Miles Franklin Award winner, Shankari Chandran takes Cath to Cinnamon Gardens, an aged care home established by Tamil refugees and now run by their daughter. It’s run with love and dignity and has become an oasis for its culturally diverse residents…but the tensions of past wars and the prejudices of present day Australia which have long remained at a simmer ultimately boil over. + Associate Professor Lisa Bennett shares her passion for stories soaked in mist and old magic with “Storyland”; a masterful, unique and utterly compelling illustrated mythology of Britain. Be transported to a time when England was considered the furthest outpost on any map and half remembered characters such as Brutus, Albina, Scota and Bladud roamed the earth …and our imaginations. Guests Shankari Chandran, author of “Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens” which won the 2023 Miles Franklin Award. She’s also the author of “Song of the Sun God” and “The Barrier”. Associate Professor Lisa Bennett, from the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at Flinders University discusses “Storyland; A new mythology of Britain” by Amy Jeffs.   Other books that get a mention “Wild; Tales from Early Medieval Britain” by Amy Jeffs, “The Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, “The Thursday Murder Club” by Richard Osman and “Pheasant’s Nest” by Louise Milligan.   INSTAGRAM @Ultimopress @Hachetteaus @lisalhannett @amyjeffs_authorSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Poetry seems a solitary pursuit but not for well knownAustralian poets Peter Bakowski and Ken Bolton - they recently released two new collections ‘On Luck Street’ and ‘Waldo’s Game’ in which they have collaborated from afar, co-telling stories using  a ’call and respond’ writing technique. And former ABC broadcaster Mike Ladd has made a career as a poet and also helped put poetry on the map with the long running radio program ‘Poetica’ - he makes the case for why poetry should matter to us all.    Guests Peter Bakowski Ken Bolton  Mike Ladd     Annie mentions the poems ‘Funeral Blues’ by  WH Auden and ‘The Second Coming’ by WB Yeats   Peter and Ken read selections from ‘On Luck Street” and ‘Waldo’s Game’ Mike Ladd reads “The End and the Beginning” by Polish poet Wisława Szymborska and his own recently penned poem ‘Prove that You’re a Human’ .  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Molly Schmidt’s Salt River Road is a searing account of grief and redemption set in the big sky/small town landscapes of south west WA..Racism, poverty and country town politics are all part of life in country Western Australia in the 1970’s. But for the Tetley family all that matters is that they have lost their beloved mother Elena, and they are all falling apart…and in danger of losing the farm that is their livelihood.Through the eyes of teenage siblings Rose and Frank the reader experiences thedangerously deep grief of losing a parent. Then comes a slow redemption through their connection with two local Noongar elders, and a reconciliation with events from the past. Guest:Molly Schmidt, author and recipient of the 2022 City of Fremantle Hungerford Award INSTAGRAM@molly.elizabeth.schmidt@fremantlepressSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Celia appears to have it all and her life is running like clockwork - and so it should because she has it planned down to the very last minute - but then along comes a challenge that could be her undoing! Celia is thrust into a process equal parts amusing and heartbreaking as she shakily charts a new path. + From falling for the boy next door to romancing a minotaur - occupational therapist turned  successful romance novelist Davina Stone talks us through the many forms that modern romance takes. The only proviso is, no matter how serious the story, the ending must be happy! Guests Emma Young, author of “The Disorganisation of Celia Stone”. Her debut novel was “The Last Bookshop”. Davina Stone, author of ‘The Felix Factor’, the sixth novel in her series The Laws of Love . She also writes monster romance under the name Lilith Stone  Other books that get a mention Emma loves the diary format and she recalls the young adult books that first inspired her: The Adrian Mole series by Sue Townsend, “So Much to Tell You” by John Marsden, “I Capture the Castle” by Dodie Smith and “Bridget Jones’ Diary” by Helen Fielding. Emma is donating half her royalties to Beyond Zero Emissions (www.bze.org.au). Michaela mentions “The Tao of Pooh” by Benjamin Hoff Annie mentions “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and “it’s all small stuff” by Richard Carlson Davina mentions Romance Writers of Australia, a community of over 700 aspiring, emerging, and established indie and traditionally published romance authors. INSTAGRAM @emma_young_book_fiend @fremantlepress @davinastone_ @rwaaus https://davinastone.com/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cath has admired the work of Paddy O’Reilly for some time but with her shortlisting for the Prime Minister’s Literary Award, “Other Houses” looks sure to win O’Reilly many new admirers. It’s a tale of class, aspiration and the boundaries we will cross for love. + Michaela has an Anne of Green Gables doll that her mother bought on a pilgrimage to Prince Edward Island in the ‘80s. She asks Associate Professors Lisa Bennett and Kylie Cardell to reveal their ‘Green’ credentials and discuss LM Montgomery’s perennial appeal. GuestsPaddy O’Reilly, author of “Other Houses” Associate Professor Kylie Cardell and Associate Professor Lisa Bennett, both from the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at Flinders University The Tsundoku team’s Christmas reading list:   Sarah  - “The Remains of the Day” by Kazuo Ishiguro & “The Thursday Murder Club” by Richard Osmon Michaela - “A Net for Small Fishes” by Lucy Jago Annie - “Ghosts of Spain” by Giles Tremlett, “The Bee Sting” by Paul Murray & “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” by Toshikazu Kawaguchi Cath - “The Tea Ladies” by Amanda Hampson, “Stoneyard Devotional” by Charlotte Wood & “Less than Angels” by Barbara Pym INSTAGRAM @paddyoreilly.writer@affirmpress @lisalhannett @kyliesaysSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah Smith has been successfully writing for popular TV shows such as “McLeod’s Daughters”, “All Saints” and “Love Child” for years. Now, she’s turned her hand to fiction creating a clever and quirky murder mystery set in the Los Angeles fast lane and narrated by a young, vibrant (albeit dead) woman, hellbent on finding her killer. + Mireille Vignol is a renowned literary translator who has taken the work of Australian greats such as Kate Grenville and Kenneth Cook to French speaking audiences around the world. Cath was intrigued by a very singular event Mireille organised in Melbourne called a “Translation Slam”, where two jousting translators interpreted the same piece of text to very different effect and then defended their choices. GuestsSarah Smith, author of “12 Steps to a Long and Fulfilling Death” Mireille Vignol, literary translator. She also mentions the authors Proust, Kenneth Cook and Kate Grenville and poet Peter Bakowski. Dan, our everyday reader, loves war stories such as “The Bombing of Darwin; The Diary of Tom Taylor, Darwin, 1942” by Alan R. Tucker and aircrash investigations such as “QF32” by Richard de Crespigny. Cath and Annie also mention the Booker prize winner, “Prophet Song”by Paul Lynch and a chilling tale by Louise Doughty called “Platform Seven”. INSTAGRAM @Ultimo Press@sarah_saysSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trent Dalton’s new novel Lola in the Mirror travels to the dark heart of homelessness and domestic violence and yet is a love story and a love letter to his home town Brisbane. Lola has no name when this story begins. For 16 years she and her mother have been on the run through Brisbane’s underbelly, dodging dangerous men. Sit down with journalist and novelist Trent Dalton and hear him talk about the city that saved his mum, finding the dark places in order to hold on to light, and why if he didn’t write he’d be reaching for the bourbon. Guest: Trent Dalton, journalist and author of “Lola in the Mirror” as well as two other acclaimed novels Boy Swallows Universe and All these Shimmering Skies   INSTAGRAM @Harpercollinsaustralia @trentdaltonauthorSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard” is loosely based on the life of Mitzah Bricard,  a woman the world remembers as the outrageous muse of Christian Dior but who was, in fact, his First Assistant Designer and enormously talented in her own right. What follows is a compelling tale of glamour, desire and intrigue. + “Summer of Blood” is set in 1960s California where two Australian detectives arrive in search of a missing man, only to find themselves immersed in the world of music, free love, drugs and hippie counterculture. They soon realise this isn’t any ordinary missing person investigation. A big gig is the perfect place to get away with murder! Guests: Natasha Lester, author of “The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard” and other historical fiction titles including “The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre” & “The French Photographer”. Dave Warner, author of “Summer of Blood” …plus nine other novels and six non-fiction books. Leigh, our everyday reader, mentions “Ulysses” by James Joyce, “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens, “Long Live the Queen: 23 Rules for Living from Britain’s Longest-Reigning Monarch” by Brian Koslowski and “A Mind at Home with Itself: How Asking Four Questions Can Free Your Mind, Open Your Heart, and Turn Your World Around” by Byron Katie with Stephen Mitchell Cath and Annie also mention the Booker shortlisted title, “The Bee Sting” by Paul Murray.INSTAGRAM@Hachetteaustralia@natashalesterauthor@Fremantlepress@davew.author@Leighwhite_soultopiaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leaving the world of academia when creativity came knocking has paid off for Pip Williams. She's the bestselling author of "The Dictionary of Lost Words" and "The Bookbinder of Jericho", and speaks with Sarah about the ideas that light her up and inspire her to write. In this conversation, Pip mentions two books that were references for her writing: "The Surgeon of Crowthorne" by Simon Winchester and "Testament of Youth" by Vera BrittainAlso written by Pip Williams, "One Italian Summer".Pip Williams: Web - https://pipwilliams.com.au/Affirm Press: https://affirmpress.com.au/FB + Insta: @affirmpressSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Cronin’s “The Ferryman” the world’s elite enjoy eternal youth and deep personal satisfaction on the archipelago of Prospera but all is not as it seems and unrest is fomenting on both sides of the social divide. + Georgia Nicholls has been writing romance since she was 14 and penned a fan fiction tale about One Direction’s Harry Styles…her writing has come a long way since then but she still loves it when they live happily ever after. + Eve gives a brief review of “The Mother” by Jane Caro, but don’t worry she won’t spoil the ending.   Guests Justin Cronin, author of “The Ferryman” and “The Passage Trilogy” Georgia Nicholls is a PhD Candidate in creative writing at Flinders University. Her podcast is called “Love on Campus” and her instagram romance reviews appear at “booksithinkabout” Eve enjoyed “The Mother” by Jane Caro Justin mentions “Interview with a Vampire” by Ann Rice and the 1968 film “Planet of the Apes”. Georgia mentions “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas, “Duck À L'Orange for Breakfast” by Karina May, “The Flat Share”, The Road Trip” and “The No Show” by Beth O’Leary and the author Emily Henry. Michaela mentions romance authors Georgette Heyer, Jane Austen and “Ex-wife” by Ursula Parrott.   INSTAGRAM @jccronn @penguinrandomhouse @booksithinkabout @janecaro57  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let author Catherine Therese introduce you to Leslie Bird, a fictional character so caustic she’ll make your eyes water. Yet, as Michaela discovered, the story behind Leslie’s creation is more likely to bring a sympathetic tear to your eye. + The course of Australian art changed in 1971 with the formation of the Papunya Tula art movement. John Kean, was there to witness its birth and tells Cath what forces he believes inspired and informed the movement’s four leading lights. Guests Catherine Therese, author of “Things She Would Have Said Herself” and an earlier memoir “The Weight of Silence” John Keane, author of “Dot, Circle and Frame; The making of Papunya Tula Art” Michaela mentions “Mrs Dalloway” by Virginia Woolf Catherine mentions Walt Whitman, Henry Lawson and David Grossman (Maybe also “The Day is Dancing” by Rowena Bennett) INSTAGRAM @ctherese5 @hachetteaustralia @hachettebooks @terriann.white   FACEBOOK @Hachette Books @Terri-Ann WhiteSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fates of three people from the 1940s, ‘70s and today collide in Chris Hammer’s thrilling new mystery, “The Tilt” - you won’t see it coming! + Prolific 20th century writer and philosopher Aldous Huxley wrote everything from witty and malicious novels about the British literati  to his still famous Utopian dystopia Brave New World, and later in his 50 year career went on to explore the world of psychedelic drugs. Annie Warburton explores the Huxley ouvre to understand why Huxley remains a classic. + Our random reader Chris also loves a good mystery Guests… Chris Hammer, author of “The Tilt” and other books including the internationally bestselling Martin Scarsden series: “Scrublands”, “Silver” and “Trust”. Annie Warburton, Tsundoku’s “Occasional Reporter on Dead White Men” revists Aldoux Huxley Other books that get a mention… Annie and Michaela mention “Ghost Tattoo” by Tony Bernard, “Birnam Wood”and “The Luminaries” by Eleanor Catton, “The Ferryman; A Novel” by Justin Cronin and “The Disorganisation of Celia Stone” by Emma Young Annie Warburton mentions Aldous Huxley’s “Crome Yellow” (1921), “Antic Hay” (1923), “Brave New World:  (1932), “Eyeless in Gaza” (1936), “The Doors of Perception” (1954)..as well as writers Nancy Mitford, Evelyn Waugh and William Blake Chris from Aldgate mentions writers Peter May, Ian Rankin and DH Lawrence’s “The Rainbow”   INSTAGRAM @allenandunwin @thehammernow   FACEBOOK @Hammernow @allen&unwinbooksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Best-selling Australian authors, Sean Williams, Victoria Perman and Tricia Stringer, talk to Tsundoku’s Sarah Martin and Cath Kenneally about their very different paths to literary success - Tricia dabbled in self-publishing, Victoria succeeded in speed dating a publisher and Sean tried the splatter gun approach with short stories. Victoria identified the single thread common to all three quests,  “ We all immersed ourselves in writing communities. We didn’t sit at home and get a bit paranoid about whether it was good or not. We went to workshops, we befriended booksellers…there are places to go to connect with writers which was so important.” Tsundoku Podcast was delighted to convene this Marion Council “Meet the Author” Event in July 2023. Guests: Tricia Stringer is the bestselling author of six women’s fiction titles, “Back on Track”, “Table for Eight”, “The Model Wife”, “The Family Inheritance”, “Birds of a Feather” and “Keeping Up Appearances”, three historical books set in South Australia’s Flinders Ranges and seven rural romances. Sean Williams is the bestselling author of over one hundred short stories and fifty award-winning books including the “Books of the Cataclysm” and “The Resurrected Man”. He has also written several novels in the Star Wars universe, including the best-selling “Star Wars: The Force Unleashed”. Victoria Purman writes historical romance and is an Australian top ten and “USA Today” best-selling fiction author. Her books include “The Nurse’s War’, “The Women’s Pages” and “Under the Outback Sky”  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Best selling Australian author of “rural noir”, Garry Disher hopes to be seen as novelist first and crime writer second. American Academic Saar Shahar discusses what sets literary journalism apart from the pack. Paul Gough shares the books that first made him fall for sci-fi .  Three great minds in this week’s episode, determined to rise above the throng and give us something worth reading. Guests: Garry Disher, author of “Days End”, the fourth book in his fabulous Hirsch series. Saar Shahar, author of “Among the Anti-vaxxers” recently published in the “North American Review” and American academic with the University of Southern California. Paul Gough, ABC radio producer, sci-fi devotee and music aficionado www.pimpod.com Other books that get a mention: Saar mentions Tom Wolfe’s “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test”, “The Right Stuff” and “Bonfire of the Vanities”. Also, “One flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” by Ken Kesey. And, literary journalists Joan Didion and Hunter S Thompson. (“The American Review” was the first literary magazine to be published in the USA, in Boston in 1815.) https://northamericanreview.org https://www.instagram.com/sarshahar Paul mentions “Ringworld” by Larry Niven, “Turtle Diary” & “Riddley Walker’ by Russel Hoban and “To Sleep in a Sea of Stars” by Christopher Paolini. INSTA https://www.instagram.com/textpublishing https://www.instagram.com/1234_pimpod        See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In September 1883, the South Australian town of Fairly huddles under strange, vivid sunsets. A child has gone missing and the whole town is intent on finding him. More than a mystery, Fiona McFarlane explores the varied townsfolks’ relationship with the complex landscape and unsettling history of the Flinders Ranges.  Tsundoku’s Annie Hastwell loved it from start to finish and joins the critics in their unanimous praise. + Self-declared fan of Barry Humphries, Annie Warburton, reviews the late comic’s opus, pays tribute to his satirical genius and comes down firmly on the right of “grumpy old conservatives” to be free to speak their minds. = Two very different takes on the Australian experience. Guests Fiona McFarlane, author of “The Sun Walks Down”, “The Night Guest” and a collection of short stories, “The High Places”  http://www.fionamcfarlane-writer.com/ Annie Warburton, retired ABC Tasmania broadcaster and Barry Humphries aficionado Other books that get a mention: Cath and Annie mention this year’s joint Pulitzer Prize winners, Barbara Kingsolver for “Demon Copperhead” and Herman Diaz for “Trust”. They go on to reference a number of past winners; “The Good Earth” by Pearl Buck, “Beloved” by Toni Morrison, “A Visit from the Goon Squad” by Jennifer Egan, “The Old Man and the Sea” by Ernest Hemingway, “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck and “A Confederacy of Dunces” by John Kennedy Toole. Annie Warburton mentions “The Adventures of Barry McKenzie” written by Humphries for Private Eye magazine. Also, “Dame Edna's Coffee Table Book: A Guide to Gracious Living and the Finer Things of Life by One of the First Ladies of World Theatre”, “Neglected Poems and Other Creatures”, “More Please” and “Women in the Background”.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At first drawn to short stories, Louise Kennedy couldn’t resist expanding this ill-fated love story set at the peak of the Irish Troubles into a full and vividly depicted novel, “Trespasses”. + Is it too much to say that the author of Captain Cook’s “Voyages”  was “cancelled” by his contemporaries and the sexual exploits of Joseph Banks “went viral”? Not according to US literary academic Saar Shahar who has researched the writings around Captain Cook’s voyages. = The next best thing to reading is listening to writers talk about their creations.   Guests Louise Kennedy, author of “Trespasses” and a collection of short stories “The End of the World is a Cul de Sac”  Saar Shahar, 18th century scholar and PhD candidate in English at the University of Southern California,  puts the exploits of Captain Cook and Joseph Banks into historical literary context with surprising results. Other books that get a mention: Cath and Annie mention “Pachinko” by Min Jin Lee, “The Anniversary” by Stephanie Bishop, “The Sun Walks Down” by Fiona McFarlane, “The Tilt” and “Treasure & Dirt” by Chris Hammer, and “Summer Water” by Sarah Moss. Saar Shahar refers to “An Account of the Voyages….” by John Hawkesworth, and “An Epistle from Mr. Banks, Voyager, Monster-Hunter, and Amoroso, to Oberea, Queen of Otaheite”, by John Scott. Both were published in 1773. Emma has just finished reading “Never” by Ken Follett and her favourite book of all time is “The Poisonwood Bible” by Barbara Kingsolver.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I’ve discovered an important truth and it’s all I care about, all I can depend on,the only thing that means anything, the one sure thing that will help me survive.No one can be trusted. I am on my own.” This devastating truth lies at the core ofShannon Burn’s memoir, “Childhood”.+Pandora, Jocasta, Aphrodite and Medea; these are just some of the women ofGreek mythology whose stories have grown and warped over the millenia.Associate Professor Lisa Bennett introduces us to the forensic work of classicistNatalie Haynes, a writer determined to reveal the true deeds and misdeeds ofthese fascinating characters.=Pop in your pods and let Michaela and Cath take you to another world. GuestsShannon Burns, author of “Childhood”Associate Professor Dr Lisa Bennett on “Pandora’s Jar” by Natalie Haynes Other books that get a mention:Lisa Mentions classicist, Emily Wilson, the first woman to publish a translation ofHomer’s “Odyssey” into English INSTA @text_publising@lisahannet@Picador  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hugely popular author of gritty young adult fiction, Vikki Wakefield, has turned her hand to a psychological thriller in ‘After You Were Gone’ …with resounding success. and Associate Professor Dr Kylie Cardell gives a fascinating synopsis of Blake Gopnik's mammoth biography of Andy Warhol…all 900 pages of it!. so Curl up on the couch, go for a walk or even clean out the pantry whilst you listen to Cath and Annie’s talented and most congenial guests. Guests Vikki Wakefield, on ‘This is How We Change the Ending’ and ‘After You Were Gone’   Associate Professor Dr Kylie Cardell, on “Warhol” by Blake Gopnik   Other books that get a mention: Annie has just returned from Spain where she read ‘The Whispering City’ by Sara Molinar, a mystery set in Barcelona. Cath’s latest book was also set in Spain. She’s been enjoying 4 books from ‘The Catalan Crime Thrillers’ series by Chris LLoyd. INSTA @simonschusterau @text_publising @vikkiwakefield      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author, Brigid Delaney, considers whether ancient philosophers can guide us in how to live a good life, and has found the Stoic school may have the answers.  and Our classics experts consider the grim power of Angela Carter’s adult fairytales that celebrate the dark and the macabre.  Guests Brigid Delaney, author of “Reasons Not To Worry – How to be Stoic in Modern Times” (plus two other non fiction books looking at the challenges of modern life) Associate Professors Lisa Bennett and Kylie Cardell from Flinders University, discussing “The Bloody Chamber” by Angela Carter  Insta @AllenandUnwin @Bloomsburypublishing   Facebook @AllenandUnwin @Bloomsburypublishingaustralia    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Literary raconteur, Geoff Dyer, isn’t getting any younger and it’s got him contemplating The End; not death so much as “last times”, the likes of which can strike at any time in a person’s life. “The Last Days of Roger Federer and other endings” skilfully ducks and weaves through the life and creative work of writers, painters, philosophers, musicians, sports stars and, indeed, Geoff himself and reflects on this very singular life we each receive. and This week’s author of classic literature is the prolific Dame Iris Murdoch. Cath chats to biographer Dr Gillian Dooley about whether her oeuvre, some of it written up to 70 years ago, still retains its lustre. Guests Geoff Dyer, author of “The Last Days of Roger Federer” (plus three other novels and numerous prize-winning nonfiction books which have been translated into 24 languages) Dr Gillian Dooley, senior research fellow in English at Flinders University and author of a recent book, Listening to Iris Murdoch: Music, Sounds and Silences. Our Random Reader is Rebecca Other books that get a mention: Michaela mentions “White Sands; Experiences from the outside world” by Geoff Dyer Cath and Gillian talk about Iris Murdoch’s “A Severed Head”, “The Unicorn”, “Bruno’s Dream”, “The Red and the Green”, “The Bell” and her Booker Prize Winning novel, “The Sea, the Sea”. Rebecca mentions “In the Shadow of the Mountain” by Silvia Vasquez-Lavado, “The Subjects” by Sarah Hopkins, “The Happiest Man on Earth” by Eddie Jaku and “Two Afternoons in the Kabul Station; A History of Afghanistan Through Clothes, Carpets and the Camera” by Tim Bonyhady Insta @Picador @Textpublishing @panmacmillan Facebook @Picador Books @TextPublishing @panmacmillan    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.