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Books & Authors
Uncertainty is a necessity
There are few things as comforting as being absolutely sure the bus will be there on time, you ticked the right box on the exam. Uncertainty is uncomfortable, but necessary says author and journalist… Audio
Book Critic: Catherine Robertson
Today Catherine talks to Jesse about Sam Low's cookbook, Modern Chinese, The Seven by Australian crime writer Chris Hammer and Clanlands in New Zealand by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish. Audio
Book review: Three of the best from 2023
David Hill reviews three of his favourite books from last year: Iris and Me by Philippa Werry, published by Ahoy! Cuba Press, Te Wehenga, by Mat Tait, published by Allen and Unwin Children's NZ, and… Audio
Anne Michaels on her new novel Held
Best known for Fugitive Pieces, Canadian novelist and poet Anne Michaels talks to Susie about her new novel Held. With a cast of characters spanning over a century, in Held Michaels explores favourite… Audio
Sam Parish's ice cube pesto pasta
Chef and author Sam Parish is back with us after having her second baby in September last year. This week she's sharing a great recipe for a pesto you can make and store in the freezer, all ready to… Audio
8 things I learned after hiking France’s Hexatrek
In May 2022, Kiwi journalist Claire McCall and her partner set off on an epic walking adventure to tackle a freshly minted long-distance trail called the Hexatrek in its pioneer year. The 3034km route…
Book review: Three of the best from 2023
Ralph McAllister reviews three of his favourite books from last year. Audio
Lynn Davidson: Do You Still Have Time for Chaos?
How do you build a life after the kids have left home? What if they decide to move to the other side of the world? How do you keep a sense of place when life changes completely?
New Zealand author… Audio
Naomi Alderman, author of The Power, on gripping new thriller
Naomi Alderman is a British author whose fourth novel The Power was a New York Times best seller. Made into a Netflix series released last year, Alderman's science-fiction thriller tells the story of… Audio
The story of Treasure Island Caravan Park
The same families have been visiting Treasure Island Caravan Park in Patua, Northland, for decades. During that time the little kids that zoomed around the camp ground have grown up to become big kids… Audio
Maori Lit Blog: what to read in 2024
Jordan Tricklebank is the brains behind the Maori Literature Blog Instagram page. The page celebrates Aotearoa's rich history of Maori writers by sharing and reviewing both new and classic works… Audio
Linda Tuhiwai Smith wins award for Literary Achievement
Last year, for the first time in the 21-year history of the Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement, all three categories were won by women. Lee Murray picked up the fiction award, the… Audio
Katherine Morgan Schafler: Perfectionism is power
As a psychotherapist and former on-site therapist at Google, Katherine Morgan Schafler has worked with hundreds of self-confessed perfectionists.
In her book The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing… Audio
Kiwi authors nominated for valuable literary award
Two books by Waikato writer Catherine Chidgey have been nominated for the 2024 Dublin Literary Award.
It's the world's most valuable annual prize for a work of fiction published in English, with a… Audio
Linda Margolin Royal on novel inspired by 'Japenese Schindler'
The Star on the Grave by Linda Margolin Royal is inspired by the true story of Chiune Sugihara and the thousands of people, including Linda herself, who owe him their lives. Audio
Shepherdess - Connecting rural women
Growing up on a rural Australian farm didn't prepare Kristy McGregor for the isolation she'd experience when she made the move to a dairy and beef farm in Horowhenua with her husband in 2014. Audio
Ainslie Hogarth discusses her book Normal Women
The heroine of author Ainslie Hogarth's latest book, Normal Women, is desperate to break free from a suffocating, conventional, upper-middle-class life. In her bid for freedom, Dani, stumbles stumbles… Audio
Submarine captain David Marquet on leadership
Retired U.S Navy Captain transformed one of the lowest-ranked US submarine crews into the best in the fleet. Audio
Tony Simpson: A Gent in Overseasia
In 1973, Tony Simpson - author, historian, and public servant - travelled overseas on what turned out to be an OE like no other. Audio
Poet Terry Fitzgibbon's coastal connections
Anna Thomas caught up with poet and artist Terry Fitzgibbon about his new book 'Salt: Coastal Connections' published by White Cloud Books. The book features stunning images from award winning… Audio