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For our last show 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

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

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

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, 2003 Skippy Dies, Paul Murray, 2010 The Mark and the Void, Paul Murray, 2015 The 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 Twitter Guest: 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, 2013 The Black Snow, Paul Lynch, 2014 Grace, Paul Lynch, 2017 Beyond the Sea, Paul Lynch, 2020 Prophet Song, Paul Lynch, 2023 The Prisoner of Zenda, Anthony Hope, 1894 King Solomon's Mines, H. Rider Haggard, 1885 The Mayor of Casterbridge, Thomas Hardy, 1886 The Heart in Winter, Kevin Barry, 2024 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Paul Lynch.

Leslie Jamison is celebrated for her ability to link the personal to the cultural to the critical in ways that resonate and move and connect with readers. She first did it with The Empathy Exams – an essay, then a best-selling, award-winning collection. Now she is back with a new book, Splinters: Another Kind of Love Story, a memoir about rebuilding a life after the end of a marriage. This week, Michael sits down with Leslie to discuss this latest work and what it means to be many things – a teacher, an artist, a lover and a mother.  Reading list: The Gin Closet, Leslie Jamison, 2010 The Empathy Exams, Leslie Jamison, 2014 The Recovering, Leslie Jamison, 2018 Splinters: Another Kind of Love Story, Leslie Jamison, 2024 Sleepless Nights, Elizabeth Hardwick, 1979 Fragile Creatures, Khin Myint, 2024 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Leslie Jamison

In 2015, Viet Thanh Nguyen was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for his debut novel, The Sympathizer. Now, nearly a decade later, the book has been adapted into an HBO miniseries of the same name. This week, Michael sits down with Viet for a conversation about his latest book, A Man with Two Faces, which expands beyond the familiar beats of memoir, and features the author’s trademark interest in the broader political and colonial implications of the personal. Reading list: The Sympathizer, Viet Thanh Nguyen, 2014 The Committed, Viet Thanh Nguyen, 2021 A Man of Two Faces, Viet Thanh Nguyen, 2023 Dune, Frank Herbert, 1965 Portnoy's Complaint, Philip Roth,1968  Quarterly Essay: Highway to Hell, Joëlle Gergis, 2024  You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Viet Thanh Nguyen

It was 2014 when Bruce Pascoe went from being a prolific, yet relatively unknown writer, to public enemy #1 in Australia’s culture wars. That was the year that Bruce published his now infamous book, Dark Emu, and its re-examination of accepted historical accounts of pre-invasion Australia. This week, he joins Michael for a discussion about his new novel Imperial Harvest and shares why he still believes we need the messiness of democracy. Reading list: Dark Emu, Bruce Pascoe, 2014 Imperial Harvest, Bruce Pascoe, 2024 Time’s Monster, Priya Satia, 2020 The Ministry of Time, Kellyanne Bradley, 2024 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Bruce Pascoe

Writer, artist, and filmmaker Miranda July has a devoted – even rabid – following, through her writing, her work on the screen, and her collaborative art projects. Her debut 2007 collection of short stories No One Belongs Here More Than You was a publishing sensation, and her debut film, Me and You and Everyone We Know, won the Palme D’Or at Cannes Film Festival. This week, she and Michael discuss her new novel, All Fours, which explores desire, intimacy, dance, and an often overlooked part of the ageing process. Reading list: Books No One Belongs Here More Than You, Miranda July, 2007 The First Bad Man, Miranda July, 2019 All Fours, Miranda July, 2024 Short Stories ‘Roy Spivey’, Miranda July, 2009 (The New Yorker) ‘The Metal Bowl’, Miranda July, 2017 (The New Yorker) ‘Women Have Been Misled About Menopause’, Susan Dominus, 2023 (The New York Times) What Fresh Hell Is This?, Heather Corinna, 2021 Long Island, Colm Tóibín, 2024 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Miranda July

Across half a dozen novels, Andrew O’Hagan has made a name for himself as an author of delicacy and grace, painting the community he comes from, in Scotland’s west, with tenderness and wry, affectionate humour. His latest, Caledonian Road, follows art historian Campbell Flynn. A man who is at a turning point and is about to come up against his own downfall. This week, Michael sits down with Andrew for a conversation about the Dickensian world he has created in his new novel and why he considers it his most optimistic book yet. Reading list: Our Fathers, Andrew O’Hagan, 1999 Be Near Me, Andrew O’Hagan, 2006 Mayflies, Andrew O’Hagan, 2020 Caledonian Road, Andrew O’Hagan, 2024 Lives of Girls and Women, Alice Munro, 1971  Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage, Alice Munro, 2001 Dear Life, Alice Munro, 2012 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Andrew O’Hagan

Winnie Dunn is used to being behind the scenes. As the general manager of Sweatshop Literacy Movement in Western Sydney, she has been instrumental in helping other writers find their voice. But now, the spotlight is on her. This week, Michael sits down with Winnie for a conversation about her debut novel, Dirt Poor Islanders. She reflects on the demonising narratives she had to fight and the piece of writing advice that she’d given to others that resonated for her. Reading list: Dirt Poor Islanders, Winnie Dunn, 2024 I Am Lupe, Sela Ahosivi-Atiola, Yani Agustina, 2023 Only the Astronauts, Ceridwen Dovey, 2024 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Winnie Dunn

Sloane Crosley is known for her funny and acerbic personal essays, including her New York Times’ best-selling collection I Was Told There’d Be Cake. But in her new memoir she digs much deeper to examine the loss of her best friend. This week, Michael sits down with Sloane to discuss Grief Is For People, and Sloane reveals the challenges of writing an intimate portrait of a singular friendship. Reading list: I Was Told There’d Be Cake, Sloane Crosley, 2008 How Did You Get This Number, Sloane Crosley, 2010 Look Alive Out There, Sloane Crosley, 2018 Cult Classic, Sloane Crosley, 2022 Grief Is For People, Sloane Crosley, 2023 Truth and Beauty, Ann Patchett, 2004 The Writing Life, Annie Dillard, 1989 Stoner, John Williams, 1965 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Sloane Crosley

We're off this Thursday, but we'll be back next week. Email us: readthis@schwartzmedia.com.au Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter

Morris Gleitzman is an Australian institution. A beloved author of novels for young people, Morris is known for his ability to be funny and warm without shying away from the realities of life. He has been writing for almost half a century now and has delighted generations of readers with his more than 40 books of fiction. This week, Michael and Morris sit down to reflect on Morris’s multi-generational impact and to discuss his latest novel, Tweet. Reading list: Two Weeks with the Queen, Morris Gleitzman, 1989 Misery Guts, Morris Gleitzman, 1991 Worry Warts, Morris Gleitzman, 1992 Blabber Mouth, Morris Gleitzman, 1993 Sticky Beak, Morris Gleitzman, 1994 Now, Morris Gleitzman, 2010 Tweet, Morris Gleitzman, 2024 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Morris Gleitzman

Patrick deWitt has made a career out of creating eccentric, unforgettable characters. From his gun-slinging duo in the darkly comic The Sisters Brothers, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize to the severely unsympathetic down-at-heel aristocrats in The French Exit. But in his fifth novel, The Librarianist, Patrick employs his signature verve and wit to reveal the extraordinary in the otherwise ordinary life of retired librarian Bob Comet. This week, Patrick joins Michael in the studio for a conversation about the joys of being an introvert, making friends at 40, and writing his latest novel. Reading list: The Sisters Brothers, Patrick deWitt, 2011 Undermajordomo Minor, Patrick deWitt, 2015 French Exit, Patrick deWitt, 2018 The Librarianist, Patrick deWitt, 2023 Deep Blue: The World in the Ocean, James Bradley, 2024 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Patrick deWitt

Star investigative journalist Louise Milligan has spent her career working on some of the most high-profile criminal cases in Australia. This incredible breadth of experience informs her first novel Pheasant’s Nest, which follows the abduction of a young journalist and provides a unique insight into the media, policing and politics that surround a crime like this. This week, Michael sits down with Louise to discuss the leap from reporting to fiction and why writing this book was a kind of therapy.  Reading list: Cardinal, Louise Milligan, 2017 Witness, Louise Milligan, 2020 Pheasant’s Nest, Louise Milligan, 2024 A Year of Last Things, Michael Ondaatje, 2024 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Louise Milligan

Even if you’re not an obsessive Ancient Rome aficionado, you may have heard of Mary Beard. With more than 20 books to her name, including the wildly successful SPQR, Mary might be most famous for her work as a BBC host for shows such as Pompeii: Life and Death in a Roman Town and Julius Caesar Revealed. Her latest book is Emperor of Rome and this week on the show she sits down with Michael to discuss her life sentence — the half dozen words that set her on the path to becoming Britain’s best-known classicist — and why the Roman Empire is so misunderstood. Reading list: SPQR, Mary Beard, 2015 Twelve Caesars, Mary Beard, 2021 Emperor of Rome, Mary Beard, 2023 Meditations, Marcus Aurealius, 167 A.C.E.. Tidelines, Sarah Sasson, 2024 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Mary Beard

Jonathan Lethem made his name with his 1999 novel Motherless Brooklyn, but it was his next book, a semi-autobiographical re-telling of his childhood in Brooklyn, The Fortress of Solitude, that solidified his reputation as one of America's most celebrated authors. In Brooklyn Crime Novel, Jonathan returns to the Brooklyn of his childhood, but this time with a very different perspective. This week, Michael and Jonathan discuss making and unmaking the past in his latest book. Reading list: Motherless Brooklyn, Jonathan Lethem, 1999 The Fortress of Solitude, Jonathan Lethem, 2003 Brooklyn Crime Novel, Jonathan Lethem, 2023 Edenglassie, Melissa Lucashenko, 2023 The Restless Dolly Maunder, Kate Grenville, 2023 Wifedom, Anna Funder, 2023 The Wren, The Wren, Anne Enright, 2023 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Jonathan Lethem

Anne Enright has been publishing books for more than two decades, winning numerous awards, including the Booker Prize for her 2007 novel, The Gathering. This week, Michael sits down with Anne for a wide-ranging conversation about the changing cultural context she is writing into, how a multiplicity of perspectives shape her work, and her latest book The Wren, The Wren. Reading list: The Gathering, Anne Enright, 2007 The Forgotten Waltz, Anne Enright, 2011 The Green Road, Anne Enright, 2015 Actress, Anne Enright, 2020 The Wren, the Wren, Anne Enright, 2023 Orbital, Samantha Harvey, 2023 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Anne Enright

When Nam Le’s debut book of short stories, The Boat, came out in 2008, it was met with unanimous praise and scooped up awards from around the world. Now, 16 years later, Nam has produced his follow up called 36 Ways to Write A Vietnamese Poem. This week, Michael sits down with Nam to discuss his latest work and the importance of violence in his conception of poetry and language. Reading list: The Boat, Nam Le, 2008 On David Malouf, Nam Le, 2019 36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem, Nam Le, 2014 What Happened to Nina?, Dervla McTiernan, 2024 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Nam Le

Joseph Conrad only ever captained one ship in his lifetime – the Otago. In a strange turn of events, the wreckage of Joseph Conrad’s ship now lies on the banks of the Derwent River in Hobart. And it's there that novelist Gail Jones took the inspiration for her latest novel, One Another. This week, Michael sits down with Gail for a wide-ranging discussion about desire, hauntings, and the life and work of Joseph Conrad. Reading list: Black Mirror, Gail Jones, 2002 Sixty Lights, Gail Jones, 2004 Dreams of Speaking, Gail Jones, 2006 Sorry, Gail Jones, 2007 Five Bells, Gail Jones, 2011 A Guide to Berlin, Gail Jones, 2015 The Death of Noah Glass, Gail Jones, 2018 Our Shadows, Gail Jones, 2020 Salonika Burning, Gail Jones, 2022 Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad, 1899 The Secret Agent, Joseph Conrad, 1907 Always Will Be, Mykaela Saunders, 2024 The Best Minds, Jonathan Rosen, 2023 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Gail Jones

Erik Jensen was just 20 years old when he met Australian author Kate Jennings for the first time, forging a close relationship that continued until Kate’s death in 2021. This week, Michael chats with The Saturday Paper’s editor in chief about Kate’s life and her underappreciated work and Erik shares why her novel, Snake, is the best Australian book he’s ever read. Reading list: Snake, Kate Jennings, 1996 Moral Hazard, Kate Jennings, 2002 Cats, Dogs and Pitchforks, Kate Jennings, 1993 On Kate Jennings, Erik Jensen, 2017 I said the sea was folded: Love poems, Erik Jensen, 2021 Angry at Breakfast, Erik Jensen, 2024 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Erik Jensen

This week, Michael chats with author Briohny Doyle, whose most recent novel Why We Are Here explores the complexities of grief, both individual and collective. They discuss the role of writing during the pandemic and how relationships with non-human others enable us to access repressed parts of ourselves. Reading list: The Island Will Sink, Briohny Doyle, 2013 Adult Fantasy, Briohny Doyle, 2017 Echolalia, Briohny Doyle, 2021 Why We Are Here, Briohny Doyle, 2023 The Great Undoing, Sharlene Allsopp, 2024 Tremor, Teju Cole, 2023 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Briohny Doyle

For our first episode of 2024, Michael speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks. She shares her life sentence and reflects on how her upbringing provided the perfect building blocks for a career as a writer. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Reading list: Nine Parts of Desire, Geraldine Brooks, 1994 Foreign Correspondence, Geraldine Brooks, 1997 March, Geraldine Brooks, 2005 Horse, Geraldine Brook, 2022 Dreams of My Russian Summers, Andreï Makine, 1995 We All Lived In Bondi Then, Georgia Blain, 2024 A Day in the Life of Abed Salama, Nathan Thrall, 2023 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store.  Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Geraldine Brooks

For our last show of the year, Michael heads 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: The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett, 2020 Down and Out In Paris and London, George Orwell, 1933 My Body, Emily Ratajkowski, 2021 Ghosts, Dolly Alderton, 2020 The Creative Act: A Way of Being, Rick Rubin, 2023 The Road, Cormac McCarthy, 2006 Working Class Boy, Jimmy Barnes, 2018 Never Never, Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher, 2023 The Spy’s Wife, Fiona McIntosh, 2021 Lioness, Emily Perkins, 2023 And Then She Fell, Alicia Elliott, 2023 The Palestine Laboratory, Anthony Loewenstein, 2023 England’s Green, Zaffar Kunial, 2022 The Sullivanians, Alexander Stille, 2023 Everyone and Everything, Nadine J. Cohen, 2023 Why We Are Here, Briohny Doyle, 2023 The Thursday Murder Club, Richard Osman, 2020 Middlemarch, George Eliot, 1871 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. Or if you want to listen to them as audiobooks, you can head to the Read This reading room on Apple Books. Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter

Max Porter, best known for his debut novel Grief is the Thing with Feathers, has long been inspired by literature – reading it, listening to it, and, most importantly, sharing it with others. This week, Max shares the piece of writing that changed his life and reveals why every single time he thinks about it, its power renews itself like a rechargeable battery. Reading list: Grief is the Thing with Feathers, Max Porter, 2015 Lanny, Max Porter, 2019 The Death of Francis Bacon, Max Porter, 2021 Shy, Max Porter, 2023 Memorial, Alice Oswald, 2011 Hope in the Dark, Rebecca Solnit, 2004 Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility, ed. Rebecca Solnit and Thelma Young Lutunatabua, 2023 The Complete Poems, Emily Dickinson, 2017 Day, Michael Cunningham, 2023 Roman Stories, Jhumpa Lahiri, 2023 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. Or if you want to listen to them as audiobooks, you can head to the Read This reading room on Apple Books. Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Max Porter