Rumaan Alam is a best-selling author who made a splash in 2020 with his critically acclaimed novel Leave the World Behind. In this episode, from Schwartz Media’s podcast Read This, Rumaan joins Michael 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

You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. 

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Guest: Rumaan Alam

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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. In this episode, from Schwartz Media’s podcast Read This, 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

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

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Every day this week, critics from The Saturday Paper and beyond are bringing you their top picks of the year. 

From the partying Russian oligarchs to grave robbing in an Italian fishing village, writer/curator Kate Jinx’s best film picks of 2024 will take you on a cinematic journey.

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Guest: Kate Jinx is a writer and film curator, director of Golden Age Cinema in Sydney and co-host of the Culture Podcast.

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Every day this week, critics from The Saturday Paper and beyond are bringing you their top picks of the year.

From the adventure of a lifetime to a family torn apart by murder, senior producer for 7am Cheyne Anderson brings you a collection of gripping podcasts perfect for your summer road trip. 

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Guest: Senior producer for 7am Cheyne Anderson

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Every day this week, critics from The Saturday Paper and beyond are bringing you their top picks of the year. 

2024 was a blockbuster year in music: Beyonce went country, Taylor Swift went everywhere, and we all went Brat. 

Today, with The Saturday Paper’s music critic Shaad D’Souza, we’re exploring the albums that defined the year. 

That includes Charli XCX of course, but also a surprising new album from Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon and a tender exploration of modern masculinity by MJ Lenderman. 

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Guest: The Saturday Paper’s music critic Shaad D’Souza

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Every day this week, critics from The Saturday Paper and beyond are bringing you their top picks of the year. 

From the saddest comedy on our screens to a queer reality show – The Saturday Paper’s television critic Sarah Krasnostein looks back at the highlights of 2024.

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Guest: The Saturday Paper’s television critic Sarah Krasnostein

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Every day this week, critics from The Saturday Paper and beyond are bringing you their top picks of the year. 

From a reimagining of a classic to the sidelines of footy practice, editor of The Monthly and host of Read This Michael Williams has your beach reads covered. 

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Guest: Editor of The Monthly and host of Read This Michael Williams

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For Read This’s last episode of 2024, host Michael Williams heads to Fitzroy Pool to find out what people are reading as the weather warms up. Plus, a handful of previous Read This guests offer book recommendations for the summer holidays.

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Anthony Albanese has finished the year with his lowest approval rating yet.

The prime minister’s popularity has been crumbling ever since his party was elected to government in 2022, with some polling suggesting that he is now as unpopular as Scott Morrison was heading into that election.

His image has been damaged by the purchase of a $4.3 million mansion during a housing crisis, as well as receiving flight upgrades courtesy of Qantas.

Today, special correspondent for The Saturday Paper Jason Koutsoukis on Anthony Albanese’s image problem and whether he can turn it around.

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Guest: Special correspondent for The Saturday Paper Jason Koutsoukis

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Like coming up for air after 50 years. That’s how one man described the current moment in Syria.

Since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, thousands of Syrians have been celebrating in the streets and wandering through Assad’s abandoned palace.

But many more are searching through the massive network of prisons that underpinned Assad’s repressive regime, hoping to find out the fate of lost loved ones.

Meanwhile, Syria’s new rulers, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, are grappling with how to seize control of the infrastructure that underpinned Assad’s massive state-run drug trade.

Today, journalist Heidi Pett, on the ground in Damascus, as the Syrian people reckon with what the future holds for their country.

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Guest: Journalist Heidi Pett.

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