We’re diving into Episode 3 of the Read Smart podcast! In this episode, Prize Executive Director Toby Mundy speaks with acclaimed writer Helen Garner about How to End a Story, shortlisted for the 2025 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction. Garner reflects on memory, mortality and the craft of turning life into narrative, drawing out the tender, awkward and surprising moments that shape a life on the page.

In this conversation, she explores the ethics of memoir, the discipline of revision, and how a writer contends with truth when memory is partial. Listen now to hear a frank and intimate discussion about the art of telling and ending a story.

This podcast is generously supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation. To keep up with all of our Prize news year-round, follow @BGPrize on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube.