The Wheeler Centre

An exclusive Wheeler Centre live-recorded podcast featuring best-selling American author Eric Puchner, as he lifts the curtain on his latest novel 'Dream State', in conversation with host Ronnie Scott.

Selected by Oprah for her book club in 2025 and an instant New York Times bestseller, 'Dream State' tells the story of Charlie, a gifted anaesthesiologist; his best friend Garrett, a brooding, introverted nerd; and medical school drop-out Cece, whose engagement to Charlie seems certain – until she meets Garrett. 

A love triangle plays out across generations in this panoramic and deeply human tale of family, loss and the fragile dreams that shape our lives.

Hear from Puchner as he discusses this work of exceptional literary depth in this exclusive podcast recording.

This podcast was originally recorded on Monday 6 October 2025 by The Wheeler Centre.

Featured music is ‘Diffuser’ by Shiruky.

Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donate

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Get your fix of honest and original media analysis from two insiders who’ve broken plenty of news and been broken by it, too.

In this special live recording of We Used to be Journos, hosts Antoinette Lattouf and Jan Fran sit down to reveal the way the media works, from questionable editorial decisions that shape the weekly news to the stories that masquerade as unbiased reporting. They unpack some recent headlines and reveal how the media sausage gets made – so you know what you’re being fed. 

In this fearless assessment of the Australian media landscape they have a low tolerance for spin and absolutely no time for BS. You’ll never look at the news in the same way again.

Originally presented on Saturday 20 September 2025 by The Wheeler Centre, in partnership with Ette Media.

Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donate

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In the age of algorithms, music is under constant pressure to respond to mood, brand and data.

Hear from music journalist and cultural critic Liz Pelly with host Lauren Taylor in this sharp and insightful exploration into how streaming platforms have transformed our relationship with music. Pelly unpacks the shift from art to algorithm-driven content, where music is reduced to a commodified experience and listeners to mere data points.

Drawing from years of investigative reporting culminating in her bold exposé 'Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist', Pelly uncovers how the economics of streaming are reshaping the music industry and what this seismic change means for artists, listeners and cultural production at large.

The conversation explores ways to reclaim that human connection in music and fight for a more meaningful future in the age of corporate playlists and mood marketing.

This event was recorded on Thursday 28 August 2025 at The Wheeler Centre. It was presented in partnership with Now or Never.

The official bookseller was The Paperback Bookshop.

Featured music is 'Traveling Again' by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.

Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donate

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Beloved author David Nicholls takes to the stage with host Beverley Wang, to discuss his latest novel 'You Are Here'.

This talk was originally presented on Tuesday 20 May 2025 by The Wheeler Centre.

In 'You Are Here', David Nicholls weaves the stories of these two seemingly disconnected characters, bringing them together in a powerful, emotionally rich narrative brimming with his trademark blend of warmth, wit and insight into the human condition.

Hear from one of today’s most cherished writers as he shares the inspiration behind his latest literary triumph and discusses the universal themes that will make it a story for our times.

The official bookseller was the Sun Bookshop.

Featured music is ‘Traveling Again’ by Sarah, the Illstrumentalist.

Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Each year at the Melbourne International Film Festival, a panel of guests gather to dissect the highs and lows of the zeitgeist.

Host Michael Sun, essayist and regular writer for the Guardian, is joined by actor and writer Maria Angelico, Chicago–based New York Magazine Vulture culture critic Angelica Jade Bastién and visiting Los Angeles Times film critic Amy Nicholson to discuss the most overrated, underrated and personal favourite moments in movies, TV, podcasts and books of the past 12 months. Hear hot takes, heated discussions and great recommendations to enjoy post-festival. 

Featured music is ‘Golden Hour’ by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.

Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donate

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What can ageing teach us? For broadcast and writer Jacinta Parsons, the answer is – perhaps everything.  

Inspired by many conversations with women across the country, A Wisdom of Age captures the brewing tone of revolution that sits in the hearts of women who are ready to tell a new kind of story about the experience of growing older.  Set against the backdrop of an intimate two-course dinner at Montalto, Parsons reflects on her own experience of ageing, alongside the powerful stories of the remarkable women she’s encountered – each offering unique tales of resilience, wisdom and grace – and the lessons they’ve imparted.  

She joins host Hilary Harper for an honest, thought-provoking and energising conversation about ageing with love and the spirit of rebellion.

This event was recorded on Friday June 6th 2025. It was presented in partnership with Montalto.

The official bookseller was Farrells.

Featured music is 'Lucy’s Trail (Don’t Give Up)' by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.

Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donate

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Join New York Times bestselling author Lauren Roberts in her exclusive Melbourne appearance to celebrate Fearless, the highly anticipated third and final book in the Powerless series.  

Romance, fantasy and intrigue collide in this runaway BookTok success known for its fierce heroine, witty banter and deliciously fraught enemies-to-lovers plot. After the shocking cliff-hanger ending of Reckless, Fearless sees Paedyn Gray and Kai Azer return to the Kingdom of Ilya where Paedyn has a life-altering choice to make. Whatever she decides will determine her fate – and the fate of those around her – forever. In the ultimate battle of love and loyalty, who wins?  

Joined by Amie Kaufman, Roberts discusses writing slow-burn romance, gripping plot twists and bringing her smash hit, dagger-to-the-throat romantasy trilogy to its thrilling conclusion.

This event was recorded on Wednesday 25 June 2025 at Melbourne Town Hall.

The official bookseller was Readings.

Featured music is ‘Golden Hour’ by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.

Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donate

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In 2020, Cheng Lei was working as a business reporter for China's state-run English language television station when she was arrested on charges of sharing state secrets. She was detained in China for over three years under harsh conditions, including prolonged solitary confinement and restricted access to her family, before finally being released. 

Now, back in Australia and free to write and speak her mind, Lei recounts her story in A Memoir of Freedom, an extraordinary memoir of her arrest, trial, imprisonment – and most importantly, her survival. Written with vivid immediacy, this new book is a powerful meditation on hope, freedom and the power of the human spirit.

In conversation with James Scullin, Lei offers a complex, deeply personal account of her experience in confinement, resisting black-and-white thinking in favour of a more nuanced view.

This event was recorded on Wednesday 18 June 2025.

It was presented in partnership with Asia Society Australia.

The official bookseller was Amplify Bookstore.

Featured music is ‘Travelling Again’ by Sarah the Illstrumentalist.

Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donate

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American Jewish journalist Peter Beinart reflects on the world around him – and his place within it – amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. 

Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza offers a timely reflection, seeking to reimagine what it means to be Jewish in the wake of the horrors unfolding in the Middle East. 

Drawing on Jewish tradition and history, and global efforts at moral reconstruction, Peter Beinart calls for a new story to take hold – one in which Palestinian and Jewish safety are interconnected, and where the veneration of nation states cannot be at the expense of human life. 

He joins host Sarah Schwartz for an examination of one of the most pressing issues of our time and offers his vision for a future of peace and equality.

This event was recorded on Tuesday 27th May 2025 at The Wheeler Centre.

It was presented in partnership with The Jewish Council of Australia.

The official bookseller was Mary Martin Bookshop.

Featured music is 'Different Days' by Chill Cole.

Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1985, Jeanette Winterson published her debut novel – the groundbreaking and subversive Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit. Genre-bending and narratively bold, it garnered then-rare mainstream success for a story that was fiercely feminist and challenged traditional gender roles.  

Four decades on, Winterson remains one of our most distinguished writers, renowned for her singular voice and restless curiosity. Her work spans a vast landscape of ideas, from artificial intelligence to religion, from myth to memory.  

In this episode, hear from one of literature’s most provocative and original minds, as Winterson joins the Wheeler Centre for an exclusive Melbourne appearance at The Capitol, reflecting on her remarkable career and the themes that continue to shape her writing. 

This event was recorded on Saturday 24th May 2025 at The Capitol.

It was presented in partnership with RMIT University.

The official bookseller was Hares and Hyenas.

Featured music is 'Traveling Again' by Sarah the Illstrumenalist.

Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.