The Readings Podcast

In today’s episode, an instalment of the Readings Kids Podcast, and an interview with Tigest Girma, author of Immortal Dark.

The first in a new fantasy trilogy, Readings’ own Angela Crocombe wrote that Immortal Dark is ‘a fascinating world incorporating African myth and characters, who just happen to live in close proximity with vampires,’ and that ‘it features sophisticated writing with compelling, three-dimensional characters and intricate world-building.’

Orphan Kidan Adane is the heiress to a fallen House of humans bound to vampiric creatures known as draniacs. As a human, it is her responsibility to study and nurture the relationships between draniacs and humans at Uxlay University. But when her sister is kidnapped and Kidan suspects that her own house draniac, the enigmatic Susenyos, is to blame, she heads down a violent path towards vengeance, willing to hurt anyone who stands in her way.

In this episode, a conversation with acclaimed sex expert Georgia Grace.

Grace’s new book, The Modern Guide to Sex, is the ultimate handbook for experiencing full-body pleasure, sexual confidence and fulfilling relationships. It's a new go-to sex guide for everyone.

Featuring full-colour illustrations of anatomy and techniques, as well as practical, therapeutic support on navigating communication, common sexual concerns and exploration, this book is all about making sex pleasurable, inclusive and shame-free. It will change the way you think, feel and experience sex for the better.

In this episode, we have a conversation with award-winning author, Robbie Arnott. Be it The Rain Heron, Limberlost or Flames, Arnott’s highly regarded and very successful novels have captivated readers, and his newest book, Dusk, is no different.

In the distant Tasmanian highlands, a puma named Dusk is killing shepherds. Down in the lowlands, twins Iris and Floyd are out of work, money and friends. When they hear that a bounty has been placed on Dusk, they reluctantly decide to join the hunt. As they journey up into this wild, haunted country, they discover there's far more to the land and people of the highlands than they imagined. And as they close in on their prey, they're forced to reckon with conflicts both ancient and deeply personal.

In this episode, a recording taken from an in-store event with Anita Heiss, an author, poet, cultural activist and social commentator.

Heiss’ most recent book, Dirrayawadha, is a groundbreaking historical novel about resistance, resilience and love during the frontier wars. Set in the early 19th century, the book focuses on resistance leader Windradyne, a remarkable figure, and Heiss surrounds him with fascinating figures otherwise lost to history.

With irresistible imagination and verve, as well as a deep desire for truth telling, Anita Heiss’s novels are an effort in re-peopling our collective past.

In this episode, Persuasion and Prejudice: a recording, taken from this year’s Rare Books Melbourne, of a lecture from Professor Gary Cazalet on Jane Austen and Lawyering.

Perhaps a sign of broader changes to come, technology and artificial intelligence are replacing much of the traditional work of lawyers. Thus, the role of lawyers is rapidly changing. The uniquely human skills of empathy, emotional intelligence, creativity, and self-knowledge will become more important in the practice of law. Gary Cazalet has made the development of these skills a central part of his teaching in law and literature.

In this lecture, he explores how reading Jane Austen can help law students and practitioners be better and happier lawyers.

In this episode, a recording of the Dirty Books Bookclub. Writer, journalist, the host of the podcast Bad Taste, Jess Ho, chats with executive chef Almay Jordaan about their favourite dog-eared, oil-splattered, food-stained cookbooks.

In this episode, a conversation with Andrew Fowler, author of Nuked: The Submarine Fiasco that Sank Australia’s Sovereignty.

Like all military acquisition programs worth billions of dollars, Australia's decision to buy a new submarine fleet was expected to be a torturous process. But no one could have predicted the trail of wreckage it left behind, from the boulevards of Paris to the dockyards of Adelaide, as deep inside the Australian Government a secret group conspired to overthrow the winning French bid.

In this tale of treachery and intrigue, Andrew Fowler exposes the lies and deception that so outraged the President of France. Interviewing many of the main people involved and talking to sources in Paris, London, Washington and Canberra, Fowler pieces together the plot to sink the French and switch to a nuclear-powered US submarine - a botched operation that severely compromised Australia's ability to defend itself.

In this episode: Fish. What is the best type of fish to use for a curry or stir-fry or to cook on the barbecue? What should we look for when buying fresh fillets at the supermarket or fishmonger? What are the foolproof techniques for shucking oysters and peeling prawns? Anthony Yotis and Laura di Florio Yotis know good seafood, and they know how to make it more accessible for home cooks.

Anthony is the son of fishmonger Konstantinos Yotis, who ran a legendary seafood stall at Footscray's wholesale market for more than 40 years. Together with his wife Laura, Anthony has brought those years of expertise to their shop, and now to their debut cookbook. The Fishmonger's Son is an invaluable collection of information, advice and recipes based on the most popular fish and shellfish to cook at home. It includes general cooking, storage and preparation tips, plus 70 delicious family recipes, from burgers, bao and tacos to pies, pasta and more. This is the ultimate home cook's guide to buying, preparing and cooking the incredible seafood we have available in Australia.

In this episode, a conversation with Ailsa Piper, author of the memoir For Life.

When her husband doesn't answer his phone, Ailsa Piper knows something is wrong. She calls their neighbour, and minutes later, he rings back. 'Oh, Ailsa. I'm so sorry,' he says. Five words to change a life.

Wanting to flee her shattered world in Melbourne, Ailsa migrates north to Sydney. She makes a nest. She learns to swim. She walks the harbour cliffs to the lighthouse, meeting the locals: winter swimmers and shoreline philosophers. But we never leave our past behind. Ailsa is drawn back south, and even further back, to the west's aqua waters …

This is a very special instalment of the podcast, as we have not one, not two nor three, but four interviews with four award winners – the 2024 winners of the four categories of The Reading Prize.

First presented in 2014, The Readings Prize supports new and outstanding Australian voices across three separate categories of fiction: Children’s, Young Adult and New Australian Fiction. The Readings Prize is unique in the Australian literary landscape as it’s the only prize currently run by an independent bookshop and supporting emerging Australian voices. Winners of each category are awarded $5000 and the winner of the Gab Williams Prize, which is judged by the Readings Teen Advisory Board, wins $1000. To celebrate The Readings Prize in 2024 we have brought together short interviews with each of the winners and the respective Chair of Judges for your listening pleasure.