The Robodobt scheme is considered by many to be one of the Australian government’s worst scandals. Senior Reporter for The Saturday Paper and Walkley Award-winning journalist Rick Morton followed the case closely and he documents the crisis and its devastating effects in his latest book. This week, we bring you Michael’s conversation from Canberra Writers’ Festival with Rick as they discuss Mean Streak.

Reading list:

Mean Streak, Rick Morton, 2024

One Hundred Years of Dirt, Rick Morton, 2023

My Year Of Living Vulnerably, Rick Morton, 2022

Words to Sing the World Alive, Jasmin McGaughey, 2024

You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. 

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Guest: Rick Morton

Rachel Kushner always seemed destined to become a writer. At just five years old, her unconventional parents had her working in a feminist bookstore. Now, several decades and three award-winning novels later, she is back with a new book that follows a spy-for-hire who infiltrates a commune of eco-activists in rural France. This week, Michael joins Rachel on Zoom for a conversation about Creation Lake, which was shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize.

Reading list:

Telex from Cuba, Rachel Kushner, 2008

The Flamethrowers, Rachel Kushner, 2013

The Mars Room, Rachel Kushner, 2018

Creation Lake, Rachel Kushner, 2024

Orbital, Samantha Harvey, 2024

You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. 

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Guest: Rachel Kushner

Santilla Chingaipe was born to tell stories. The Zambian-born filmmaker, historian and author, has spent her career exploring settler colonialism, slavery, and contemporary migration in Australia and she has just released her first book of non-fiction. This week, Michael is joined in studio by Santilla to discuss Black Convicts, which was inspired by the critically acclaimed and award-winning documentary, Our African Roots. In it, she offers a fresh understanding of the ways in which empire, slavery, race and memory have shaped this nation.

Reading List:

Black Convicts, Santilla Chingaipe, 2024

You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. 

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Guest: Santilla Chingaipe

It is more or less impossible to imagine Australian literature of the past half century without Tim Winton. From his debut, An Open Swimmer to his epic Cloudstreet, the four-time Miles Franklin Award winner is beloved by generations of readers. This week, Michael sits down with Tim to discuss his latest novel, Juice, a gripping tale of determination, survival, and the limits of the human spirit.

Reading list:

That Eye, The Sky, Tim Winton, 1986

Lockie Leonard, Tim Winton, 1990–1997

Cloudstreet, Tim Winton, 1991

Dirt Music, Tim Winton, 2001

Breath, Tim Winton, 2008

Juice, Tim Winton, 2024

You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. 

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Guest: Tim Winton

Musician and writer Nardi Simpson is a Yuwaalaraay woman from freshwater country in north-west New South Wales. Her debut novel was 2020’s critically acclaimed and multi-award-winning Song of the Crocodile. Now she is back with her second novel, which explores creation, belonging, and the precious fragility of a life. This week, Michael sits down with Nardi for a wide ranging conversation about her new book, The Belburd.

Reading list:

Song of the Crocodile, Nardi Simpson, 2024

The Belburd, Nardi Simpson, 2024

Midnight and Blue, Ian Rankin, 2024

The Ledge, Christian White, 2024

You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. 

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Guest: Nardi Simpson

In just three books Robbie Arnott has established himself as a writer to trust. Flames (2018), The Rain Heron (2022) and Limberlost (2022) were all rapturously reviewed and garnered a hefty swag of award nominations and wins. This week, Michael sits down with Robbie to discuss his new novel, Dusk, which explores loss and redemption and survival in Tasmania’s high country. 

Reading list:

Flames, Robbie Arnott, 2018

The Rain Heron, Robbie Arnott, 2020

Limberlost, Robbie Arnott, 2022

Dusk, Robbie Arnott, 2024

Paris In Ruins, Sebastian Smee, 2024

You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. 

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Guest: Robbie Arnott

There are few people in this country as obsessed with understanding the cultural and social potential of Australian cuisine as New Zealand-born chef Ben Shewry. And there are even fewer who have managed to combine that passion with the highest echelons of success. This week, Michael sits down with Attica’s head chef to discuss his new memoir, Uses for Obsession, and Ben share’s why he wanted to write a kind of antidote to the macho chef culture we’ve all come to expect.

Reading List:

Uses for Obsession, Ben Shewry, 2024

A Bit on the Side, Virginia Trioli, 2024

You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. 

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Guest: Ben Shewry

Melanie Cheng began her writing career as an author of short stories. Her first collection, Australia Day, was published in 2017 to much acclaim. Her second novel, The Burrow, follows a Melbourne family forced to confront the tragedy of their shared past. This week, Michael sits down for a conversation with Melanie about family, connection, and the power of narrative medicine.

Reading list:

Australia Day, Melanie Cheng, 2017

Room for a Stranger, Melanie Cheng, 2019

The Burrow, Melanie Cheng, 2024

Intermezzo, Sally Rooney, 2024

You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. 

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Guest: Melanie Cheng

Rumaan Alam is the author of four novels. He broke out in 2020 with his New York Times best-selling novel Leave the World Behind. This week Michael sits down with Rumaan for a conversation about his latest novel, Entitlement, and they discuss class, desire, and the influence of Sylvia Plath.

Reading list:

Rich and Pretty, Rumaan Alam, 2016 

That Kind of Mother, Rumaan Alam, 2018

Leave the World Behind, Rumaan Alam, 2020

Entitlement, Rumaan Alam, 2024

Intermezzo, Sally Rooney, 2024

You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. 

Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter

Guest: Rumaan Alam

Richard Osman wears many hats, from television producer to comedian to podcaster. Now, however, he’s best known as a bestselling author for his series The Thursday Murder Club. Richard’s new series is called We Solve Murders and this week, he sits down with Michael to discuss it and he reveals the piece of advice he gave to Pierce Brosnan.

Reading list:

The Thursday Murder Club, Richard Osman, 2020

The Man Who Died Twice, Richard Osman, 2021

The Bullet That Missed, Richard Osman, 2022

The Last Devil To Die, Richard Osman, 2023

We Solve Murders, Richard Osman, 2024

Max Perkins: Editor of Genius, Berg, A. Scott,1978

Stone Yard Devotional, Charlotte Wood, 2023

You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. 

Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter

Guest: Richard Osman

Malcolm Knox began his career as a journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald, back in the 90s. His breakout was in 2004 when, as literary editor, he broke the story of the fake Jordanian memoirist, Norma Khouri for which he won a Walkley Award. Since then he has written more than a dozen books of nonfiction and has been publishing fiction since 2000. The First Friend is his seventh novel.

Reading list:

The Wonder Lover, Malcolm Knox, 2015

Bluebird, Malcolm Knox, 2020

The First Friend, Malcolm Knox, 2024

The Temperature, Katerina Gibson, 2024

You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. 

Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter

Guest: Malcolm Knox