Good Weekend Talks

In this episode, we talk to Adam Collins. The Dandenong-raised, London-based commentator, broadcaster, podcaster and author is back in Australia for another summer of cricket, and also to promote his new book, Bedtime Tales for Cricket Tragics (after last year helping Aussie all-rounder Glenn Maxwell write his memoir, The Showman). But Collins also had another life in politics. A long-time Labor Party member, he spent his 20s in Canberra on the staff of treasurer Wayne Swan, and as media adviser to then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Joining us from the first Test in Perth, this episode is hosted by chief cricket correspondent for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, Dan Brettig, the pair reflecting on the series to come, including a few choice Ashes predictions (or wishes).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we speak to Helen Goh, who has been writing recipes for the food pages of Good Weekend for eight years. The celebrated cookbook author left Melbourne for London in 2006, when she was 40 - and as luck would have it fell in with Yotam Ottolenghi early in his ascent to global cooking superstardom, becoming a key cooking and testing collaborator. What many don't know is that Goh is also a trained psychologist and still sees patients in London, alongside her baking career. Goh has just released her first solo book - Baking and the Meaning of Life - in which she combines her two great loves: psychology and cooking. Joining us today, she discusses all this and more with Good Weekend senior writer Katrina Strickland.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we speak to Jane Harper. Just under a decade ago, she fulfilled the classic fantasy of closet novelists everywhere, and published a murder mystery called The Dry, which became an international best seller. Nine years and two children later, she’s written five more hit novels, and is credited with establishing a whole new fictional genre: outback noir. Her sixth book, Last One Out, was published last month, and she talks to us today about the secret to creative achievement, and her former life as a journalist. Hosting this conversation is the writer of our October 4 profile of Harper - LIFE OF CRIME - Good Weekend senior writer Amanda Hooton.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we speak to William Dalrymple. The Scottish historian is the author of 10 books, a regular contributor to The Guardian and The New Yorker, and host of the popular podcast Empire. A specialist in Indian and Islamic history, Dalrymple first visited the subcontinent as an 18 year old, and knew that it was where he wanted to spend his life. These days he spends most of the year at his farmhouse on the outskirts of Delhi, but he’s heading to Australia for a speaking tour this month. Dalrymple’s works often explore the intersections of history, culture, and religion - basically managing to make history sexy - which he does for India in his latest deep dive book, The Golden Road. He talks to us today about everything from the indigenous people of Palestine, to why truth-telling about history is critical, and how a podcast about Australian history might be next, in a wide-ranging chat with senior writer for culture at The Age, Kerrie O’Brien.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ita Buttrose, a media trailblazer and former chair of the ABC, reflects on her remarkable six-decade career in journalism. She shares her early experiences of facing resistance in male-dominated newsrooms and the thrill of launching Cleo during a time of social change. Ita discusses contemporary challenges for working mothers and the evolving roles of young men in society. She also opens up about her new book, Unapologetically Ita, and the resilience needed to face aging while juggling career and family.

In this episode, we speak to Antonia Marran. The former TV presenter, parenting author and now lawyer and advocate is tasked with managing the legacy of her late father, Antony Kidman, and his pioneering work in adolescent and youth mental health. It's a role for which the experiences of Antonia’s own life have prepared her well. She comes from a tight-knit family (including her sister, the Hollywood star Nicole Kidman), and has endured both the public heartbreak of her first marriage falling apart then the sudden death of her first husband, not to mention a mid-life love affair, the travails and joys of parenting a blended family of six children, and then finally, a late career switch to the law, where she found a sense of fulfilment that had eluded her so far. Marran talks about all of this and more in a Good Weekend feature story this week – Her Father’s Daughter. Hosting this conversation is the writer of that profile, chief reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald, Jordan Baker.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we speak to Joe Camilleri. The singer, songwriter and sax man is perhaps best known as the one constant in Australian rootsy blues rock band The Black Sorrows, a group that was born more than 40 years ago. The 77 year old musician, however, has been recording and touring for more than six decades, and created more than 50 albums. That includes his latest - The Quintessential Black Sorrows - a compilation of remastered hits from the legendary front man, being released on October 24. Camilleri is currently on a national tour with the ever-evolving band, but took time out to join Good Weekend deputy editor Konrad Marshall in the studio for a chat about life, love, and music.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brigid Delaney, an author and journalist known for her insights on wellness and Stoicism, shares her journey from travel writing to political speechwriting. She discusses the accessibility of Stoicism amidst academic criticism and its relevance to global crises. Delaney also highlights her new novel, The Seeker and the Sage, using dialogue to explore Stoic themes. She reflects on personal benefits from Stoicism, such as reduced worry and enhanced appreciation of life, along with her thoughts on the adaptation of her work, Wellmania.

For decades, families in Australia and overseas, have been accused of one of the worst crimes imaginable. Diagnosing Murder is an investigative podcast about parents who've had their children taken away, sat in the dock and even done time in prison. All for something they insist they didn't do – shake their baby. Can we trust the science behind shaken baby syndrome? Or are innocent people being locked up for a crime they never committed? Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/diagnosing-murder/id1843555473Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3LqYqSCZHW4vtA0yhiaJKB?si=f8c56f4b638b4a24Listen on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrLulycax358g-04ndbBaBg3ED4Dnyv0S&si=CVXIqoUI6AJ6DD5xSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we talk to TV and food personality Melissa Leong, the subject of the cover story in Sunday Life's September 28 issue. Leong has worn many hats: talented pianist, advertising executive, food writer and even UFC broadcast host. But it’s the three years she spent as a judge on MasterChef Australia that made her a household name, and also put her under the spotlight. In this interview with Sunday Life associate editor Melissa Singer, Leong talks about her formative years and food memories, and why she’s revealing the darkest chapter of her life. You can read the Sunday Life piece here.  And a heads-up, this episode contains some strong language, and discussions about assault and sexual assault. If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.