Martin McKenzie-Murray explains the inspiration for The Speechwriter, a satire set in the ...

Alaa Al Aswany's story of Egyptian revolution and Madeleine Ryan, Rebecca Lim and Huda Hayek

May 03, 2021 00:05 - 54 minutes - 74.3 MB

Egyptian writer Alaa Al Aswany fictionalised account of the Egyptian revolution, Rebecca Lim gives writing advice to Huda Hayek and Madeleine Ryan's neurodiverse character.

Unforgettable school girls with Booker shortlisted author Tsitsi Dangarembga and Emily Spurr

April 26, 2021 00:05 - 54 minutes - 74.3 MB

Unforgettable school girls with Booker shortlisted author Tsitsi Dangarembga's story of pre-independence Zimbabwe, and another from modern day Australia with Emily Spurr.

Pod Extra with Stella Prize winner Evie Wyld

April 22, 2021 10:00 - 27 minutes - 25.2 MB

Evie Wyld's The Bass Rock has won the 2021 Stella Prize for Australian women's writing.

Stella prize shortlist on climate change, male violence, racism and pandemics

April 19, 2021 00:05 - 53 minutes - 73.9 MB

Meet all six of the Stella Prize shortlisted writers whose books speak to Australia right in this moment.

George Saunders' lessons from the Russian masters

April 12, 2021 00:05 - 54 minutes - 74.3 MB

Booker winner George Saunders shares writing tips from the Russian masters, Debra Oswald's ethical conundrum in The Family Doctor and Pakana man, Adam Thompson's, debut collection Born Into This.

Women called witches with Fernanda Melchor and Lucy Jago

April 05, 2021 00:05 - 53 minutes - 73.7 MB

Mexican writer Fernanda Melchor speaks about her novel Hurricane Season which was shortlisted for the 2020 International Booker Prize, Lucy Jago's 17th century scandal and Christy Collins's debut.

Ethan Hawke's passionate fourth novel

March 28, 2021 23:05 - 54 minutes - 74.2 MB

Ethan Hawke's fourth novel A Bright Ray of Darkness is about an actor as his world implodes, Tabitha Bird on embracing the magical and Kavita Bedford's coming of age Sydney novel.

Pod Extra with Pip Williams's Book of the Year

March 23, 2021 04:45 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MB

Pip Williams's debut novel The Dictionary of Lost Words has been named the Book of the Year for the 2021 Indie Book Awards.

Feminist retelling of Beowulf and author of The Cry

March 21, 2021 23:05 - 54 minutes - 74.2 MB

Maria Dahvana Headley has dusted off Beowulf with a new translation and author of The Cry, Helen Fitzgerald, has a new thriller centred around a boarding school.

Viet Thanh Nguyen, Jane Harper and Chloe Wilson on uncomfortable truths

March 14, 2021 23:05 - 53 minutes - 73.9 MB

Pulitzer Prize winner Viet Thanh Nguyen on his latest novel The Committed, we ask what it takes to write crime fiction and Chloe Wilson's powerful collection of short stories.

Brit Bennett live at the Perth Festival of Literature and Ideas

March 07, 2021 19:00 - 53 minutes - 73.9 MB

The author discusses her latest book The Vanishing Half, the complexities of race relations in America, her writing process and making the cover of Time Magazine.

Befriending the unknowable with Kazuo Ishiguro and Shaun Tan

February 28, 2021 19:00 - 53 minutes - 73.4 MB

From artificial intelligence to man's best friend; exploring relationships with beings we may never understand but love nevertheless.

Maggie O'Farrell and Claire Thomas on women and theatre

February 21, 2021 19:00 - 53 minutes - 74 MB

Plus a chat with debut novelist Gary Lonesborough on his book, The Boy From The Mish.

Exploring discomfort with Max Porter, Kim Scott and Rebecca Starford

February 14, 2021 19:00 - 54 minutes - 74.2 MB

Max Porter joins Claire to talk about his new book The Death of Francis Bacon and why there is a "certain ecstasy" in thinking about the human body as meat.

Robert Jones Jr., Michael Brissenden and the world of royal fiction

February 07, 2021 14:00 - 52 minutes - 72.8 MB

A historical look at black, queer love; a deep dive into the genre of Royal fiction and a crime novel set in the seedy streets of 1980s Sydney.

Charles Yu and Peace Adzo Medie challenging stereotypes in fiction

January 31, 2021 23:05 - 53 minutes - 74.1 MB

A taste of African chick lit, authors confess their love for Dungeons and Dragons and a book that reads like a movie script.

Writing Black Lives Matter for young readers with Angie Thomas and Maxine Beneba Clarke

January 24, 2021 23:05 - 53 minutes - 73.5 MB

How do you take stories of injustice and rage centred around Black Lives Matter and put them on the page for children?

Andrew O'Hagan, Jessie Tu and Jane Austen-inspired fiction

January 10, 2021 23:05 - 53 minutes - 74.1 MB

Scottish writer Andrew O'Hagan speaks about the very personal story behind his coming-of-age novel Mayflies, set in Thatcher's Britain to a background of New Order and The Smiths.

Novel inspirations with Celeste Ng, Pip Williams and Chris Flynn

December 20, 2020 23:05 - 53 minutes - 74.1 MB

Meet Celeste Ng author of Little Fires Everywhere, Mammut, the talking fossil, and hear from Pip Williams about her popular debut novel.

Helen Garner's diary and the future of fiction

December 13, 2020 23:05 - 53 minutes - 73.8 MB

Helen Garner on writing in her diary in this troubled year and authors reflect on the impacts of coronavirus on the future of fiction.

From Karachi to Kamchatka - literary travel with Roddy Doyle, Arundhati Roy, Elizabeth Strout and more

December 06, 2020 23:05 - 54 minutes - 74.3 MB

In the year that international travel was cancelled, this literary world tour might be the next best thing.

Racism and belonging with Rumaan Alam and Rawah Arja

November 29, 2020 23:05 - 55 minutes - 76.1 MB

Rumaan Alam's literary thriller, Rawah Arja's Punchbowl Boys High drama and young women star in debut coming of age novels.

Dawn French on questions of motherhood

November 22, 2020 23:05 - 53 minutes - 73.6 MB

What makes someone a mother? Dawn French and Kate Mildenhall explore this question, and we have a writer's hotline with Luke Horton and James Bradley.

Christos Tsiolkas's life of writing

November 19, 2020 14:15 - 21 minutes - 19.7 MB

A special in-depth interview with Christos Tsiolkas that digs deep into his origins as a writer.

Meet the 2020 Booker winner Douglas Stuart

November 19, 2020 03:45 - 9 minutes - 8.89 MB

The Scottish American writer Douglas Stuart has won the prestigious Booker Prize.

Art and redemption with Sofie Laguna, Douglas Stuart and Ken Follett

November 15, 2020 23:05 - 54 minutes - 74.3 MB

The redemptive power of art with Sofie Laguna, Booker shortlisted author Douglas Stuart and how Ken Follett learnt to write bestsellers.

Pivoting to fiction with Nardi Simpson, Avni Doshi and Richard Osman

November 08, 2020 23:05 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MB

Three writers who've all had successful non-literary careers on their pivot to fiction with Indigenous singer songwriter Nardi Simpson, Booker shortlisted author Avni Doshi and TV presenter Richard Osman.

Neil Gaiman, Diane Cook and Malcolm Knox on life changing moments

November 01, 2020 23:05 - 53 minutes - 49.3 MB

Neil Gaiman on blogging and wearing black, Booker shortlisted author Diane Cook and Malcolm Knox on changing Australian beach culture.

Other lives with Matt Haig, Tsitsi Dangarembga and Elizabeth Tan

October 25, 2020 23:05 - 1 hour - 57 MB

Matt Haig on the challenges of writing about mental illness, Booker shortlisted author Tsitsi Dangarembga and Elizabeth Tan's quirky short stories.

Crazy times with Kevin Kwan

October 22, 2020 14:15 - 53 minutes - 49 MB

In this pod extra, meet novelist Kevin Kwan, the man who introduced readers to the world of Singapore's ultra rich in his hit trilogy Crazy Rich Asians.

American dreaming with Ayad Akhtar, Brandon Taylor and Yaa Gyasi

October 18, 2020 23:05 - 1 hour - 57.3 MB

Just weeks away from the American election, three American writers on religion, a search for identity, racial injustice and the comfort of science.

Sky whispering with Trent Dalton, Maaza Mengiste and Cressida Cowell

October 11, 2020 23:05 - 59 minutes - 54.7 MB

Trent Dalton explains the concept of sky whispering, Booker shortlisted author Maaza Mengiste and Cressida Cowell's charmed childhood summers on a Viking island.