Catherine Chidgey is wildly underread in Australia. The multi-award winning New Zealand writer has written nine novels and her latest, The Book of Guilt, was described as “compulsively readable” by The Guardian. This week, Michael sits down with Catherine for a discussion about why WWII continues to hold the public’s imagination, how she plans out her books, and which contemporary New Zealand writers we should all be reading.   Reading list: In a Fishbone Church, Catherine Chidgey, 1998 The Wish Child, Catherine Chidgey, 2016 Remote Sympathy, Catherine Chidgey, 2020 Pet, Catherine Chidgey, 2023 The Book of Guilt, Catherine Chidgey, 2025   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 Guest: Catherine Chidgey

The seed of the idea for Irish author Kevin Barry’s latest novel was planted more than 25 years ago. But it wasn’t until late into the pandemic as he was walking in the countryside and had a vision of a young couple on horseback riding double that he decided to write The Heart in Winter. Set in 1890s Montana, the book is a savagely funny and achingly romantic tale of young lovers on the lam. On this week’s episode Michael chats with Kevin about The Heart in Winter and why these days, glamorous sentences are not the most important thing in his writing.   Reading list: City of Bohane, Kevin Barry, 2011 Beatlebone, Kevin Barry, 2015 Night Boat to Tangier, Kevin Barry, 2019 The Heart in Winter, Kevin Barry, 2024   Underworld, Don DeLillo, 1997   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 Guest: Kevin Barry

The opening scene of Chris Flynn’s fourth and latest novel, Orpheus Nine, came to him in a dream. Not long after, he had the whole story down from start to finish. This week, Chris and Michael sit down for a conversation about the falsity of certitude, how trauma can re-shape a community, and what The Exorcist, the Bible, and Winnie the Pooh all have in common.   Reading list: A Tiger in Eden, Chris Flynn, 2012 The Glass Kingdom, Chris Flynn, 2014 Mammoth, Chris Flynn, 2020 Here Be Leviathans, Chris Flynn, 2022 Orpheus Nine, Chris Flynn, 2025   The Cracked Mirror, Christopher Brookmyer, 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 Guest: Chris Flynn

Over four decades Niall Williams has made a name for himself as one of Ireland’s leading novelists. In his latest novel, Time of the Child, Niall returns to the fictional village of Faha, in west Ireland, the setting of his previous book, This Is Happiness. Time of the Child centres on the notion of familial love, and as he explains to Michael in this week’s episode, Niall couldn’t have written it without becoming a grandfather himself.   Reading list: Four Letters Of Love, Niall Williams, 1997 As It Is In Heaven, Niall Williams, 1999 History of the Rain, Niall Williams, 2015 This Is Happiness, Niall Williams, 2019 Time of the Child, Niall Williams, 2024   Unsettled, Kate Grenville, 2025   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 Guest: Niall Williams

Turkish-born, Paris-based writer Ayşegül Savaş’s third novel opens with a young, ex-pat couple who are apartment hunting. Both foreigners in the city they live in and unburdened from the usual familial obligations, their days are marked by small pleasures: shopping at a local flea market, drinking coffee together before work, and taking long walks in the park. Like so much of Ayşegül’s writing, The Anthropologists is interested not just in foreignness, but what it means to establish traditions and rituals when you are starting anew. This week, Michael chats with Ayşegül about this latest novel and why she is trying to make foreignness the status quo.   Reading list: Walking on the Ceiling, Ayşegül Savaş, 2019 White on White, Ayşegül Savaş, 2021 The Anthropologists, Ayşegül Savaş, 2024 The Wilderness, Ayşegül Savaş 2024   The Confidence Woman, Sophie Quick, 2025   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: Ayşegül Savaş

Colm Tóibín is regarded as one of Ireland’s greatest authors — and for good reason. With a career spanning 30 years and 11 award-winning novels under his belt, Colm is beloved both at home and abroad. In his latest book, Long Island, Tóibín returns to familiar territory with a sequel to 2009’s best-selling Brooklyn. This week, he and Michael discuss what it means to write a sequel, the importance of James Baldwin’s writing, and, of course, Costco.   Reading list: The Heather Blazing, Colm Tóibín, 1992 The Master, Colm Tóibín, 2004 Brooklyn, Colm Tóibín, 2009 Nora Webster, Colm Tóibín, 2014 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 Guest: Colm Tóibín

Tanzanian-born, London-based author Abdulrazak Gurnah was midway through writing his latest novel, Theft, when he received a call letting him know he’d won the 2021 Nobel Prize for Literature. After more than a year of events and literary obligations, he finally returned to Theft, with more enthusiasm than ever. This week, Michael sits down with Abdulrazak to discuss his writing, the phenomenon of tourism and his latest book.   Reading list: Paradise, Abdulrazak Gurnah, 1994 By the Sea, Abdulrazak Gurnah, 2001 Desertion, Abdulrazak Gurnah, 2005 Theft, Abdulrazak Gurnah, 2025   Eurotrash, Christian Kracht, 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: Abdulrazak Gurnah

Tasmanian writer Robert Dessaix is a man of many talents when it comes to the written form – from travel memoir and fiction to biography and philosophy, he’s done it all. He became a household name for many listeners to ABC Radio following a long stint hosting the beloved show Books and Writing. Now, at 81, Robert is back with a new memoir. This week, Michael is joined by Robert for a conversation about memory, dance, and being a chameleon.   Reading list: A Mother’s Disgrace, Robert Dessaix, 1994 Corfu, Robert Dessaix, 2001 Twilight of Love, Robert Dessaixt, 2004 Chameleon, Robert Dessaix, 2025   Perfection, Vincenzo Latronico, 2025   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 Guest: Robert Dessaix

Writer Sonia Orchard was in her 40s when a revelation during a therapy session turned her life upside down. Could the relationship she’d had in her teens with a man more than a decade older in fact be abuse? In her new memoir, Groomed, Sonia investigates her own story, sharing her gruelling journey through the justice system, and shines a light on the failures – social, structural, legal – that entrench and prolong the trauma for victim survivors. This week, she speaks with Michael about the power of reclaiming her story.   Reading list: The Virtuoso, Sonia Orchard, 2009 Into the Fire, Sonia Orchard, 2019 Groomed, Sonia Orchard, 2025   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: Sonia Orchard

In Andrea Goldsmith’s ninth and latest novel, The Buried Life, she unpicks the relationships between people and the undercurrents of doubt and faith that define a life. But more than anything else this is a book that is first and foremost concerned with death. It’s a subject that has long fascinated Andrea, something she discusses deeply with Michael on this week’s episode.   Reading list: Reunion, Andrea Goldsmith, 2009 The Memory Trap, Andrea Goldsmith, 2013 Invented Lives, Andrea Goldsmith, 2019 The Buried Life, Andrea Goldsmith, 2025   Andrea Goldsmith’s List of Books on Death & Grief   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 Guest: Andrea Goldsmith

In Melbourne-based author Sean Wilson’s new book, You Must Remember This, he tackles the complicated, tragic, and often fraught subject of dementia.. This week, Sean joins Michael for a conversation about loss, family, and how to hang on to one’s humanity as illness strips it away.    Reading list: Gemini Falls, Sean Wilson, 2022 You Must Remember This, Sean Wilson, 2025   The Bright Sword, Lev Grossmann, 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 X Guest: Sean Wilson

Two time Miles Franklin Award-winning author Alex Miller is 88, but with 17 books under his belt and more writing on the way, he’s showing no signs of slowing down. On this week’s episode, Michael sits down with Alex to discuss his latest book The Deal, which revisits the life of Lang Tzu, a character in his critically acclaimed novel The Ancestor Game.   Reading list: The Ancestor Game, Alex Miller, 1992 Journey to the Stone Country Alex Miller, 2003 Autumn Laing Alex Miller, 2011 A Kind of Confession, Alex Miller, 2023 The Deal, Alex Miller, 2024   Joan Lindsay, Brenda Niall, 2025   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: Alex Miller

Australian author Dominic Amerena has been a writer for years. Now, finally, comes his dazzling debut novel I Want Everything. The story follows an ambitious young writer who tells a white lie to land a scoop, and explores desire, deception, authenticity, and the costs of creative ambition. This week Michael and Dominic chat about the necessity for, and pitfalls of, ambition, and why a writer should never be satisfied.   Reading list: I Want Everything, Dominic Amerena, 2025   Stinkbug, Sinead Stubbins, 2025   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 Guest: Dominic Amerena

In 2017, Rachel Khong released her debut novel Goodbye, Vitamin to critical acclaim. In 2024, she followed it with her second novel, a sweeping family saga spanning five decades. Real Americans is a fascinating exploration of what makes us who we are and challenges some of the corrosive myths that underpin America. This week, Michael chats with Rachel about her new book and she shares her thoughts on luck, science, and the ultimate unknowability of each other and sometimes, even ourselves.   Reading list: Goodbye, Vitamin, Rachel Khong, 2017 Real Americans, Rachel Khong, 2024   Somebody Down There Likes Me, Robert Lukins, 2025   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 Khong

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

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

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

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.

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, 1958The Slap, Christos Tsiolkas, 2008Ritual, Chloe Elizabeth Wilson, 2025The Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz Zafón, 2001I Could Not Believe It, Sean DeLear, 1979Unlicensed: Bootlegging as Creative Practice, Ben Schwartz, 2024Deadly Embrace, Jackie Collins, 2001Of Love and Other Demons, Gabriel García Márquez, 1993The Season, Helen Garner, 2024The Safe Keep, Yael van der Wouden, 2024All Fours, Miranda July, 2024Time’s Monster, Priya Satia, 2020The Lovers, Yumna Kassab, 2022Deep Water, James Bradley, 2024The Tribe, Michael Mohammed Ahmad, 2014Edith Trilogy, Frank Moorhouse, 1992-2011The 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, 1988The Folding Start, Alan Hollinghurst, 1994The Line of Beauty, Alan Hollinghurst, 2004The Sparsholt Affair, Alan Hollinghurst, 2017Our 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 TwitterGuest: Alan Hollinghurst

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, 2013Depends What You Mean By Extremist, John Safran, 2017Puff Piece, John Safran, 2021Squat, 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 2014You Daughters of Freedom, Clare Wright, 2018Naku 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 2024One Hundred Years of Dirt, Rick Morton, 2023My 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 TwitterGuest: Rick Morton

Ian Rankin introduced Detective John Rebus in his 1987 novel Knots and Crosses. Since then, Rankin has published another two dozen books in the series and has sold almost 40 million books to date. Unsurprisingly, he’s now Sir Ian Rankin. This week, Michael sits down with Ian at Sydney Writers’ Festival for discussion about his latest Rebus book, Midnight and Blue.   Reading list: Knots and Crosses, Ian Rankin, 1987 Black and Blue, Ian Rankin, 1997 The Hanging Garden, Ian Rankin, 1998 Standing in Another Man's Grave, Ian Rankin, 2012 Midnight and Blue, Ian Rankin, 2025   A Killing Kindness, Reginald Hill, 1980 In the Woods, Tana French, 2007 The Broken Shore, Peter Temple, 2005   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 Guest: Ian Rankin

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, 2008The Flamethrowers, Rachel Kushner, 2013The Mars Room, Rachel Kushner, 2018Creation 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 TwitterGuest: 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 1986Lockie Leonard, Tim Winton, 1990–1997Cloudstreet, Tim Winton, 1991Dirt Music, Tim Winton, 2001Breath, Tim Winton, 2008Juice, 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 2024The Belburd, Nardi Simpson, 2024
Midnight and Blue, Ian Rankin, 2024The 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 2018The Rain Heron, Robbie Arnott, 2020Limberlost, Robbie Arnott, 2022Dusk, 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 TwitterGuest: 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 2017Room for a Stranger, Melanie Cheng, 2019The 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 2018Leave the World Behind, Rumaan Alam, 2020Entitlement, 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 2020The Man Who Died Twice, Richard Osman, 2021The Bullet That Missed, Richard Osman, 2022The Last Devil To Die, Richard Osman, 2023We Solve Murders, Richard Osman, 2024
Max Perkins: Editor of Genius, Berg, A. Scott,1978Stone 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 2015Bluebird, Malcolm Knox, 2020The 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 TwitterGuest: Malcolm Knox

On the surface, Kaliane Bradley’s debut is a time-travel novel; it’s speculative fiction meets romance and espionage. But underneath? It's a sharp, satirical exploration of institutional control—of what happens when government red tape meets the impossible. This week, Michael sits down for a conversation with Kaliane Bradley to discuss her bestselling book The Ministry of Time.   Reading list: The Ministry of Time, Kaliane Bradley, 2024   The Time Traveller’s Wife, Audrey Niffenegger ,2003 Life After Life, Kate Atkinson, 2013 Discworld (series), Terry Pratchett, 1983–2015   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 Guest: Kaliane Bradley

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, 2014Orchid And The Wasp, Caoilinn Hughes, 2018The Wild Laughter, Caoilinn Hughes, 2020The Alternatives, Caoilinn Hughes, 2024
Enter Ghost, Isabella Hammad, 2023Long 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 1972Just Relations, Rodney Hall, 1982Kisses of the Enemy, Rodney Hall, 1987Captivity Captive, Rodney Hall, 1988The Second Bridegroom, Rodney Hall, 1991The Grisly Wife, Rodney Hall, 1993The Island in the Mind, Rodney Hall, 1996The Day We Had Hitler Home, Rodney Hall, 2000The Last Love Story, Rodney Hall, 2004Love Without Hope, Rodney Hall, 2007Popeye Never Told You, Rodney Hall, 2010A Stolen Season, Rodney Hall, 2018Vortex, Rodney Hall, 2024
I Claudius, Robert Graves, 1934Claudius the God, Robert Graves, 1935The White Goddess, Robert Graves, 1948
An Experiment in Criticism, C.S. Lewis, 1961The New Science, Giambattista Vico, 1725Death 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 2011An Untamed State, Roxane Gay, 2014Bad Feminist, Roxane Gay, 2014Difficult Women, Roxane Gay, 2017Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body, Roxane Gay, 2017The Banks, Roxane Gay, 2019Opinions: A Decade of Arguments, Criticism, and Minding Other People's Business, Roxane Gay, 2023
Jazz, Toni Morrison, 1992The 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 2006The Forty Rules of Love, Elif Shafak, 2009Honour, Elif Shafak, 201110 Minutes 38 Seconds In this Strange World, Elif Shafak, 2019The Island of Missing Trees, Elif Shafak, 2021There are Rivers in the Sky, Elif Shafak, 2024
Orlando: A Biography, Virginia Woolf, 1928When 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 2024Woo 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 2006The Swan Book, Alexis Wright, 2013Tracker, Alexis Wright 2017Praiseworthy, 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 2009All The Birds, Singing, Evie Wyld, 2013The Bass Rock, Evie Wyld, 2020The Echoes, Evie Wyld, 2024
Only Sound Remains, Hossein Asgari, 2023Wall, Jen Craig, 2023 Anam, Andre Dao, 2023The Bell of the World, Gregory Day, 2023Hospital, Sanya Rushdi, 2023Praiseworthy, 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 2004Life or Death, Michael Robotham, 2014Good Girl, Bad Girl, Michael Robotham, 2019When She Was Good, Michael Robotham, 2020Storm Child, Michael Robotham, 2024
Stalking the Feature Story, William Ruehlmann, 1977For 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 2024Below Deck, Sophie Hardcastle, 2020Breathing Underwater, Sophie Hardcastle, 2016Running Like China, Sophie Hardcastle, 2015
In the Dream House, Carmen Maria Machado, 2019Voice of the Fish: A Lyric Essay, Lars Horn, 2022The 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 1974A Lifetime on Clouds, Gerald Murnane, 1976The Plains, Gerald Murnane, 1982Inland, Gerald Murnane, 1988Emerald Blue, Gerald Murnane, 1995 Barley Patch, Gerald Murnane, 2009 A History of Books, Gerald Murnane, 2012A Million Windows, Gerald Murnane, 2014Something 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 MurnaneIs the Next Nobel Laureate in Literature Tending Bar in a Dusty Australian Town?An Idiot in the Greek SenseThe Reclusive Giant of Australian Letters
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Torrey Peters’ debut novel, Detransition, Baby, was an instant sensation. Longlisted for the Women’s Prize in the UK and named one of the New York Times’ best books of the 21st century so far, the book catapulted Torrey into the limelight. Her second and latest book, Stag Dance, is a collection of four stories that are brutal, funny, and brilliant. This week, Michael sits down with Torrey to discuss the genesis of Stag Dance and why she isn’t interested in trans identity.   Reading list: Detransition, Baby, Torrey Peters, 2021 Stag Dance, Torrey Peters, 2025   The Unquiet Grave, Dervla McTiernan, 2025   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 Guest: Torrey Peters

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, 1976In the Skin of a Lion, Michael Ondaatje, 1986The Cinnamon Peeler: Selected Poems, Michael Ondaatje, 1989The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje, 1992Handwriting, Michael Ondaatje, 1998Anil's Ghost, Michael Ondaatje, 2000Divisadero, Michael Ondaatje, 2007The Cat's Table, Michael Ondaatje, 2011Warlight, Michael Ondaatje, 2018A Year of Last Things, Michael Ondaatje, 2024
The Collected Poems of W. S. Merwin, 2013
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Paul Murray’s last two novels, Skippy Dies and The Mark and the Void, were both modern masterpieces of institutional failure. In his 2023 Booker Prize shortlisted novel, The Bee Sting, the failing institution Paul turns his comedic eye to is the family. This week, Michael and Paul sit down for a discussion about fraudulence, empathy, and the beautiful opera of life.
Reading list:An Evening of Long Goodbyes, Paul Murray, 2003Skippy Dies, Paul Murray, 2010The Mark and the Void, Paul Murray, 2015The Bee Sting, Paul Murray, 2023
Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World, Naomi Klein, 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 TwitterGuest: Paul Murray

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, 2013The Black Snow, Paul Lynch, 2014Grace, Paul Lynch, 2017Beyond the Sea, Paul Lynch, 2020Prophet Song, Paul Lynch, 2023
The Prisoner of Zenda, Anthony Hope, 1894King Solomon's Mines, H. Rider Haggard, 1885The 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 TwitterGuest: 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, 2010The Empathy Exams, Leslie Jamison, 2014The Recovering, Leslie Jamison, 2018Splinters: Another Kind of Love Story, Leslie Jamison, 2024
Sleepless Nights, Elizabeth Hardwick, 1979Fragile 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 TwitterGuest: Leslie Jamison