The Ruins by Becky Docton. This is a generational story across three decades, which begins in 1937 when a mother abandons her young girl on a Devon railway station, leaving her in the care of strangers and from which point the child is forced to navigate the rest of her life. It’s a very compelling and moving story set in a period of enormous change throughout the world.

Never Say War by Asne Seierstad. The author met a young mercenary from the Wagner Group who sought asylum in Norway and through him, and after subsequent travels around Russia, was able to write the very human story of the Special Military Operation in Ukraine which may not be referred to as a war but has transformed the lives of millions. From Siberia, to villages, to the cities and in homes and workplaces, this is journalism at its finest. Insightful, humane and riveting.

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Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 13 September.
Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Sisters Margo Flanagan and Rosa Power are the team behind Two Raw Sisters, and they've got a new recipe book out this week.

They published their first book seven years ago and they've written five earlier cookbooks - but this one promises to be different, with over 100 recipes you're gauranteed to turn into household staples.  

The pair have built the brand out of utilising healthy food that makes you feel good and that fits in with your life, but How We Cook is being pitched as the 'Two Raw Sisters bible'. 

"We wanted it to be the one that's always on your bench because you use it too much too much to put it away on your shelves...it's everything you need in one place."  

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Kiwi comedian and actor Josh Thomson is a regular presence on New Zealand's favourite comedy panel shows - and he's got a new TV project in the works.

He's also earned some international acclaim, including roles in shows like Pixar’s Win or Lose, The Office Australia, Young Rock and Time Bandits.

Good Bones is a dark comedy-mystery, and it's set to drop on ThreeNow and Neon on September 17.

"It's surreal, now, to be at this part of it - where Sky and TV3 are supporting us and trying to get it out there to as many people as we can." 

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Little Wonder by Sophie Chen Keller. Song’s son River is a musical prodigy and at the age of eleven he’s invited to study with a great master - but on the journey they become separated in the chaos of the Beijing railway station on the busiest day of the year. Over the following years, each in their own way tries to find their way back to the other as they both carve out new lives which only take them further apart. This is a really compelling story about a mother’s love, how we use our talents, and the enduring bonds of family.

The Farm by Bruce Ansley. Bruce is a Kiwi writer of real depth and charm, and this is his account of moving from an urban life to a more remote farm on the Banks Peninsula and encountering all the challenges of life in the country, especially when faced by a couple of townies. He writes with great warmth and wit and insight and this is a story to which many Kiwis could relate - either through their own living arrangements, or with a dream of life on the land, and then discovering the realities. 

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There's plenty of risky travel mistakes we can make, but over-packing is an underlooked issue.

People can risk getting back injuries by not being careful when handling their luggage, and new data from physios shows these injuries are becoming more common.

Travel expert and BloggerAtLarge writer Megan Singleton outlined the risks further - and shared her own travel tips.

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This week on the Sunday Panel, journalist and editor Jo McCarroll and Director at 818 Chris Henry joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week - and more!

Election season is well under way - with the hoardings for various parties going up this weekend. What do we make of the campaign so far? Do the parties need to improve their strategies besides repeating slogans and attack ads?

The latest Moa Point disaster report revealed what Wellington Council could have done to stop things from getting this bad. What do we make of this? Is this a sign we need more accountability in the public sector? 

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On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 6 September, Kiwi comedian and actor Josh Thomson has had a hot run of international roles in recent years. His latest role though is a local show and Josh joins Francesca to talk about that and the demand for him overseas.

Bestselling cookbook authors, Margo Flanagan and Rosa Power aka Two Raw Sisters, join Francesca to talk about their new cookbook and why they promote being intelligently lazy when it comes to cooking.

Francesca questions how much long MPs can stick to party messaging before they start to sound silly.

Australian Clinical Psychologist Monica Schweickle was the first in the world to legally use MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD.  She shares with Francesca what she has learned in the three years since the treatment has been available over the ditch.

And on Father's Day we are looking out for the dads, Erin O'Hara talks self care strategies for the men in our lives.

Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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There's still a stigma around men utilising self-care, with many under pressure to dedicate everything to their jobs.

Between climbing the corporate ladder or pushing themselves in their own businesses to help provide for their families, the stress can take a toll on their personal wellbeing.  

Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara unpacked the issue further - and outlined some self-care strategies. 

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Citrus roasted chicken with lentils and mint 

Cook time: 60 minutes 

Prep time: 15 minutes 

Serves: 4

6 bone-in chicken thighs 

2 tbsp sunflower oil  

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed  

1/2 cup fresh oregano, destalked and chopped  

2 lemons, zested and juiced  

1/2 tbsp salt  

1 x 400gm whole peeled tomatoes, crushed  

1 tbsp fennel seeds, toasted  

1/2 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted  

5 cardamon pods,  

3 cloves garlic, peeled  

1 tsp dried oregano  

1/2 tsp paprika powder  

2 cups chicken stock  

1 small onion, peeled and sliced  

2 cups le puy lentils, cooked 

2 cups pumpkins, peeled and cut into 2cm wedges  

Fresh coriander and mint

Start by marinating the chicken thighs. Mix all the marinate ingredients together and coat the chicken, place into a bowl and set aside.  

Turn the oven onto 180*c. Toss the pumpkin in a little oil and season, spread out onto a oven tray and roast until slightly colored and tender, approx 25 minutes.  

Take a heavy cast iron pan and heat over a medium high heat, place in the chickens skin side down. Turn when coloured. Then top with the tomatoes, onion, seeds, garlic, herbs and spices. Sprinkle over some salt and finally the chicken stock.  

Place over a piece of baking paper and tinfoil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove tinfoil and paper and cook for a further 30 minutes.  

Remove the chicken from the stock and skim off any excess fat, return the juices to a pot and reduce by 1/2.  

Add in the lentils and pumpkin, then spoon over the top of the chicken.  

Top with fresh coriander and mint leaves.

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