In this episode, a conversation with Jane Caro, a commentator, writer and activist, and author of Lyrebird. 

In this new crime novel, which opens twenty years in the past, ornithology student Jessica Weston recorded a lyrebird mimicking a woman's dying screams and reported it to police, but her claims were dismissed. Now, two decades later, a body is discovered exactly where Jessica had said it would be. Retired detective Megan Blaxland, who originally believed Jessica, returns to lead the reopened investigation. She and Jessica are determined to seek justice for the long-ignored victim, whose death was witnessed only by a bird and her murderer. But as they dig deeper, they uncover dangerous truths that put their own lives at risk.

Jane Caro in conversation

In this episode, a conversation with the bestselling author of The Truth About Her, Jacqueline Maley. Maley’s new book, Lonely Mouth, is a tender and vivid novel about the conflicted way women think about their bodies, their appetites, and themselves in the world.

Jacqueline Maley in conversation

In this episode, a conversation with author Kimberley Allsopp, author of Love and Other Puzzles, and a new book, Rise and Shine. 

Charming, wryly funny, poignant and original - Rise and Shine is a love story, yes, but it's a love story that happens ten years into a marriage, when somebody wants out. It is also a story about life, love and happiness, and in the absence of happiness, what we need to do to find it again. 

Rise and Shine is an utterly surprising delight, a break-up tale that is also a love story; endearing, astringent and original.

Kimberley Allsopp in conversation

In this episode, a recording taken from the launch of acclaimed author Laura Elvery’s novel, Nightingale, inspired by the life of Florence Nightingale; part historical fiction, part ghost story, and utterly original. 

Mayfair, 1910. At the age of ninety, Florence Nightingale is frail and no longer of sound mind. After a storied career as a nurse, writer and statistician, she now leads a reclusive existence. One summer evening she is astonished to receive a visitor – a young man named Silas Bradley, who claims to have met her during the Crimean War fifty-five years ago. But how can this be? And how does the elusive Jean Frawley connect their two lives? 

In this eagerly anticipated novel, Laura Elvery shows why she is one of the most lauded writers of her generation. Nightingale is a luminous tale of faith and love, bravery and care, and the vitality of women's work.

Laura Elvery in conversation

In this episode, a conversation with writer Tyler Jenke, author of an in-depth look at the rise of enigmatic Australian rock band TISM, the unexpected success of their 1995 album, Machiavelli and the Four Seasons, and the continued trajectory of their storied career. 

Focusing on one of Australia's most enigmatic bands, This Is Serious Mum (better known as TISM), Jenke forms an analysis of the anonymous, pseudonymous Melbourne collective's rise to prominence and unlikely success on the popular music charts with their third album, Machiavelli and the Four Seasons (1995). 

Jenke details TISM's origins as they slowly went from a bedroom concept to an underground success to a staple of concert stages and commercial radio in Australia, growing a rabid fanbase in the process.

Tyler Jenke in conversation

In this episode, Hugh White, author of a new Quarterly Essay, in conversation with Michael Wesley about Australia’s place in the new global landscape. 

Are we ready for our post-American future? In an era of rising danger for all, and dramatic choices for Australia, White explores how the world is changing, and Australia should respond. Under Donald Trump, America's retreat from global leadership has been swift and erratic. China, Russia and India are on the move. White explains the big strategic trends driving the war in Ukraine, and why America has "lost" Asia. He discusses Albanese Labor's record and its post-election choices, and why complacency about the American alliance – including AUKUS – is no longer an option. 

This essential essay urges us to make our way in a hard new world with realism and confidence.

Hugh White in conversation

In this episode, New York Times-bestselling author Amie Kaufman, in conversation with members of the Readings Teen Advisory Board. Kaufman’s book Lady’s Knight, co-authored with Meagan Spooner, takes readers on a wild ride through a sapphic romance. 

Gwen is tired of hiding – whether it’s her secret role as her father’s blacksmith, her attraction to girls or her desire to become a knight. Lady Isobelle, on the other hand, has never had to hide who she is – until she becomes the grand prize in the Tournament of Dragonslayers. When their paths collide, the two hatch a daring plan: Gwen will joust in the tournament, disguised as ‘Sir Gawain’, with victory bringing freedom for Isobelle – and glory for Gwen.

The Readings Kids Podcast: Amie Kaufman in conversation

In this episode, a special conversation with Tania Davidge, Executive Director and Chief Curator with Open House Melbourne. 

Across Melbourne, every building, street and public place tells a unique story. Shaped by its transformation over time and the diverse communities that live here, the city is more than its bricks and mortar - the city is about people and place. The stories of our city are embedded in its urban landscapes and the people who live, work and play here. The much-loved Open House Weekend sees tens of thousands of people come out to celebrate architecture and the city, and this year, Readings is partnering with the organisation. 

To tell us more about the weekend and what is in store, Davidge was joined in conversation by Chris Gordon, the Readings Community Engagement and Programming Manager. 

Tania Davidge (Open House) in conversation

In this episode, a conversation with writer Sophie Quick, author of the new book, The Confidence Woman. 

Christina is a single mother living in the Melbourne suburbs, but to her online clients she is the esteemed Dr Ruth Carlisle, an 'executive coach and mindset expert, specialising in high-performing individuals’. Dr Ruth gains her clients' trust through her coaching business, discovering their secrets and deepest fears. Through this elaborate scam, she's saving money for the ultimate unobtainable Australian dream: a home deposit. But when she blunders, and her worlds begin to collide, suddenly everything is at stake. 

The Confidence Woman is a novel about more than one kind of confidence game. It explores and hilariously skewers contemporary cults of self-optimisation, while also creating a moving and too-real portrait of what it's like to strive for success (or just security) in a rigged system.

Sophie Quick in conversation

In this episode, a recording taken from the Melbourne launch of the novel Pissants, by Brandon Jack – former Sydney Swans football player. 

In Pissants, the embittered fringe players of an unnamed football club follow rules of their own. Fangs, Stick, Squidman and Shaggers speak in a cryptic code of inside jokes and WhatsApp exchanges, chained to each other by their place on the outskirts of the team. 

Together, these characters present a jaw-dropping snapshot of life within the chaotic world of a professional sports club. The psychotic rituals. The dementing cliches. The adulation. The pressure. The broken staff. The despair. The life-saving friendships. The flatlining sexual encounters. The towering egos.

Brandon Jack in conversation

The Readings Podcast is a celebration of books, reading and culture. Episodes are published weekly and include author interviews, event recordings, booksellers chatting about their favourite reads, industry insights, and more.