ANZAC special featuring Geraldine Brooks, Les Carlyon, Gen. Peter Cosgrove and Rowley Richards. The panel discuss the challenges of writing about war.
Mikey Robins, Gay Bilson, Marion Halligan and Lindsay McDougal taste test food writing througout the ages.
Jennifer goes one on one in an interview with the famed travel writer.
All the sinister secrets of the crime writing genre with Shane Maloney, Dorothy Porter, Graeme Blundell and Justice Ian Callinan.
A revealing interview with three literary giants; Peter Carey, Paul Auster and Ian McEwan.
An exploration of erotic fiction with Christos Tsiolkas, Sophie Gee, Anne Gracie and Luke Davies.
Acclaimed authors Jackie French, Raimond Gaita, Sonya Hartnett and Peter Goldsworthy join us to ferret through the facinating realm of animals in literature.
A fascinating exploration of one of the most popular, yet contentious literary genres, the biography.
A tribute to celebrate the life and work of Dorothy Porter, one of Australia's most distinguished contemporary poets.
An inspection of the shady territory of literary leg pullers.
An expose of literature's bad boys with Mia Freedman, Edmund Capon, Sandra Yates & Chris Taylor.
Take a peek into the fictional future! John Marsden, Emily Maguire, Max Barry and Richard Neville explore the possibilities in Utopian and Dystopian literature.
Vampires, Werewolves and man-made Monsters in literature.
Before the judges hammer has even declared a suspect guilty or innocent, the books are on the shelves.
Jennifer and her guests are looking at the tricky business of transforming our beloved books into cinema. Joining Jennifer on the panel are John Marsden, Ana Kokkinos, John Collee and Margaret Pomeranz.
Jennifer Byrne presents this special on graphic novels, or if you prefer: comics, picture books, Illustrated fiction or sequential art narrative.
Jennifer Byrne presents this special on Cult Reads; books which gripped your imagination and never let it go.
Join Jennifer as she meets one of the most successful living novelists in the world today – Ken Follett.
Jennifer Byrne presents this special on Lovers joined by Andrea Goldsmith, Posie Graeme Evans, Mark Colvin and Toby Schmitz.
Jennifer Byrne presents this special on Fantasy genre books. Joining her are Jennifer Rowe, Fiona McIntosh, Lev Grossman and Matthew Reilly.
Jennifer Byrne presents this special on the Future of the Book joined by Richard Watson, Kate Eltham and Richard Flanagan.
Jennifer Byrne presents this special interview with Pulizer Prize winning Australian author Geraldine Brooks.
Join Jennifer as she catches up with Christos Tsiolkas at this extraordinary time in his career. The television adaptation of his bestselling novel The Slap is about to air ABC 1, his previous book, Dead Europe, being made into a feature film, and he’s just completed the first draft of his next novel.
A Special Extended Version of Jennifer's interview with Christos in Melbourne, released on the web.
Jennifer is joined by Jo Nesbø, Michael Robotham, Malla Nunn and Leigh Redhead to discuss crime fiction, in particular the recent popularity of Scandinavian crime.
This show looks at funny books in all their forms from memoir to novel.
This special looks at the erotic in literature, which has a long history from ancient times to the present.
This special looks at books so powerful, so persuasive, they actually changed the fabric of our world.
Jennifer is joined by legendary 'young adult' authors John Marsden, Morris Gleitzman and Melina Marchetta, along with up and coming author Steph Bowe to discuss YA fiction and the fastest growing section of the book market.
The creator of 'Rebus' is now a bestselling crime writer, but Ian Rankin followed a wayward path to get to there. A one-time swineherd, he has also been a tax collector, reviewer of hi-fi equipment and a punk musician.
Multi-award winner, including the Booker Prize, this venerated writer has a stellar literary career. Achieving her first publication at just 20, Atwood won her first award at 22 and now has over 50 titles published.
Host Jennifer Byrne is joined by Perth Writers Festival guests, Tom Holland, Ahdaf Soueif, Jared Diamond and Loretta Napoleoni who each introduce their book of choice.
Extended version of the episode available on the ABC web site.
Joining Jennifer Byrne are guests Anna Krien, Kate Mosse, Ramona Koval and James Wood to discuss the relationship between women and words in this special Sydney Writers Festival edition.
Sport & literature have a fascinating relationship, but one that is seldom discussed. Jennifer Byrne & special guests Rebecca Wilson, Christos Tsiolkas, Malcolm Knox & Mischa Merz look at sports books that pack a punch.
Best known as author of the top selling Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert chats with Jennifer Byrne about life after a literary smash hit, writing and her forthcoming new release, The Signature of All Things.
Bragging Rights is about those difficult books we're told are masterpieces. Does anyone really read them? John Safran, Lawrence Mooney, Sandra Yates & Sophie Black join us to discuss the books that defeated them.
Jennifer Byrne interviews Tim Winton on his career and his latest novel Eyrie.
Jennifer Byrne is joined by an extra-special guest when she chats to one of the world's most prolific and popular authors - Alexander McCall Smith.
Guests Janine Allis, Geoffrey Cousins, Dee Madigan and Shane Maloney join Jennifer Byrne for a lively discussion about Greed - one of the seven deadly sins.
Actor and novelist Brendan Cowell, journalist Tracey Spicer, author and poet Craig Sherborne and Indigenous rights activist Larissa Behrendt join Jennifer Byrne to discuss the role of 'Wrath' in literature and art.
Wheeler Centre Director Michael Williams; former Vogue editor Kirstie Clements; host of The Monthly Book online Ramona Koval; and lawyer, producer and performer Steve Vizard join Jennifer to discuss Pride in great literature.
Author and TV presenter Tara Moss plus founder of The Bell Shakespeare Company, actor and director John Bell join Jennifer and regular Book Clubbers Marieke Hardy and Jason Steger to discuss Lust in great literature.
Former politician and author, Bob Carr; comedian, Hannah Gadsby; author Gary Shteyngart and Buddhist teacher Venerable Robina Courtin join Jennifer to unravel the complex nuances of Sloth in art, literature and life.
Foreign editor at The Australian, Greg Sheridan; writer, Angela Meyer; artistic director Opera Australia, Lyndon Terracini; and Walkley-winning journalist, Kate McClymont, join Jennifer to discuss Envy in art and literature.
Broadcaster Mark Colvin; author and food blogger, Charlotte Wood; author of the wickedly funny, The Cook, Wayne Macauley; and comedian George McEncroe join Jennifer to discuss gluttony in art and literature.
During her visit to Australia this year celebrating her 80th birthday primatologist and environmental campaigner, Jane Goodall, talks about her groundbreaking work on chimpanzees and her conservation work.
Jennifer Byrne talks to one of Australia's most prolific writers Tom Keneally as he celebrates his 50th year of publication. Traversing his many successes as well as some of the criticisms he's faced over the decades.
Jennifer Byrne speaks to writer, novelist and journalist Helen Garner in a very rare television interview. Garner discusses her new book This House of Grief, as well as her previous work, aging, compassion and wisdom.
Jennifer Byrne travels to New York to interview one the world’s most impressive young women – 17 year old Pakistani student, (2014 Nobel Peace Prize Winner) and activist Malala Yousafzai. At the age of 14 Malala became internationally known as the schoolgirl who was shot by the Taliban. The brutal attempt on her life was payback for the profile she had gained in Pakistan as an advocate for girl’s education. Fearless and committed to her cause, Malala refused to be silenced despite awareness of the danger her activism attracted. She miraculously survived the attack after being airlifted to a specialist hospital in Birmingham UK for ongoing care. Now three years down the track Malala has penned a young adult version of her story “Malala: the Girl Who Stood up for Girls Education and Changed the World”. Jennifer Byrne discusses the events of that terrible day, the impact it has made on her life, and the aspirations of this future world leader.
Jennifer Byrne invites Peter FitzSimons, Christina Spittel, Merrick Watts and Delia Falconer to bring in their favourite books about WWI to discuss and recommend to the audience. Titles and authors discussed: All Quiet on the Western Front – Erich Maria Remarque, Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk – Ben Fountain, Charles Bean: If People Really Knew – Ross Coulthart, Official History of Australian in the War of 1914-18 – C.E.W. Bean, The Anzac Book – C.E.W. Bean, Anzac to Amiens – C.E.W. Bean, Flesh in Armour – Leonard Mann, Gallipoli – Les Carlyon, In Flanders Field (poem) – John McRae, Mrs Dalloway – Virginia Woolf, My Brother Jack – George Johnston, Storm of Steel – Ernst Junger, The Great War – Les Carlyon, The Great War and Modern Memory – Paul Fussell, The Regeneration Trilogy – Pat Barker, The Wing of Night – Brenda Walker, We're All Australians Now (poem) – Banjo Paterson