Recently Returned

Meet Paulina in the newest episode of the Summer Series!

In this episode, Paulina recommends a very topical summer read for us, and we find out which character she likes reading about but would hate to meet in real life.

Don’t forget to listen out for the codeword for your chance to win a copy of this episode's book!

Transcript available soon

Meet Jenny in the newest episode of the Summer Series!

We find out the most interesting thing Jenny has learnt from a book in 2020, and she recommends her pick for our summer reading list.

Don’t forget to listen out for the codeword to enter the competition! *

Transcript available soon

*terms and conditions apply, more information on our website

Meet Gary in the second episode of our Summer Series!

After some fascinating answers to our rapid fire questions, Gary recommends a great political satire to add to your summer reading list.

Transcript to come.

Anita joins us for the first episode in the Summer Series; a set of mini-sodes where each guest answers a lightning round of book themed questions before recommending something great to read this summer.

In this episode Kirsty chats with guest librarian Tom about space travel, organs in bags, and all things science fiction.

Titles discussed:

Emergency Skin / N.K Jemisin

The Calculating Stars / Mary Robinette Kowal

To Be Taught if Fortunate / Becky Chambers

The Book of M / Peng Shepherd

The Pioneer series / Bridget Tyler

Exhalation/ Ted Chiang

Transcript available soon on the library website.

We dive deeply into biography and memoir in this episode as Kirsty is joined by librarians Paulina and Riki to discuss and recommend some heartbreaking and hilarious works of non-fiction.

Books discussed:

100 Years of Dirt / Rick Morton

I Want You to Know We’re Still Here / Esther Safran Foer

Talking as Fast as I Can / Lauren Graham

The Prettiest Horse in the Glue Factory / Corey White

Your Kind of Girl / Clare Bowditch

Educated/ Tara Westover

Love is in the air!

Librarians Caroline and Emily join Kirsty for a discussion about the Romance genre, followed by recommendations for some romance books they've enjoyed.

*Recommendations start at 13:25

Books (and authors) discussed:

The Little Beach Street bakery by Jenny Colgan

A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole

Stephanie Laurens

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Ask, Tell by E.J Noyes

Author and ageing advocate joins Marcus Riley joins librarian Sophie for this special guest episode of Recently Returned. They talk about his book Booming - A Life-Changing Philosophy for Ageing Well; ageism; tips on staying healthy and happy entering the second half of your life; and how the current situation with COVID-19 is impacting our ageing community.

This podcast exclusive edition of Live with the Librarians was recorded remotely during the Covid-19 lockdown (April 2020). Librarians Anita, Kirsty, and Sophie share which titles have been keeping them busy, and where they are getting their books while the library doors are closed.

Titles discussed (in order of mention):

Persuasion/ Jane Austen

The Bone Houses/ Emily Lloyd-Jones 

All the Wrong Moves: a memoir about chess, love, and ruining everything/ Sasha Chapin

The Ruin/ Dervla McTiernan

The Scholar/ Dervla McTiernan

The Good Turn/ Dervla McTiernan

Uprooted/ Naomi Novik

The Eyre Affair/ Jasper Fforde (Thursday Next series)

Consider the Fork/Bee Wilson

Upright Women Wanted/ Sarah Gailey

In this episode of Recently Returned, host Kirsty is joined by librarians Lachlan, Michaela, and Jess for a chat about LGBTQIA+ literature in honour of Melbourne’s Midsumma Festival.

Books discussed (in order of discussion):

The Men with the Pink Triangle/ Heinz Heger

The A-Z of gender and sexuality : from ace to ze/ Morgan Lev Edward Holleb

Simon vs. the Homosapiens Agenda / Becky Albertalli

Bold : stories from older lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & intersex people / edited by David Hardy

Out of the shadows : reimagining gay men’s lives / Walt Odets

From prejudice to pride: a history of the LGBTQ+ movement/ Amy Lame

If the Shoe Fits/ E.J Noyes*

Growing up queer in Australia / edited by Benjamin Law

*Also referred to: 'Ask, Tell' and 'Ask Me Again' by E.J Noyes