In this book-filled episode, I sit down with Kathryn Morgann to explore three powerful reads that together form a kind of trilogy for purpose, restoration and reclamation:

• Moral Ambition by Rutger Bregman

• Phosphorescence by Julia Baird

• Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés

Through the lens of teaching, leadership and life, they weave a conversation about doing good work without losing yourself in the process — about rooting deeper, not just striving higher.

Books We Explore

Moral Ambition — what does it mean to be ambitious about doing good? How can educators reclaim a sense of moral purpose and agency in systems that often prioritise efficiency over empathy?

Phosphorescence — the healing power of nature, stillness and awe. Julia Baird’s reminder that to sustain our light, we must protect it through quietness, kindness and connection. 

Women Who Run with the Wolves — reconnecting with our wild, creative instinct as the source of vitality and joy. How can we honour that part of ourselves in work and life?

In this episode: 

• Ambition isn’t the enemy of morality — it’s morality’s missing energy.

• The classroom is already moral work: shaping minds and hearts that might change the world.

• Restoration isn’t indulgence — it’s repair.

• The strongest trees don’t stand alone; their roots intertwine.

• The most radical form of moral ambition for women today might be to rest, to be wild, to protect your own light.