Saturday Morning

7:00 - 8:00 News and current affairs

8:10 David Baldacci: Thrilling with thrillers

One of the highest-selling authors in the world, David Baldacci's career spans international bestsellers, film adaptions featuring the likes of Clint Eastwood, and work published in more than 45 languages, 80 countries, selling over 150 million books worldwide. 

A former trial lawyer, renowned for his ability to weave intricate plots, David's passion for books and literacy has seen him named as a Literary Champion by the PEN/Faulkner Foundation. 

David is soon to visit New Zealand for a pop-up Auckland Writers Festival event in January. His latest is To Die For, a return for Travis Devine, the 6:20 Man, coming face to face with his nemesis. 

He explains how the thriller genre keeps on giving.

8:40 David Robson: avoid being a toxic friend

Award-winning science writer David Robson explores the extremes of the human brain, body and behaviour.

While writing his recent book The Laws of Connection, which examines science-based strategies to transform your social life, he discovered something surprising about friendships: that unpredictable fairweather friends are more hurtful than people we expect to be unpleasant. 

David's compiled a check-list on how to avoid being an "accidental frenemy".  He shares his findings with Mihi.

9:06 Becky Manawatu: Kataraina

Kataraina is the highly anticipated sequel to West Coast writer Becky Manawatu's best seller Auē.

In Auē eight-year-old Ārama was taken by his brother, Taukiri, to live with Kat and Stu at the farm in Kaikōura, setting in train a tragedy. Ārama's aunty Kat was at the centre of events. In Kataraina, Kat and her whānau take over the telling. 

Auē won Aotearoa's leading fiction prizes and became one of the country's all-time fiction bestsellers. It's gone on to sell well in both the UK and US and has been translated in six languages.

Becky Manawatu speaks with Susie about her latest work.

9:40 Quiz master Laura McGoldrick

Quiz master Laura McGoldrick quizzes Saturday Morning's sports knowledge ahead of a Game of 2 Halves: Quiz of the Year show happening this weekend. It's a one-hour special with teams including Dame Susan Devoy looking back at sporting events in 2024.   

Laura reflects on her sporting highlights this year, one being Sky's official presenter of the Paris Olympics, and looks ahead to her next role commentating the men's ASB Tennis Classic tournament in January, as well as preparing for season 2 of Game of 2 Halves, returning in Feb, the first episode featuring her husband, Martin Guptill. 

10:06 Tāne Mahuta open for business

Access to New Zealand's tallest surviving kauri tree, Tāne Mahuta, reopens Saturday morning after 3 months while the boardwalk and viewing platform were replaced. The upgrade is the first phase of a project by DOC and Te Roroa iwi to improve visitor infrastructure in Northland's Waipoua Forest. 

The work also aims to protect the forest from the spread of kauri dieback, a deadly pathogen already present at Waipoua. Snow Tane is the general manager of Te Rorora Development group, and was there at the dawn blessing and opening ceremony.

10:15 What's on the box - Diana Wichtel

Award-winning reviewer and bestselling writer Diana Wichtel has spent much of her adult life watching TV for a living.

Cutting her teeth on the Golden Age of television, Diana watched television and wrote about it for the Listener where she became the country's foremost television critic..

Now Diana has written a memoir Unreel, of a life spent watching and writing.

The author of Driving to Treblinka, which won the Royal Society Te Apārangi Award for General Non-fiction at the 2018 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, Diana joins Susie with some favourite TV shows and what she recommends for summer viewing.

10.35 Merenia Gray: Tiahuia - a Karanga for My Mother

Merenia Gray is an award-winning choreographer, a dancer, teacher, author and arts sector leader. The daughter of respected and revered Kaikaranga, Tiahuia Te Puea Hērangi who witnessed and participated in some of the most significant events that shaped Aotearoa.  

Merenia's new memoir, Tiahuia - a Karangi for My Mother is an expression of a daughter's love for her mother. The clever format of the book is delivered as a karanga, the first call in te ao Māori.

11.05 The dos and don'ts of watering with organic gardener Kath Irvine

It's that time of year when there can be a little more time to get out and tend the garden, but the weather sometimes isn't on our side.

Saturday Morning's resident back-yard gardener, Kath Irvine, shares everything we need to know about watering during the hot summer months to keep our gardens happy.

Kath Irvine is a passionate permaculture expert, who has designed, taught and managed food gardens for more than 20 years. She's also the author of The Edible Backyard, a practical guide to growing organic fruit and vegetables all year round.

11:25 Kate de Goldi: Summer reading

With the summer holidays almost here, for many finding a spot in the shade and a good book is the best way to spend an afternoon. But what to read?

Kate De Goldi is one of New Zealand's most celebrated authors, an Arts Foundation Laureate, and a voracious reader. She shares her recommendations for the summer.

11.47 Christmas classics with Antonia Bennett 

Love it or loathe it, you just can’t escape Christmas music.

Jazz songstress Antonia Bennett has just released new holiday classics Christmas album "Happy Holidays, With Love".

While she's an acclaimed singer in her own right, Antonia's also passionate about keeping the family tradition alive, as the daughter of renowned jazz singer, the late Tony Bennett.

Antonia shares her fond memories of making music with her father, and growing up in famously musical household. 

Books featured on today's programme:

To Die For
by David Baldacci
Published by: Pan Macmillan

The Laws of Connection
by David Robson
Published by: A&U Canongate

Kataraina
by Becky Manawatu
Published by: The Cuba Press

Unreel
by Diana Wichtel
Published by: Penguin NZ

Tiahuia - a Karangi for My Mother
by Merenia Gray
Published by: Huia Publishers