Explore every episode of the podcast A Podcast of One's Own with Julia Gillard

In this special live event recording in Adelaide, Julia Gillard chairs an exceptional panel to discuss how we can all join together to fight misogyny.

Julia is joined by Ben Vasiliou, CEO of The Man Cave, Chanel Contos, CEO of Teach Us Consent and Professor Michelle Ryan, Director of the Global Institute of Women’s Leadership at ANU.

The panel delves into how misogyny affects and constrains both men and women who feel forced to conform to particular gender stereotypes, and how vital it is that we join forces on research, advocacy and outreach.

Show notes:

To learn more about the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership visit https://giwl.anu.edu.au/

To learn more about the work of The Man Cave visit https://themancave.life/

To learn more about the work of Teach Us Consent visit https://www.teachusconsent.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special interview episode of Julia's Book Club, we welcome award-winning writer, political scientist and activist Elif Shafak back to the podcast to discuss her brand-new novel, In One Brief Moment All Eternity.

The book tells the story of 19th century author Gustave Flaubert, but this is not historical fiction as we usually know it. The story unfolds through a remarkable chorus of voices: the women who shaped or crossed his life, including his mother, the servant who raised him, and his most famous creation, Madame Bovary. Other voices belong to Istanbul, to ghosts, and even to Flaubert’s illness and opium.

In this conversation, Elif shares what drew her to Flaubert, her inspiration for the novel’s unusual structure, and the stories history leaves unheard. Julia and Elif also discuss the often complicated relationship between writers and their characters, and the striking parallels between Flaubert’s prosecution and Elif’s own experience.

Show notes

You can find out more about In One Brief Moment All Eternity here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/460464/in-one-brief-moment-all-eternity-by-shafak-elif/9780241745465.

We first welcomed Elif Shafak to the podcast back in 2024. You can catch up with her interview with Julia here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/elif-shafak-on-the-power-of-storytelling/id1466658814?i=1000666169272 and our deep dive of her last novel, There Are Rivers in the Sky on Julia's Book Club here: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/julias-book-club-there-are-rivers-in-the-sky/id1466658814?i=1000671591621 on Apple Podcasts, or find these episodes wherever you get your podcasts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Julia is joined by Sharon Bhagwan-Rolls, a leading Pacific feminist and peacebuilder who has spent more than three decades ensuring women’s voices shape the decisions that affect their lives, from local communities across the Pacific to the United Nations Security Council.

Sharon reflects on the family and intergenerational women’s movement that shaped her activism, and how political upheaval in Fiji influenced her understanding of democracy, peace and women’s leadership. She and Julia discuss the vital role women play in peacebuilding and disaster response, why climate change must be understood as a human-rights issue, and how local women’s knowledge can inform decision-making on the world stage. They also look ahead to COP31 and explore the Pacific’s leadership in the global climate movement.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this month’s Book Club episode, Julia Gillard and her co-host Kathy Lette discuss May We Feed the King, the debut fiction novel from British poet Rebecca Perry.

The novel won Waterstone’s Debut Fiction Prize and has been shortlisted for the 2026 Booker Prize.

The novel tells the story of a curator, who dresses the rooms of historic buildings using furniture, ornaments and fake food. While working in a medieval palace, the curator becomes transfixed by the reign of a reluctant and mostly forgotten King.

As readers are taken back to the time of the King, Perry poses questions about how history is recorded, who it’s determined by and what makes a good leader.

Julia and Kathy discuss how Perry’s talents as a poet shine through in the beautiful prose, what they look for in a fiction novel and how some elements of this book did not resonate with them.

Show notes:

May We Feed the King by Rebecca Perry is published in Australia by Allen and Unwin.

To find out more about the Booker Prize visit https://thebookerprizes.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sherele Moody is an award-winning journalist, anti-violence campaigner and founder of the RED HEART Movement and Australian Femicide Watch. For more than a decade, Sherele has tirelessly documented every woman and child who has been violently killed in Australia, telling their stories to ensure they are remembered for who they were, not defined by how they died or reduced to a headline or statistic. 

For Sherele, this work is deeply personal. As a young woman, she discovered that her stepfather had murdered two girls: five-year-old Sandra Dorothy Bacon and nine-year-old Stacey-Ann Tracy. Although she never met them, their stories profoundly shaped her life and work.

In this deeply moving conversation, Sherele tells Julia about her childhood, the devastating truth she learned about her stepfather and how it led her into a life of journalism and activism. They discuss the RED HEART Movement, Sherele's work with families, the importance of remembering victims beyond the circumstances of their deaths, and what must change to create a safer future for women and children.

Content warning: This episode contains discussion of childhood abuse, sexual violence, domestic and family violence, and the murder of women and children. Please take care while listening.

If anything raised in this conversation affects you, or you’re concerned about someone you know, you can contact 1800RESPECT 24 hours a day by calling 1800 737 732, texting 0458 737 732 or visiting https://1800respect.org.au/. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, please call Triple Zero.

Show notes

There are a number of different ways you can learn more about Sherele's work and how you can support it:

• Learn more about Sherele’s work and the RED HEART Movement here: https://australianfemicidewatch.org/
• Support this work by donating here: https://australianfemicidewatch.org/support/
• Shop RED HEART merchandise, with proceeds supporting Sherele’s work: https://australianfemicidewatch.org/shop-2/
• Find other ways to take action here: https://australianfemicidewatch.org/take-action/
• Listen to Sherele’s She Matters podcast here: https://australianfemicidewatch.org/podcast/
• And learn about the campaign for a Femicide Royal Commission and sign the petition here: https://australianfemicidewatch.org/campaigns/femicide-royal-commission/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this extra special crossover episode, Julia is joined by Sophie Gee, co-host of The Secret Life of Books podcast, for a joyful conversation celebrating their shared love of books and reading.

Julia and Sophie compare notes on hosting book podcasts, share their lifelong love of literature, and reflect on their experiences chairing two of the world's leading literary prizes for women and non-binary writers – the Women's Prize for Fiction and the Stella Prize.

Sophie is a Professor of English at Princeton University, author of The Scandal of the Season, Chair of the 2026 Stella Prize judging panel and of course, hosts The Secret Life of Books, alongside her co-host, Jonty Claypole.

Show notes

If you enjoyed this conversation, you can find The Secret Life of Books, hosted by Sophie Gee and Jonty Claypole, wherever you get your podcasts.

Julia and Sophie reflect on this year's Women's Prize for Fiction and Stella Prize, celebrating outstanding books by women and non-binary writers. You can explore the 2026 Stella Prize shortlist here: https://stella.org.au/the-stella-prize-2026-shortlist/ and find out more about the Women's Prize for Fiction here: https://womensprize.com/.

They also discuss this year's winning titles: The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, winner of the Women's Prize for Fiction, and Cannon by Lee Lai, the first graphic novel to win the Stella Prize. Find out more about The Correspondent here: https://womensprize.com/library/the-correspondent/ and Cannon here: https://stella.org.au/the-stella-prize-2026-winner/.

The episode also explores the future of reading in the age of AI, including trends in reading for pleasure in Australia. You can read more in Creative Australia's latest National Arts Participation Survey here: https://australiareads.org.au/news/naps-2025/.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this month’s episode of Julia’s Book Club, Julia Gillard and Sarah Holland-Batt discuss a truly iconic novel that became a cultural phenomenon, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.

First published in 1985, the story follows Offred, a woman who has been assigned as a Handmaid to a household in the Republic of Gilead, a religious totalitarian state that has overthrown the United States government amidst environmental catastrophe, political instability and declining birth rates. Offred’s sole function is to produce children. 

Julia and Sarah discuss why this book has continuously resonated with readers over the four decades since it was released. 

They also delve into its wider cultural impact, through the hugely successful television series starring Elizabeth Moss and at present day political protests.

Show notes:

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is available online and at all good bookstores. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a special live recording from the 2026 Women Deliver conference in Melbourne, Julia Gillard interviews Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant. 

Julie began her career working in Washington at the dawn of the digital age, and went on to work for Microsoft, Twitter and Adobe.

Over time she became increasingly concerned about what technology companies could do to keep people safe, and what they were actually doing.

Now, as Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, she’s working to close that gap by leading world-first efforts to regulate social media, protect children online, and hold some of the world’s most powerful companies to account.

Show notes:

To learn more about the work of the eSafety Commission visit https://www.esafety.gov.au/

To learn more about Women Deliver visit https://womendeliver.org/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this month’s episode of Julia’s Book Club, Julia Gillard and Kathy Lette discuss Yesteryear, the hit debut novel from Caro Claire Burke.

Yesteryear follows Natalie - a wife and mother living on a ranch in Idaho and promoting a traditional lifestyle to her many millions of followers on social media. One day Natalie wakes up in a strange version of reality, where her home and family look similar but different.

What follows is a fascinating examination of tradition, fame, faith and the performative way so many of us live our lives. 

Julia and Kathy discuss how the book delves into some of the biggest issues facing our world today, the real life phenomenon of ‘tradwives’ on social media, and how well they each thought the twists and turns of the book played out. 

Show notes: 

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke is published by Harper Collins and is available in all good bookstores.

To learn more about the tradwives research at the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership visit https://www.kcl.ac.uk/giwl/assets/giwl-tradwife-report.pdf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode recorded live at the 2026 Hay Festival in Wales, Julia Gillard sits down with Thangam Debbonaire to discuss their roles as judges for this year’s Women Prize.

Julia is chairing the judging panel for the Women's Prize for Fiction, while Thangam is the chair of judges for the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction.

In this entertaining conversation the pair take listeners behind the scenes of judging one of the world’s most prestigious literary prizes. 

The prizes are awarded annually to a female author of any nationality for the best novel and non-fiction book of the year written in English and published in the UK.

Julia and Thangam talk about the rigours of reading dozens of books in a short time frame, heated debates amongst judges and the exceptional books on each shortlist. 

The winners will be announced in London on June 11.

Show notes: 

To learn more about the Women’s Prize and the books on the long and shortlists visit https://womensprize.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this very special episode of Julia’s Book Club, Julia Gillard and Sarah Holland-Batt discuss the work that inspired the name of this podcast.

Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own was originally delivered as two lectures at Girton College, Cambridge almost a hundred years ago.

Despite the passage of time many of the themes and ideas Woolf explores in this short but weighty book remain startlingly relevant today. 

Julia and Sarah discuss what has and hasn't changed for women since the 1920s, the evolution of women's writing and Virginia Woolf herself.

Content warning: this book and episode includes themes of mental illness, sexual abuse and suicide. Please take care while listening and if you need help or information please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au/

Show notes: A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf is published by Penguin Australia and is available at all good bookstores.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former AFLW player and gender equality advocate Akec Makur Chuot has lived an extraordinary life.

Born in South Sudan, she spent her early years in a refugee camp in Kenya before moving to Australia at age 11. She went on to become the first African woman drafted into the inaugural season of the AFLW, the national professional league for women’s Aussie rules football, helping to shape the game from the very beginning.

In this episode, Julia Gillard and Akec discuss her journey to Australia, how football became a bridge to belonging, and the responsibility of being a trailblazer in women’s sport.

They also explore her advocacy work beyond the field, including raising awareness of child marriage, supporting girls’ education, and using her platform to speak about the experiences of refugee communities.

Show notes

In this episode, we discuss Akec’s work with the 1,000 Girls World Vision campaign and her role as a Gender Equality Ambassador for Plan International. You can find out more about this work using the links below:

• https://www.worldvision.com.au/sponsor-a-child/1000-girls
• https://www.plan.org.au/our-work/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first Book Club episode of 2026 Julia Gillard and Kathy Lette delve into The Names, the hit debut novel by British author Florence Knapp.

The story begins in 1987 when a woman named Cora arrives at the registry office for what at first glance seems like a simple task: naming her newborn son. But for Cora it is a deeply complicated decision. Her husband expects her to follow family tradition and name him Gordon; she likes the name Julian; and her young daughter thinks her baby brother should be called Bear.

The story unfolds in three alternate narratives, each based on the name Cora chooses. Spanning 35 years, the book begs the age old question - what's in a name?

Julia and Kathy discuss the book's unique structure, generational trauma and their own sliding door moments.

Content warning: this book and discussion includes themes of physical and emotional abuse. Please be mindful of that and take care while listening today. If you need help or information please call 1800RESPECT or visit www.1800respect.org.au

Show notes:

See What You Made Me Do by Jess Hill is published by Black Inc Books https://www.blackincbooks.com.au/books/see-what-you-made-me-do-0

To learn more about the research discussed by Kathy and Julia please visit these sites:

https://www.unimelb.edu.au/newsroom/news/2024/july/radical-anti-feminism-the-most-prevalent-form-of-violent-extremism-in-australia,-report-finds

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/almost-a-third-of-gen-z-men-agree-a-wife-should-obey-her-husband

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode recorded live at the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London, Julia Gillard interviews author and broadcaster Caitlin Moran.

They delve into her hippy childhood, how she found her voice, the future of feminism and her book What About Men.

The event also launched the latest GIWL research into global attitudes towards gender equality, produced in conjunction with IPSOS UK. 

Julia and Caitlin are joined by Kelly Beaver, the Chief Executive of IPSOS UK and Ireland, for a fascinating discussion about the research findings, which highlight the growing generational divide in attitudes toward gender roles and the gap between personal beliefs and perceived social expectation.

Show notes:

Caitlin Moran’s books including What About Men are published by Penguin and are available in all good bookstores.

You can learn more about the GIWL/IPSOS UK research here: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/almost-a-third-of-gen-z-men-agree-a-wife-should-obey-her-husband

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To kick off our new season, Julia sits down with award-winning playwright and former criminal defence lawyer Suzie Miller.

Suzie’s work sits at the intersection of law, storytelling and social change. Before becoming one of the most influential voices in contemporary theatre, she spent years working inside the justice system as a criminal defence lawyer – an experience that would later shape many of her plays.

She is best known for her groundbreaking play Prima Facie, a one-woman production that premiered in Sydney before becoming a global phenomenon on the West End and Broadway. The play won major international awards and sparked powerful conversations about sexual assault, consent and the limits of the legal system.

In this conversation, Suzie reflects on her journey from the courtroom to the theatre, the responsibility of artists to engage with difficult truths, and why storytelling can sometimes shift public thinking in ways that policy and law cannot. She also discusses her latest play, Inter Alia, which continues her exploration of justice and power through a new lens — masculinity, parenting and accountability.

Together, Julia and Suzie discuss the power of theatre to challenge the justice system, shift public debate and spark cultural change.

This is a deep and wide-ranging discussion that touches on difficult topics, including rape, sexual assault and consent. We encourage listeners to be mindful of this before listening and to take care if these topics are difficult for them.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final episode of 2025 Julia Gillard and Kathy Lette look back on their favourite books of the year.

In a candid and funny chat they also discuss writing memoirs, the upcoming release of Kathy's new book, Julia's role as Chair of the Women's Prize for Fiction and their plans for the holiday season.

Show notes:

Kathy Lette's new novel The Sisterhood Rules will be published in Australia on February 3, 2026 and in the UK on April 9.

For more information about the Women's Prize for Fiction visit https://womensprize.com/prizes/womens-prize-for-fiction/

For more on our 2025 Julia's Book Club reads visit our Instagram page @apodcastofonesown

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month's episode of A Podcast of One's Own is a little unusual because you'll hear from two guests, who are unaccustomed to the limelight as they work in the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office which is one department of the UK’s national security community.

They're also both mums and in a long term job share. 

They talk to Julia about the stereotypes and misconceptions of their work, what it’s really like for women, diversity in national security and how they make job-sharing work in such an important area. 

For more on diversity in the intelligence sector:

https://giwl.anu.edu.au/our-research/classified-and-secret

https://giwl.anu.edu.au/our-research/why-do-women-remain-under-represented-international-affairs

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kelly T. Clements has made it her life’s mission to help people who have been displaced by war, violence, famine and other catastrophes.

Kelly has served as Deputy High Commissioner of UNHCR (The United Nations High Commission for Refugees) since 2015.

In this episode Julia Gillard and Kelly discuss her 30 year career that’s taken her to conflict zones around the world.

They delve into the devastating cutbacks to foreign aid spending and how that’s impacting millions of people in desperate need. 

Show notes:

To learn more about the work of UNHCR visit https://www.unhcr.org/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this month’s Book Club episode, Julia Gillard and her co-host Sarah Holland-Batt explore Highway 13 by internationally acclaimed Australian author Fiona McFarlane.

The award-winning book is a series of loosely connected short stories focusing on the lives of everyday people who have all been affected by a single serial killer in a small Australian town.

Paul Biga is arrested and charged over the brutal murders of at least a dozen backpackers and hitchhikers along an Australian highway in the 1990s.

The reverberations of his crimes stretch far and wide, with McFarlane delving into the past and the future, and across continents, to explore the impact on those with strong links to the killer, as well as those with an interest in the case.

Julia and Sarah discuss how the book connects to real life cases and places and which stories left the biggest impression on them .

Show notes:

Highway 13 is published by Allen & Unwin and available in most good book shops.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Julia Gillard sits down with former New Zealand Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern.

Jacinda was just 37 years old when she was elected Prime Minister, and a few months later became the second leader in history to give birth while in office, when she welcomed her daughter Neve.

This year Jacinda published her memoir - A Different Kind of Power - an aptly named book for someone who always pushed back against stereotypes and assumptions about what leadership is, and asked the question, what if kindness came first? 

In this conversation Julia and Jacinda discuss their experiences as women leaders, Jacinda’s journey to the Prime Ministership and what life looks like for her now post-politics.

Show notes:

A Different Kind of Power is published by Penguin and is available at all good bookstores.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a special Book Club episode, Julia Gillard sits down with Global Institute for Women’s Leadership Chair Professor Michelle Ryan to discuss The Book of Guilt by New Zealand author Catherine Chidgey.

The Book of Guilt is a deeply unsettling exploration of autonomy, identity, and morality.

It’s set in an alternate England in 1979 – where Hitler’s assassination in 1943 led to a negotiated peace and a chillingly different trajectory for post-war Britain.

The story follows three identical boys: Vincent, William, and Lawrence, who are the last remaining residents of a bleak, run-down state children’s institution. 

The boys are part of a mysterious government project, called The Sycamore Scheme, subjected to meticulous routines, daily medication, and round-the-clock surveillance.

In a conversation recorded at GIWL at ANU in Canberra, Julia and Michelle discuss the book’s twists and turns, and how it explores humankind’s treatment of those deemed “the other’.

Show notes:

The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey is published by Penguin Books and is available at all good bookstores.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Katherine Bennell-Pegg was in high school, she was asked to write down three career options to pursue. She wrote down one - astronaut.

Last year, she not only fulfilled that ambition but she made history in doing so, becoming Australia’s first female astronaut and the first person to qualify as an astronaut under the Australian flag.

For this episode, Julia met Katherine at the Australian Space Agency in Adelaide, where the mother-of-two is the Director of Space Technology.

They discussed the intense training she’s undergone, her passion to progress action on global issues like climate change, the importance of diversity in space and why space travel is worth the risks.

Show notes:

Learn more about Katherine Bennell-Pegg and the work of the Australian Space Agency:

https://www.space.gov.au/Katherine-Bennell-Pegg

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this month's Book Club episode, Julia Gillard and her co-host Kathy Lette discuss Tell Me Everything, the latest novel by Pulitzer Prize winning author Elizabeth Strout.

Tell Me Everything is Strout's 10th novel, and it returns readers to the fictional town of Crosby, Maine - where several of her novels have taken place. It also features many of the characters from her previous books, including Lucy Barton and Olive Kitteridge.

In this story, the town lawyer Bob Burgess takes on a case defending a man suspected of killing his own mother. But, as Julia and Kathy discuss, the case is only one part of a sprawling story that examines love, grief, family, the importance of friendship and everyone’s search to find meaning in their life.

Show notes:

Tell Me Everything is published by Penguin and is available in all good bookstores.

Learn more about Kathy Lette at https://www.kathylette.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this live event recording Julia sits down with the UK's Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities Bridget Phillipson. 

In a wide-ranging conversation, they reflect on her journey from a working-class upbringing in Sunderland and running a domestic abuse refuge, to becoming a Cabinet Minister in the first Labour government for 14 years.

The pair discuss the state of gender equality today, tackling misogyny and violence against women and girls, and emerging divisions between young men and women on gender roles and women's rights.

They are later joined by Kelly Beaver, Chief Executive of Ipsos UK and Ireland, to discuss the latest findings from a global study of attitudes towards gender equality, carried out jointly by Ipsos and the Global Institute for Women's Leadership.

Show notes:

To learn more about the latest research by IPSOS and GIWL head to https://www.ipsos.com/en/international-womens-day-2025

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Book Club episode, Julia Gillard and her cohost Sarah Holland-Batt dive into Audition, the latest novel from Katie Kitamura.

Audition follows an unnamed actress as she rehearses a play that blurs the lines between performance and personal history. When a mysterious young man appears, claiming to be her son, she’s drawn into a spiral of uncertainty that challenges her sense of self and reality.

Together, Julia and Sarah unpack the novel’s themes of identity, motherhood, and the shifting boundaries between truth and fiction. They explore how the story's psychologically rich but uncanny style highlights the tension between who we are and who the world asks us to be.

Join us for a thoughtful discussion on power, performance, and the quiet ways women resist being written into roles they didn’t choose.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cheng Lei was riding high in a successful career as a news anchor in China when her life changed in an instant. 

Lei is a Chinese born Australian citizen and mother of two, who spent more than three years detained in a Beijing prison after being wrongly accused of illegally supplying state secrets. 

In this emotional and candid conversation, Julia and Lei delve into her early life in China and then Melbourne, her exciting journalism career around Asia and the ordeal that changed her and her family’s lives forever. 

Show notes

Cheng Lei’s book A Memoir of Freedom is published by Harper Collins and is available at all good bookstores.

Her documentary Cheng Lei: My Story is available via Sky News.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this month’s book club episode Julia Gillard and Kathy Lette discuss Fundamentally, by Nussaibah Younis. 

It’s the British author’s debut novel and it follows the story of Nadia Amin - an academic disowned by her mother and dumped by her long-term partner, who accepts a job with the United Nations in Iraq to rehabilitate ISIS women so their home countries will take them back.

While struggling to get the program off the ground amidst the opaque world of international aid, Nadia meets Sara, a fellow Londoner who was radicalised when she was just 15 years old.

Julia and Kathy delve into the book’s dark humour and complex characters, and its exploration of faith, identity and family.

Fundamentally is published by Orion, an imprint of Hachette Australia.

https://www.hachette.com.au/nussaibah-younis/fundamentally-shortlisted-for-the-2025-womens-prize-for-fiction

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Julia's Book Club, Julia and co-host Sarah Holland-Batt delve into Theory & Practice by Australian author, Michelle de Kretser.

Short-listed for the Stella Prize, the seventh novel from the Miles Franklin winner tells the story of a first generation immigrant from Sri Lanka living in Melbourne in the 1980s.

The young academic is writing a thesis on Virginia Woolf, who this podcast is named in honour of, when she begins a love affair with a man who is in a "deconstructed relationship".

Part fiction, part essay, Julia and Sarah explore the themes of feminism, class, jealousy, maternal relationships and how to cope when the failings of those we most admire come to light.

Theory & Practice is published in Australia by Text Publishing.

https://www.textpublishing.com.au/books/theory-practice

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode, we take you inside Julia's first ever Australian live recording of A Podcast of One's Own.

Recorded in front of an audience at the Australian National University in Canberra, home to the Global Institute for Women's Leadership, Julia is joined on stage by one of Australia's most respected journalists, Leigh Sales.

The pair discuss Leigh's incredible career achievements, preparing for Prime Ministerial interviews, telling stories of tragedy, the power of podcasts and her latest project.

Show notes:

Leigh has authored several books, including her latest book Storytellers. They are available in all good book stores.

This live event was held in support of the Global Institute for Women's Leadership (GIWL), which brings together rigorous research, practice and advocacy to advance gender equality and promote fair and equal access to leadership.

You can learn more about GIWL by visiting giwl.anu.edu.au or support their work at https://engage.anu.edu.au/giving/GIWL

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our April Book Club episode, Julia and Kathy unpack Butter, the cult Japanese bestseller by Asako Yuzuki.

Inspired by the real-life case of the “Konkatsu Killer” and translated into English, the book follows journalist Rika Machida as she tries to get inside the mind of convicted serial murderer Manako Kajii.

Kajii, a gourmet cook, is serving time behind bars for the murders of lonely businessmen who she seduced with her delicious home cooking.

What follows is an intimate and unsettling relationship between Rika and Kajii, as Rika recreates Kajii’s recipes and finds her obsession with the inmate beginning to cloud her judgment on the case and impact her relationships with those around her.

Julia and Kathy explore the central themes of feminism, body image and obsession, and how food ties them all together.

Butter is published in Australia by HarperCollins and available at most book stores.

https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9780008511692/butter/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Julia Gillard is joined by Dr. Beverley Ditsie – pioneering filmmaker, artist, and gender non-conforming activist – whose fearless activism has shaped the fight for queer rights in South Africa and beyond.

From co-founding South Africa’s first multiracial LGBTQ+ rights group at just 16 to leading the country’s first Pride March in 1990, Beverley has been at the forefront of the battle for equality for decades. In 1995, Bev made history as the first openly lesbian person to address the United Nations, demanding global recognition of LGBTQ+ rights as human rights.

In this powerful conversation, Beverley reflects on growing up in apartheid-era South Africa, defying rigid gender norms as a child actor, and using storytelling as a tool for resistance. Bev discusses the intersectionality of race, gender, and sexuality in activism, the urgent need to protect queer communities in the face of rising violence, and why the patriarchy is in its final fight for survival.

In their conversation, Beverley and Julia discuss Simon and I, Bev's award-winning documentary telling the story of her friend and mentor, Simon Nkoli, set against the backdrop of intense political activism and the HIV/AIDS crisis in South Africa. The documentary is available to watch for free on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj56iZNVZ-c

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our first Book Club episode of 2025, Julia and co-host Sarah Holland-Batt explore the newly-released Wild Dark Shore by Australian author, Charlotte McConaghy.

Out this month, the mystery novel is set on a tiny, remote island near Antarctica, where Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers.

The island is home to the world’s largest seed bank. But with sea levels rising, the family needs to move the precious cargo to safer land before it’s lost to the ocean.

As each character is grappling with personal trauma, a woman mysteriously washes ashore during a storm. The family nurses her back to health and she begins to earn their trust and affection. But why is she there? What are her true motives?

Julia and Sarah explore the central themes of loss and grief, isolation, climate change, parenthood and explain why this book has something for everyone.

Wild Dark Shore is published by Penguin Australia and available in most book stores.

https://www.penguin.com.au/books/wild-dark-shore-9781761620003

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eluned Morgan is the first woman to lead Wales.

Before that, she made history as the youngest member of the European Parliament at just 27 years old.

Ahead of International Women’s Day, Julia travelled to Cardiff to sit down with the First Minister in her office.

In this season-opener, they discuss Ms Morgan’s political upbringing, her path to the leadership, building resilience, misogyny on social media, how her faith shapes her politics and her life away from from the public eye.

Show notes:

To learn more about Eluned Morgan and the Welsh Government:

https://www.gov.wales/eluned-morgan-ms

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final episode of 2024 Julia sits down with her good friend Josephine Linden to discuss their favourite books of the year, and look ahead to the new releases they can’t wait to read in 2025.

Thank you to all our listeners for joining us again this season, the whole A Podcast of One’s Own team hopes you’ve enjoyed the interviews and book club episodes as much as we have!

Show notes:

Books discussed by Julia and Josephine during this episode include: 

The Enigma of Room 662 by Joel Dicker

The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair by Joel Dicker

The Precipice by Robert Harris 

The Good War of Consul Reeves by Peter Rose

A Memoir of My Former Self by Hilary Mantel

Old Filth Trilogy by Jane Gardam

A Place of Safety by Hilary Mantel

The six books on the Booker Prize Shortlist can be found here: https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/prize-years/2024

Wifedom by Anna Funder

The Fraud by Zadie Smith

On the Edge: The Art of Risking Everything by Nate Silver

When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut

Naku Dharuk The Bark Petitions: How the People of Yirrkala Changed the Course of Australian Democracy by Clare Wright

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode of A Podcast of One’s Own, we take you inside Julia’s live event with international best-selling author, Paula Hawkins, at the Hay Festival Winter Weekend.

After the huge global success of Paula’s first novel ‘The Girl on the Train’, the pair sat down to explore her latest thriller ‘The Blue Hour’.

Set on a Scottish tidal island connected to the mainland for just a few hours a day and home to only one inhabitant, the novel asks questions about ambition, power, art and perception.

Julia also asks Paula about her literary career to date and future works.

Show notes:

The Blue Hour is published by Penguin and available at all good book stores.

https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-blue-hour-9781529938074

To learn more about the Hay Festival, visit https://www.hayfestival.com/home

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr June Oscar AO is a is a proud Bunuba woman from the remote town of Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia’s Kimberley region.

Her remarkable decades-long career has taken her from a small office in a cattle station in a tiny Western Australian town, to serving a five-year term as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. June was the first woman to hold this role in its 20-year history and used her position to advocate for, and empower, indigenous women and girls across Australia. The story of how she got there and all the change she has achieved along the way is truly inspiring.

Today, June continues to champion the rights of First Nations women and girls through the new First Nations Gender Justice Institute, based at the Australian National University.

In this episode, June takes Julia through this remarkable journey. They discuss June's legacy as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and her ongoing work with the incredible Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) project at the First Nations Gender Justice Institute.

• Learn more about the Wiyi Yani U Thangani Institute for First Nations Gender Justice: https://wiyiyaniuthangani.humanrights.gov.au/first-nations-gender-justice-institute

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angie Murimirwa personifies the transformative power of education.

Growing up in Zimbabwe, Angie was one of the first girls to receive support from the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) to go to secondary school.

Angie is now the organisation’s CEO.

In this episode Julia - who is Patron of CAMFED - and Angie discuss the huge barriers to education that many girls still face, and the impact finishing school has on not only an individual, but also their family and community.

They also talk about the alumni association Angie helped set up, that’s now several hundred-thousand women strong and has become a powerful network of women leaders across Africa.

Show notes:

You can learn more about CAMFED and how you can support its efforts here - https://camfed.org/aus/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been arguably the most eventful US Presidential campaign in history and the stakes couldn’t be higher, not just for the United States, but for the world.

There’s been two assassination attempts on Republican nominee Donald Trump, who became the first US President to be convicted of a felony over hush money payments to an adult film star.

We've seen President and Democratic nominee Joe Biden sensationally withdraw from the race after the most disastrous presidential debate performance in history and replaced by America’s first woman of colour to run for the White House, Vice President Kamala Harris.

In this special US election episode, Julia sits down with American political analyst, Amy Walter from The Cook Political Report, for a deep dive on each swing state, the current state of play, how gender and reproductive rights are influencing the campaign and what we can expect when voters head to the polls on November 5.

Show notes:

To learn more about the electoral college ratings, go to: https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/2024-president/

To learn more about the states where abortion is on the ballot, go to:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/abortion-ballot-measures/

Bruce Wolpe is an expert on US and Australian politics, having worked in the US Congress during President Barack Obama's first term and as a senior advisor to A Podcast of One’s Own host, Julia Gillard, when she was Prime Minister. His book, Trump’s Australia, is published by Allen & Unwin:

https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Bruce-Wolpe-Trump's-Australia-9781761068096

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Julia’s Book Club, Julia and co-host Sarah Holland-Batt delve into the latest novel by best-selling author, Elif Shafak. There are Rivers in the Sky charts the story of three characters from across history brought together by two great rivers, with one epic poem flowing through the story. Spanning centuries and continents, the novel follows a single drop of water from the Tigris to the Thames, from antiquity to the 19th century to the modern day.

While exploring the rich histories laid out in the novel, Julia and Sarah also consider its central question – how does history get told, and who gets to tell it? They also reflect on Shafak's exploration of global inequalities across the novel – from the poverty of a class-divided Victorian London, to the far more recent persecution of the Yazidi people (and especially the women) in war-ravaged Iraq, to the impacts of climate change on the fragile ecosystems of rivers like the Tigris and the Thames.

If the name Elif Shafak sounds familiar, that's because we were lucky enough to have her join us on the podcast back in August. If you've not heard it yet, you can catch up with that interview here, or find it wherever you're listening to this episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/elif-shafak-on-the-power-of-storytelling/id1466658814?i=1000666169272.

If you'd like to learn more about Gilgamesh, the epic poem that plays a central role in this novel, and the real-life figure of George Smith who inspired the character Arthur Smyth, you can read Gilgamesh: A New Translation of the Ancient Epic by Sophus Helle.

There are Rivers in the Sky is published by Penguin Australia and is available at all good bookstores.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alexis Wright is one of the most highly-regarded Australian authors in recent times, winning both the Miles Franklin Literary Award and the Stella Prize - twice.

Her work is challenging the traditional publishing world and asking some tough questions.

But her passions extend far beyond writing.

In this episode, Julia explores Alexis’ early beginnings as a young activist, her lifelong dedication to Indigenous land rights and her concerns around global warming, as well as her literary success.

Show notes:

Alexis’ latest novel Praiseworthy is published by Giramondo and is available at all good book stores.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Julia's Book Club, Julia and Kathy Lette sit down to discuss Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors.

Blue Sisters is the second novel from Mellors, following her bestselling debut Cleopatra and Frankenstein. It tells the story of three very different sisters – strait-laced lawyer Avery, party girl Lucky and stoic world champion boxer Bonnie – who are torn apart by grief and scattered to different corners of the globe after the sudden tragic death of their fourth sister, Nicky.

As the sisters try to come to terms with this devastating loss, the book explores the bonds of sisterhood, how grief changes us and the ways that addiction manifests between generations.

Julia and Kathy unpack these central themes of grief, sisterhood and addiction, and delve into the book's exploration of motherhood. Why do some women choose, or not choose to have children, what happens when that choice is taken away, and how much do our own mothers shape us?

Shownotes

• Blue Sisters is published by HarperCollins and is available at all good bookstores: https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9780008623012/blue-sisters/
• CW: This episode covers themes of addiction, and reproductive health, and parts of this conversation may be distressing for some listeners. If this brings up anything for you, help is available by contacting the 24-hour national counselling service 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732. You can also contact the Alcohol Drug Information Service (ADIS) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 1800 250 015.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elif Shafak is a best selling author, a political scientist and an advocate for women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights and freedom of expression.

In this episode Julia and Elif journey on a candid and deep conversation about Elif’s childhood in Turkey, what drew her to writing, and the lengths she’s had to go to keep telling the stories of those who are often silenced.

They also delve into Elif’s spectacular new novel There are Rivers in the Sky, and discuss why tackling the world’s water crisis is critical for the safety of women and girls.

Show notes:

Elif’s new novel There are Rivers in the Sky is published by Penguin and is available at all good book stores.

To learn more about Elif and her work go to https://www.elifsafak.com.tr/home

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this month’s Book Club episode, Julia and Kathy Lette explore Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder by internationally-renowned author, Salman Rushdie.

In his memoir, the Booker Prize winner recounts the horrifying moment he was stabbed, almost to death, while on stage in upstate New York, preparing to deliver a lecture on keeping writers safe from harm.

Julia and Kathy examine his incredible literary career, his life under 24-hour surveillance and the fatwa which led to the frenzied attack, reigniting debate around freedom of speech.

Kathy - a close friend of Rushdie's - also shares her personal insights of helping to care for him while he was in hiding and details his remarkable road to recovery.

Show notes:

• Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder by Salman Rushdie is published by Penguin and available at all good bookstores: https://www.penguin.com.au/books/knife-9781787334809

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Julia sits down with Domtila Chesang, an incredibly courageous woman who has dedicated her life to ending female genital mutilation in her home country, Kenya. 

In this powerful conversation Domtila explains how the devastatingly harmful practice impacts girls and women around the world, and how she’s working to educate and empower communities in order to stamp it out.

She details the pivotal moment in her life that started her journey as an activist. 

Julia and Domtila also discuss her selection as the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership’s first Changemaker - a program aimed at empowering activists dedicated to advancing gender equality.

CW: This episode discusses female genital mutilation and parts of this conversation may be distressing for some listeners. If this brings up anything for you, help is available by contacting the 24-hour national counselling service 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.

To learn more about Domtila's work visit https://irepfoundation.org/

To learn more about the Changemakers program visit https://www.kcl.ac.uk/research/changemakers

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this month’s Book Club episode, Julia and Sarah Holland-Batt discuss The Wren, The Wren by Man Booker prize winner, Anne Enright.

Shortlisted for the 2024 Women’s Prize for Fiction, the novel is told in three voices and explores an Irish family’s love, betrayal and intergenerational trauma.

Julia and Sarah delve into Enright’s poetry and unique writing style.

Show notes:

• The Wren, The Wren by Anne Enright is published by Penguin and available at all good bookstores: https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-wren-the-wren-9781529922905

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Katrina Gorry is a trailblazer on and off the pitch. Last year she stole our hearts in her record-breaking performance in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, making the highest number of tackles and covering the most ground of any player in the tournament. Katrina helped the Matildas reach the semi-finals for the first time ever, catapulting her and the rest of the team to the status of national treasures and putting women’s football on the map in Australia for the first time.

Speaking to Julia just after the birth of her second child Koby earlier this month, Katrina tells the remarkable story of her journey to motherhood and how she has balanced her lifelong dream of having a family alongside an elite sporting career.

As she prepares for the upcoming Paris Olympics, she reflects on the legacy of last year’s World Cup, how much progress has been achieved for women’s sports and what still needs to change to truly level the playing field.

In this episode, Julia and Katrina discuss her moving Australian Story documentary. This is available to watch on the ABC Youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GfhN0rdTS8

Katrina also references the Matildas’ Trailblazers documentary, which is essential viewing for anyone interested in learning more about the history of the Matildas, women’s football more broadly, and the ongoing battle for equal pay in the sport. The documentary is available to watch on Stan and you can find out more here: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/trailblazers-2024.

This conversation touches on themes of eating disorders. If this issue affects you or someone you know, Butterfly offers free confidential support. You can call their National Helpline on 1800 33 4673, chat online or email.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Julia's Book Club, Julia and Sarah Holland-Batt sit down together in London to discuss The Sun Walks Down, by Australian author Fiona McFarlane.

The Sun Walks Down tells the story of a remote South Australian town in the 1880s where a young boy has gone missing during a dust storm.

As the community rallies to find 6 year old Denny Wallace, readers experience the search, the town dynamics and the complex landscape surrounding them from the perspective of various characters, including Denny’s family, Indigenous trackers, Afghan cameleers, policemen, mothers, children and farmers. 

Julia and Sarah delve into the book’s exploration of colonialism, race and gender, and how it challenges the stereotypical narrative of a child lost in the bush.

Show notes

• The Sun Walks Down by Fiona McFarlane is published by Allen & Unwin and is available at all good bookstores - https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Fiona-McFarlane-Sun-Walks-Down-9781761066207

• To learn more about co-host Sarah Holland-Batt visit https://www.sarahhollandbatt.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For many Australians, and tennis fans around the world, Jelena Dokic is a household name.

In this episode, she opens up to Julia about her childhood surviving poverty and fleeing war-torn Yugoslavia, to her meteoric rise to fame on the tennis court, all the while silently suffering at the hands of an abusive father.

Now, the self-described 'victim, survivor, thriver' speaks openly about how she’s overcoming her mental health struggles and vicious online trolls to lead a happy and fulfilling life as a best-selling author, tennis commentator, motivational speaker and advocate against family violence.

Show notes:

Please be aware that parts of this episode may be distressing for some listeners. Help is available by contacting the 24-hour national counselling service 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.

If you need mental health support, visit Beyond Blue.

If you need crisis support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Jelena's books are published by Penguin and available at all good book stores.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this month’s Book Club episode Julia sits down with her good friend, best-selling author Kathy Lette, to discuss The Fraud, by British writer Zadie Smith.

The Fraud is a historical fiction novel set in the Victorian era, centred around a real life London court case - The Tichborne Trial.

England is captivated by the case, in which a man claims to be Sir Roger Tichborne - the heir to a large fortune and long believed dead. 

Julia and Kathy delve into the book’s exploration of race, gender, age and beauty, with many laughs along the way! 

Show notes:

• The Fraud by Zadie Smith is published by Penguin and available at all good bookstores.

• The Revenge Club by Kathy Lette is published by Bloomsbury and available at all good bookstores.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Katy Gallagher is Australia’s Federal Minister for Women, Minister for Finance and Minister for the Public Service.

In this candid conversation Julia and Katy delve into Katy’s early life growing up in Canberra, the tragic loss that shaped her path forward, her career in ACT and federal politics and how she’s working to better the lives of all Australian women through the Federal Government’s new strategy for gender equality.

Show notes:

Learn more about the Federal Government’s strategy for gender equality here: https://genderequality.gov.au/

If you, or someone you know, has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault, help is available by contacting the 24-hour national counselling service 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.