Cirrus@Austlit

'In this episode, a conversation with Paul Ham, author of The Soul: A History of the Human Mind.

'Almost everyone thinks they have a soul, but nobody knows quite what it is. For thousands of years the soul was an 'organ', an entity, something that was part of all of us, that survived the death of the body and ventured to the underworld, or to heaven or hell. The soul could be saved, condemned, tortured, bought. And then, mysteriously, the 'soul' disappeared. The Enlightenment called it the 'mind'. And today, neuroscientists demonstrate that the mind is the creation of the brain. The 'religious soul' lives on, in the minds of the faithful, while the secular 'soul' means whatever you want it to mean.'  (Production summary)

'In this episode, a conversation with Alex and Stephanie Miller, discussing Miller’s most recent book, A Kind of Confession. The book is a secret look into Alex Miller's writing life, spanning sixty years of creativity and inspiration.

'As a young man in 1961 Miller left his work as a ringer in Queensland and set out to achieve his dream of becoming a serious novelist. It was not until 1988 that his first novel, Watching the Climbers on the Mountain, was published. Twelve more novels would follow, all bestsellers, many published internationally. This selection from his notebooks and letters makes it exhilaratingly evident that Miller has been devoted to finding and telling stories that are profound, substantial and entertaining, stories that capture both intellect and emotion.

'Miller's fascinating life is told in a personal, behind-the-scenes exploration of his struggle to become a published writer, his determination, his methods of creative thought and the sources of his inspiration. His writing, sometimes in anger and despair, sometimes with humour and joy, whether created for publication or for private meditation, is alive with ideas, moral choices, commentary, encouragement, criticism and love.' (Production summary)

'In this episode, a conversation recorded at the launch of Raimond Gaita’s Justice and Hope: Essays, Lectures and Other Writings.

'For more than three decades the incomparable voice of Raimond Gaita has been summoning us to new conversations that deepen our understanding of what matters most to human life and awaken the sense of our common humanity. For Gaita, we are never more fully alive than when we are fully present to one another in conversation.

'In a time when modes of communication tend to superficiality and self-promotion, when political debates are increasingly inured to lies and even violence, and the moral demands of dialogue give way to a torrent of competing monologues, Gaita's invitation to rediscover what genuine conversation requires of us could not be more timely.

'Gaita was joined in conversation by Maria Tumarkin.' (Production summary)

'In this episode, a conversation with author, speechwriter and poet Joel Deane, on his eagerly-awaited new novel, Judas Boys.

'Deane’s protagonist (of sorts) Pinnock is, as the title suggests, a Judas Boy – a private schoolboy gone to seed. He's lost his job as a political staffer. He sleeps in the garage of his estranged wife. He has finally run out of friends and must face his accusers – both the living and the dead.

'This book is a searing de profundis that reads like the secret history behind today's political headlines. Deane brings the aftermath of professional catastrophe, personal betrayal, and public disgrace to life with a poet's ear for the human voice fractured in extremis.' (Introduction)

'In this episode, a conversation with Sara M Saleh, author of the new poetry collection, The Flirtation of Girls/Ghazal el-Banat. Saleh is not only a poet; she is a human rights lawyer, and is the author of a novel, Songs for the Dead and the Living, which was published only a couple of months ago.

'Saleh is the daughter of Palestinian, Lebanese and Egyptian migrants, a lineage very much alive in her work, advocacy, and craft. She also co-edited the 2019 anthology Arab, Australian, Other: Stories on Race and Identity, and Saleh is the first and only poet to win both the Peter Porter Poetry Prize and the Judith Wright Poetry Prize.' (Production summary)

'Andrew Leigh in conversation with Mark Rubbo about Leigh's book, 'What's The Worst That Could Happen?'. In the book, Leigh looks at catastrophic risks and how to mitigate them, arguing provocatively that the rise of populist politics makes catastrophe more likely.' (Production introduction)

'Hannah Kent in conversation with Mark Rubbo about her latest novel, Devotion.'

'Our Managing Director Mark Rubbo talks with David Malouf about his new book of poetry, An Open Book. This is a live recording from our event.' (Production summary)

'Hear our Managing Director Mark Rubbo in conversation with Bob Sessions AM, the former publishing director of Penguin Books.'  (Production summary)

'Hear our Managing Director Mark Rubbo in conversation with Robert Manne, a leading public intellectual and emeritus professor of politics and vice-chancellor’s fellow at La Trobe University.'  (Production summary)

'In our 'Conversations with booksellers' series, our Managing Director Mark Rubbo chats with Readings staff about their work. This episode sees him in conversation with Readings Kids bookseller, award-winning author and Readings Foundation Grants Officer Leanne Hall.'  (Production summary)

'Hear our Managing Director Mark Rubbo in conversation with Morry Schwartz, the owner of Black Inc. and the publisher of the Quarterly Essay, The Monthly and the The Saturday Paper.' (Production summary)

'Hear our Managing Director Mark Rubbo in conversation with author Maxine Beneba Clarke about her new memoir, The Hate Race.'(Production summary)

(Production summary)

'Hear our Managing Director Mark Rubbo in conversation with Henry Rosenbloom, founder and publisher of Scribe Publications.' (Production summary)