Anna and Amanda discuss the Women's Prize winner Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver.

Our book of the week is The Escape Artist: The Man Who Broke out of Auschwitz to Warn the World by Jonathan Freedland. This tells the true story of Rudolf Vrba who escaped from Auschwitz with Fred Wetzler and their attempt to tell Jewish leaders the truth about the Final Solution and prevent more deaths. A Sunday Times Best-Seller and shortlisted for the 2022 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction, we could not put this down.

Coming up: This Other Eden by Paul Harding.

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Twitter: @abailliekaras

Litsy: @abailliekaras

Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

A special episode: Anna chats with author Ennis Ćehić about his debut collection of short stories, Sadvertising.

Ćehić is based in Melbourne and Sarajevo and writes about displacement, creativity and existentialism. The stories in Sadvertising are set in the advertising world and explore the tension between art and capitalism. Satirical and very funny, with elements of meta-fiction and the surreal. "A work of thrilling, audacious verve and wit ... deserves a standing ovation" (Christos Tsiolkas) and "powerful, inventive and self-assured" (Australian Book Review). We loved this book!

Ennis recommends:

Hunger by Knut Hamsen translated by George Egerton

Authors Rachel Cusk , Deborah Levy and Ottessa Moshfegh

The Appointment by Katharina Volckmer

The Shakespeare and Company podcast

Coming up:

This Other Eden by Paul Harding

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Twitter: @abailliekaras

Litsy: @abailliekaras

Credits

Artwork: Sascha WIlkosz

A special episode: Anna chats with author Christine Keighery about her new novel The Half Brother.

Christine Keighery has written over 35 novels for children and young adults (as Chrissie Perry). The Half Brother is her first novel for adults. It's a psychological suspense story about a family, secrets and coercive control. Described as "sinister, suspenseful and tightly written, with an ending I didn't see coming" (Vikki Wakefield). There are no spoilers in this episode so you'll have to read it to see what the twist is!

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Email: [email protected]

Christine: chrissieperry.com

Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Amanda discuss The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard. This novel set in Japan and Hong Kong in 1947 explores the colonial era with a forbidden love story at its centre. Described as "the last masterpiece of a vanished age of civility" (Wall Street Journal) it won the 2003 Miles Franklin Award and the National Book Award for Fiction and was shortlisted for the 2004 Orange Prize.

We also recommend Shirley Hazzard: A Writing Life by Brigitta Olubas.

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Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @abailliekaras and @vibrant_lives_podcast

Twitter: @abailliekaras

Litsy: @abailliekaras

Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

A special episode: Anna chats with author Kylie Needham about her debut novel, Girl In A Pink Dress.

Girl in a Pink Dress centres on Frances, an artist in her 40s who is invited to her former lover's exhibition opening in Sydney. A beautiful, spare novel that explores the idea of two artists living together and female rage, against the backdrop of the Australian landscape. Described as "a quiet triumph" (Heather Rose) and "breathtakingly good" (David Wenham), we loved this book.

Kylie recommends:

Can A Woman Who Is An Artist Ever Just Be An Artist? by Rachel Cusk

The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante

The New Yorker The Writer's Voice Podcast

The Witch Trials of J. K. Rowling Podcast

Coming up: The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard.

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Email: [email protected]

Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Annie discuss the Stella Prize shortlist (belatedly!)

Our book of the week is The New Life by Tom Crewe. A brilliant debut novel about two marriages and sexual freedom in 1890s London, it evokes the time and place beautifully but feels modern and resonates today. It reminded us of Colm Tóibín, with "the spirit of Forster" (Washington Post).

Coming up: The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard.

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Email: [email protected]

Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna, Annie and Amanda react to the 2023 Women's Prize Shortlist and give our winner predictions.

And Annie has news!

The shortlist is:

• Black Butterflies by Priscilla Morris
• Pod by Laline Paull
• Fire Rush by Jacqueline Crooks
• Trespasses by Louise Kennedy
• The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Coming up: The New Life by Tom Crewe and The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard.

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Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @abailliekaras , @vibrant_lives_podcast , @mr_annie

Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Annie, Anna and Amanda discuss the shortlist for the 2023 Stella Prize and give their winner predictions.

The shortlist is:

• We Come With This Place by Debra Dank
• big beautiful female theory by Eloise Grills
• The Jaguar by Sarah Holland-Batt
• Hydra by Adriane Howell
• Indelible City by Louisa Lim
• Bad Art Mother by Edwina Preston

Coming up: The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard and our Women's Prize Shortlist episode.

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Instagram: @abailliekaras , @mr_annie and @vibrant_lives_podcast

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: Books On The Go

Twitter: @abailliekaras and @mister_annie

Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Annie discuss the 2023 Dylan Thomas Prize Shortlist.

Our book of the week is All That's Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien. This debut novel tells the story of Ky, a Vietnamese-Australian woman who looks for answers when her brother is killed in Cabramatta, Sydney. It won the 2023 Indie Book Award for Debut Fiction.

Coming up: The New Life by Tom Crewe.

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Email: [email protected]

Facebook: Books On The Go

Twitter: @abailliekaras and @mister_annie

Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Annie discuss the books they are keeping or culling, including

• Pure Colour by Sheila Heti
• The Invention of Medicine by Robin Lane Fox
• Troy by Stephen Fry

Our book of the week is Stone Blind, the latest novel by Natalie Haynes. It tells the story of Medusa from a feminist perspective, is witty, rich with details from Greek mythology and has been long-listed for the 2023 Women's Prize for Fiction. We loved this one.

Coming up: All That is Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien.

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Facebook: Books On The Go

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @abailliekaras and @mr_annie

Twitter: @abailliekaras and @mister_annie

Credits

Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz