Read This is a show about the books we love and the stories behind them, hosted by Michael Williams. Every Thursday, you’ll hear insightful conversations with t...
Tanzanian-born, London-based author Abdulrazak Gurnah was midway through writing his latest novel, Theft, when he received a call letting him know he’d won the 2021 Nobel Prize for Literature. After more than a year of events and literary obligations, he finally returned to Theft, with more enthusiasm than ever. This week, Michael sits down with Abdulrazak to discuss his writing, the phenomenon of tourism and his latest book. Reading list: Paradise, Abdulrazak Gurnah, 1994 By the Sea, Abdulrazak Gurnah, 2001 Desertion, Abdulrazak Gurnah, 2005 Theft, Abdulrazak Gurnah, 2025 Eurotrash, Christian Kracht, 2024 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Abdulrazak GurnahSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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28:51
Robert Dessaix Is a Fox (Not a Hedgehog)
Tasmanian writer Robert Dessaix is a man of many talents when it comes to the written form – from travel memoir and fiction to biography and philosophy, he’s done it all. He became a household name for many listeners to ABC Radio following a long stint hosting the beloved show Books and Writing. Now, at 81, Robert is back with a new memoir. This week, Michael is joined by Robert for a conversation about memory, dance, and being a chameleon. Reading list: A Mother’s Disgrace, Robert Dessaix, 1994 Corfu, Robert Dessaix, 2001 Twilight of Love, Robert Dessaixt, 2004 Chameleon, Robert Dessaix, 2025 Perfection, Vincenzo Latronico, 2025 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram Guest: Robert DessaixSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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28:59
How Sonia Orchard Reclaimed Her Story
Writer Sonia Orchard was in her 40s when a revelation during a therapy session turned her life upside down. Could the relationship she’d had in her teens with a man more than a decade older in fact be abuse? In her new memoir, Groomed, Sonia investigates her own story, sharing her gruelling journey through the justice system, and shines a light on the failures – social, structural, legal – that entrench and prolong the trauma for victim survivors. This week, she speaks with Michael about the power of reclaiming her story. Reading list: The Virtuoso, Sonia Orchard, 2009 Into the Fire, Sonia Orchard, 2019 Groomed, Sonia Orchard, 2025 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and Twitter Guest: Sonia OrchardSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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30:33
Andrea Goldsmith Finds the Poetry In Death
In Andrea Goldsmith’s ninth and latest novel, The Buried Life, she unpicks the relationships between people and the undercurrents of doubt and faith that define a life. But more than anything else this is a book that is first and foremost concerned with death. It’s a subject that has long fascinated Andrea, something she discusses deeply with Michael on this week’s episode. Reading list: Reunion, Andrea Goldsmith, 2009 The Memory Trap, Andrea Goldsmith, 2013 Invented Lives, Andrea Goldsmith, 2019 The Buried Life, Andrea Goldsmith, 2025 Andrea Goldsmith’s List of Books on Death & Grief You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram Guest: Andrea GoldsmithSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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27:26
Sean Wilson Pulls Back the Curtain on Dementia
In Melbourne-based author Sean Wilson’s new book, You Must Remember This, he tackles the complicated, tragic, and often fraught subject of dementia.. This week, Sean joins Michael for a conversation about loss, family, and how to hang on to one’s humanity as illness strips it away. Reading list: Gemini Falls, Sean Wilson, 2022 You Must Remember This, Sean Wilson, 2025 The Bright Sword, Lev Grossmann, 2024 You can find these books and all the others we mentioned at your favourite independent book store. Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and X Guest: Sean WilsonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Read This is a show about the books we love and the stories behind them, hosted by Michael Williams. Every Thursday, you’ll hear insightful conversations with the smartest, funniest readers and writers we know and in-depth interviews with the best Australian and international authors talking about their lives and their work. You’ll never be left wondering what to read next.
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