The Book Show
Books & Literature
About
Your favourite fiction authors share the story behind their latest books.
Episodes
- Veronica Roth and Amitav Ghosh: From Divergent to Ghost Eye, exploring fate and past lives
Claire Nichols interviews authors Veronica Roth and Amitav Ghosh. Ghosh discusses his novel "Ghost Eye," which explores past lives and reincarnation in 1960s Calcutta. Roth talks about her debut novel "Divergent" and her new adult speculat…
- Elizabeth Strout and Amanda Lohrey on fate and aliens
Elizabeth Strout and Amanda Lohrey are featured on The Book Show. Strout discusses her new character and novel, The Things We Never Say, reflecting on current times. Lohrey talks about her novel, Capture, which delves into the idea of cert…
- Michael Winkler's Griefdogg and Kae Tempest pours his heart out
Michael Winkler talks about his novel Griefdogg, which features a man who decides to live as a family pet. Kae Tempest discusses his novel Having Spent Life Seeking and the challenges of writing alongside a demanding performance schedule.
- Vale David Malouf
This episode of The Book Show pays tribute to Australian writer David Malouf, who has passed away at 92. It features a revisit to an interview where Malouf discussed his early life, his first novel "Johnno," and his writing career, which s…
- Steve Toltz rolls the dice
This episode of The Book Show features author Steve Toltz discussing his latest novel, "A Rising of the Lights." The conversation covers themes like AI and the human experience. Additionally, Ian Kemish’s debut novel, "Two Islands," is hig…
- Shaun Micallef and Jenny Tinghui Zhang deliver K-Pop thrills and vampire chills
Claire Nichols hosts Shaun Micallef, who discusses his book "De'ath Takes a Holiday," and Jenny Tinghui Zhang, who shares her novel "Superfan" about a K-Pop group.
- Yael van der Wouden on sex, history and an incredible year
Yael van der Wouden discusses her novel, The Safekeep, focusing on its themes of loneliness, repression, and desire in post-WWII Netherlands. The conversation took place at the Sydney Writers Festival in 2025.
- Debra Adelaide on the life and death of Gabrielle Carey
Debra Adelaide discusses her book "When I am 64," which explores her friendship with Gabrielle Carey and Carey's death. The conversation also touches on Emma Styles' thriller "The Shark."
- Colm Tóibín can't stop naming his characters Paul
Colm Tóibín shares stories from his collection, The News from Dublin, which explores themes of living away from home. Patmeena Sabit discusses her novel, Good People, which examines assumptions within migrant communities.
- Daniyal Mueenuddin's changing Pakistan
Daniyal Mueenuddin's book, This is Where the Serpent Lives, examines contemporary Pakistan. Claire Thomas' novel, On Not Climbing Mountains, depicts a journey through grief and art in the Swiss Alps.
- Howard Jacobson embraces being a Jewish writer
Howard Jacobson discusses his novel Howl, which explores the Gaza conflict from a Jewish perspective. Australian authors Eva Hornung and Omar Musa also join to discuss their latest novels, The Minstrels and Fierceland.
- Francis Spufford's Nonesuch shows World War II as you've never it seen before
Francis Spufford talks about his new fantasy novel, Nonesuch, which reimagines World War II London with demons and living statues. Kathy Lette discusses her novel, The Sisterhood Rules, focusing on sisterhood and women's life stages.
- Tayari Jones on her beautiful new novel Kin
Tayari Jones discusses her historical fiction novel "Kin," which explores the lives of two motherless girls in the Jim Crow South and her parents' experiences with segregation. Additionally, former Survivor contestant Steven Fishbach intro…
- Patrick Ryan and Sita Walker on seances, secrets and school rooms
Patrick Ryan discusses his novel Buckeye, which explores the lives of two Ohio couples and the impact of a secret across decades. Sita Walker shares her debut novel, In a Common Hour, which focuses on a school lunch break and the fragile b…
- George Saunders on angels and the afterlife
George Saunders discusses his novel Vigil and why death relates to his fiction, while Michael Mohammed Ahmad talks about his book Bugger and writing about personal experiences with childhood trauma.
- Adam Kay on how medicine and comedy shaped his debut novel
Adam Kay discusses his debut novel, A Particularly Nasty Case, while Jay Martin shares her first book, Boom Town Snap. They explore their transitions from their previous careers to fiction writing.
- Trent Dalton and Gregory Maguire on why there's no place like home
Trent Dalton discusses his novel Gravity Let Me Go and the influence of The Wizard of Oz on his writing. Gregory Maguire revisits the origins of his Wicked series and discusses his new book, Elphie: A Wicked Childhood, in conversation with…
- Philip Pullman's enduring legacy
Philip Pullman discusses his latest work, The Rose Field, and his long-running His Dark Materials series, while author Zoe Terakes explores queer and trans themes in Greek myths in their book Eros.
- Summer highlights: David Nicholls and Liane Moriarty on their starry screen adaptations
David Nicholls and Liane Moriarty discuss adapting their novels for the screen and share insights into their latest books, You Are Here and Here One Moment. This episode of The Book Show features the authors in conversation at the Sydney W…
- Summer highlights: Arundhati Roy, Colum McCann and Morgan Talty
In this episode of The Book Show, host Claire Nichols discusses new works with authors Arundhati Roy, Colum McCann, and Morgan Talty. Topics include Roy's memoir about her mother, McCann's exploration of the digital age in his novel Twist,…
- Summer highlights: Samantha Harvey's accidental prize winner
Author Samantha Harvey discusses her Booker Prize-winning novel, Orbital, with host Claire Nichols. Recorded at the Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival, the conversation covers themes of dreams, insomnia, and the book's development.
- Summer highlights: Marian Keyes on writing to save her life
Irish author Marian Keyes discusses her writing career, her journey into becoming an author during a difficult time, and her latest novel, My Favourite Mistake, in this episode of The Book Show.
- Summer highlights: Ocean Vuong, Charlotte McConaghy and David Malouf
This episode of The Book Show features interviews with Ocean Vuong about his novel The Emperor of Gladness, Charlotte McConaghy on her book Wild Dark Shore, and David Malouf discussing his life of writing and reissued poetry collections.
- Bri Lee, Madeleine Gray and Kate Mildenhall on friendship, families and the future
Authors Bri Lee, Madeleine Gray and Kate Mildenhall discuss their new books in Perth with host Claire Nichols. The episode also features a segment on the enduring legacy and adaptability of Jane Austen, featuring author Karen Joy Fowler.
- 05 | Dear Jane — The endlessly adaptable Austen
Author Karen Joy Fowler joins hosts Claire Nichols and Sarah L'Estrange to discuss why Jane Austen's work remains endlessly adaptable for screen, stage, and literature. This episode concludes a series marking 250 years since Austen's birth.
- Jeanette Winterson releases the reading Genie
Jeanette Winterson discusses her new book, One Aladdin Two Lamps, and the impact of AI on storytelling. Lily King talks about her novel Heart the Lover, and Laleen Sukhera explores the similarities between Jane Austen's Emma and 1990s Paki…
- 04 | Dear Jane — Reading Emma in Pakistan
Laleen Sukhera, founder of the Jane Austen Society of Pakistan and MENAP, discusses the parallels between Regency England and contemporary Pakistan. She explores societal themes such as marriage and expectations for women, while sharing he…
- Megha Majumdar and Sally Hepworth on climate crisis and granny serial killers
Megha Majumdar discusses her novel A Guardian and a Thief, and Sally Hepworth shares the inspiration behind Mad Mabel. The episode also explores the romance in Jane Austen's Persuasion with comedian Alice Fraser as part of the Dear Jane se…
- 03 | Dear Jane — Persuasion, the original second chance romance
This episode explores Jane Austen's final completed novel, Persuasion, and discusses its status as a mature second-chance romance. Comedian and author Alice Fraser joins the show to examine why the story of Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentwo…
- Ben Elton and the case for popular fiction
This episode of The Book Show features interviews with Ben Elton about his autobiography, Sofie Laguna on her novel The Underworld, and Colm Tóibín discussing how to read Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
- 02 | Dear Jane — the perfectly plotted Pride and Prejudice
Author Colm Tóibín explores the themes, character roles, and social settings within Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. This episode is part of The Book Show's Dear Jane series, celebrating 250 years since Austen's birth.
- Pod extra: David Szalay wins the Booker Prize
British-Hungarian author David Szalay has won the 2025 Booker Prize for his novel, Flesh. The prize was presented by Samantha Harvey, and the book depicts the life of a character named István.
- Patricia Lockwood on Dolly the sheep and long covid
In this episode, Patricia Lockwood discusses her latest book and the influence of long COVID on her work, while academic Devoney Looser explores the legacy of Jane Austen. Additionally, Markus Zusak reflects on the 20th anniversary of his…
- 01 | Dear Jane — the wild, not mild, Jane Austen
In this episode of The Book Show, academic and author Devoney Looser discusses her book "Wild for Austen: A Rebellious, Subversive, and Untamed Jane" and challenges common misconceptions about the author's work and legacy.
- Who will win the Booker Prize?
This episode of The Book Show introduces the shortlisted authors for the Booker Prize and discusses the prestige and impact of the award. The episode also revisits highlights from a Top 100 Books countdown.
- An American elegy with Eric Puchner and Jane Harper on grief and the disappeared
This episode of The Book Show features interviews with Eric Puchner on his novel Dream State, Jane Harper on her book Last One Out, and a look back at Paul Murray's The Bee Sting. The conversation explores themes of grief, loss, and the co…
- Celebrating Australia's favourite reads with Trent Dalton, Hannah Kent and Barbara Kingsolver
Trent Dalton, Hannah Kent, and Barbara Kingsolver discuss the inspiration behind their acclaimed novels featured in the Top 100 Books of the 21st Century list. Claire Nichols explores how these authors' personal experiences and historical…
- Heather Rose, Omar Musa and Natalia Figueroa Barroso on champagne, ghosts and the disappeared
Guests Heather Rose, Omar Musa, and Natalia Figueroa Barroso discuss their latest novels, which explore themes of family, migration, history, and cultural identity. They share insights into their creative processes and the personal inspira…
- Peter Carey on not writing fiction anymore
This episode of The Book Show features Peter Carey discussing his career and decision to stop writing fiction, 25 years after True History of the Kelly Gang. Additionally, authors Oyinkan Braithwaite and Tanya Scott discuss their respectiv…
- Trent Dalton and David Malouf — Brisbane's favourite sons
Trent Dalton discusses his novel Gravity Let Me Go and its connection to Brisbane, while David Malouf reflects on his literary career and the reissue of his poetry collections. Claire Nichols hosts this episode of The Book Show.
- How Ian McEwan is using the future to explore the present
Ian McEwan discusses his novel What We Can Know, which explores climate change and our current "derangement." The episode also features Randa Abdel-Fattah on her novel Discipline, Murray Middleton on U Want it Darker, and Markus Zusak shar…
- Arundhati Roy and Mick Herron on monstrous mothers and Slow Horses
Arundhati Roy discusses her relationship with her mother and her memoir 'Mother Mary Comes to Me'. Mick Herron talks about the success of his 'Slough House' series, including the character Jackson Lamb and his latest book, 'Clown Town'.
- Toni Jordan, Richard Osman and Gail Jones on greyhounds, murder and mystery
Toni Jordan discusses her novel Tenderfoot, Richard Osman reflects on The Thursday Murder Club, and Gail Jones talks about her crime novel, The Name of the Sister. The authors share insights into their writing processes and new works on Th…
- Top 100 Books with Colum McCann, Kate Grenville and Kaliane Bradley
Authors Colum McCann, Kate Grenville, and Kaliane Bradley share their favorite books of the 21st century with producer Sarah L'Estrange. This discussion occurred at the Melbourne Writers Festival ahead of the ABC Radio National Top 100 Boo…
- R.F. Kuang goes to hell with Katabasis
This episode of The Book Show features author R.F. Kuang discussing her new campus novel set in hell, 'Katabasis', and Australian author Moreno Giovannoni detailing his new book, 'The Immigrants', which explores the experiences of Italian…
- Gary Shteyngart, Jennifer Mills and Rhett Davis ask what's next
Gary Shteyngart, Jennifer Mills, and Rhett Davis discuss their recent novels, which explore themes ranging from political parallels between the US and Russia to environmental collapse and the human desire to transform into trees.
- Florence Knapp and Brandon Jack on the power of a name
Florence Knapp discusses her debut novel, The Names, and its unexpected success. Brandon Jack shares insights into his novel Pissants, his transition from professional football to writing, and the significance of nicknames in sports cultur…
- Amy Bloom, Ben Markovits and Barbara Truelove on love, basketball and monsters
Authors Amy Bloom, Ben Markovits, and Barbara Truelove discuss their latest novels on The Book Show. Topics include chosen families, road trips, and genre-bending stories featuring Dracula, basketball, and writing.
- Ben Okri, Jana Wendt and Thomas Vowles on heartbreak, new beginnings and queer Melbourne
Ben Okri discusses his novella Madame Sosostris, Jana Wendt explores her shift to fiction with The Far Side of the Moon, and Thomas Vowles talks about his novel Our New Gods, which is set within Melbourne's queer scene.
- "Shimmering" and "strikingly new" — Siang Lu wins Miles Franklin Literary Award
Siang Lu discuses his Miles Franklin Literary Award-winning novel, Ghost Cities, a satire focusing on the film industry, race, and storytelling. Lu explores themes of humor and absurdity in his work.