Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens is the book Shankari Chandran always wanted to write. After being rejected by publishers, Shankari decided to write for herself and finally tackle the subject she'd been avoiding: Race in Australia. In doing so, she has won the Miles Franklin award and changed the trajectory of her writing career.

Reading list:

Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens, Shankari Chandran, 2022

Song of the Sun God, Shankari Chandran, 2017

The Barrier, Shankari Chandran, 2017

Hopeless Kingdom, Kgshak Akec, 2022

Limberlost, Robbie Arnott, 2022

Cold Enough for Snow, Jessica Au, 2022

The Lovers, Yumna Kassab, 2022

Iris, Fiona Kelly McGregor, 2022

You can find these books at your favourite independent book store. Or if you want to listen to them as audiobooks, you can head to the Read This reading room on Apple Books.

Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter

Guest: Shankari Chandran and Kate McClymont

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Award-winning writer and historian Tony Birch grew up listening to stories from his nan, Alma. This week, Tony shares how Alma's advice has influenced his life and his writing.

Reading list:

Shadowboxing, Tony Birch, 2006

Blood, Tony Birch, 2011

Ghost River, Tony Birch, 2015

Common People, Tony Birch, 2017

The White Girl, Tony Birch, 2019

Dark as Night, Tony Birch, 2021

Yellowface, R.F. Kuang, 2023

Broke, Sam Drummond, 2023

Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter

Guest: Tony Birch

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Anna Funder has a habit of writing about humans in extremis: under the Stasi, then the Nazis, and now, she's taken on the patriarchy in her new book Wifedom: Mrs Orwell's Invisible Life. It's an act of resurrection for Eileen O'Shaughnessy, the brilliant woman who married George Orwell, contributed to his work and was erased from his story.

Reading list:

Wifedom: Mrs Orwell's Invisible Life, Anna Funder, 2023

All That I Am, Anna Funder, 2011

Stasiland, Anna Funder, 2003

Burmese Days, George Orwell, 1934

Animal Farm, George Orwell, 1945

1984, George Orwell, 1949

Anam, André Dao, 2023

Restless Dolly Maunder, Kate Grenville, 2023

Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter

Guest: Anna Funder

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Helen Garner is writing again. This week, she invites us over for cake and conversation about what she’s writing about, how she solves problems and the inspiration she gets from watching her grandson’s footy training.

Reading list:

Monkey Grip, Helen Garner, 1977

The Children’s Bach, Helen Garner, 1984

The Spare Room, Helen Garner, 2008

Yellow Notebook: Diaries 1978–1987, Helen Garner, 2019

One Day I’ll Remember This: Diaries 1987–1995, Helen Garner, 2020

How to End a Story: Diaries 1995–1998, Helen Garner, 2021

Eleven Letters to You: A Memoir, Helen Elliot, 2023

The Late Americans, Brandon Taylor, 2023

Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter

Guest: Helen Garner

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Read This is a show about the books we love and the stories behind them, hosted by Michael Williams. Every Thursday, you’ll hear insightful conversations with the smartest, funniest readers and writers we know and in-depth interviews with the best Australian and international authors talking about their lives and their work. You’ll never be left wondering what to read next. Coming July 6.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.