Literary Anything

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Bonus Episode - SA Storytellers Jan 08, 2026

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Bonus episode! We thought we'd give you some extra content to consume in January, for those still on holidays or for those long car rides. We’re sharing our author talk with SA Storytellers Nicole Yates, Robert Horne and Satish Gupta. This is an interesting conversation covering a diverse range of topics across poetry, politics and South Australian history. Learn something new and discover local SA voices.

Episode 87 - Alli Parker 'Until the Red Leaves Fall' Dec 31, 2025

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For this month's Literary Anything episode, we're excited to share Alli Parker in conversation with Lyn Dickens at the Marion Cultural Centre Theatre! Together they discuss Alli's latest book 'Until the Red Leaves Fall', how young historical fiction writers are changing the narrative and how fiction in general is important for building connections and encouraging empathy. We hope you love this talk as much as we do!

Episode 86 - 2026 Wrap Up Episode Dec 10, 2025

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Our favourite episode of the year is out now (a bit late because Salma had jury duty!) Listen to find out the top ten borrowed fiction and non-fiction books for 2025 (for the first time ever there's no James Patterson). Also, Paula and Salma offer some good book recs for summer reading and the books we're looking forward to next year!! We also farewell Paula from the podcast for now (she'll have FOMO and will be back) and welcome Jasmine who will be joining Salma in 2026! Books they mention: House Of My Mother – Shari Franke Cat Person - Kristen Roupenian We Solve Murders – Richard Osman Thursday Murder Club – Richard Osman Beautiful Ugly – Alice Feeney The Mushroom Tapes - Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper and Sarah Krasnostein The Arsonist: A Mind on Fire – Chloe Hooper The Trauma Cleaner - Sarah Krasnostein This House of Grief – Helen Garner Demon Copperhead - Barbara Kingsolver Mongrel – Hanako Footman I Want Everything - Dominic Amerena Wellness - Nathan Hill The Nix - Nathan Hill The Let Them Theory – Mel Robbins Here One Moment – Liane Moriarty The Memoir Part 1 - Cher The Whole Truth - Jackie O A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing – Jessie Tu Daisy Darker – Alice Feeney Nemesis – Patricia Wolf Salt Upon The Water – Lyn Dickens Until the Red Leaves Fall – Alli Parker At the Foot of the Cherry Tree – Alli Parker Average at Best – Astrid Jorgensen Bird Box - Josh Malerman The Testaments - Margaret Atwood

Episode 85 - Jane Caro Oct 31, 2025

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For this month's podcast episode, we’re excited to share with you Walkley winning columnist, author, novelist and social commentator Jane Caro in conversation with the wonderful Ali Clarke, discussing Jane's latest novel 'Lyre Bird'. Jane talks about where her ideas come from, the writing process, how she responds to trolls online and the power of fiction. This is an amazing conversation and well worth a listen.

Episode 84 - Cat Person Oct 08, 2025

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For this month's podcast, Paula and Salma read 'Cat Person' by Kristen Roupenian, because sometimes you just need a quick, impactful short story to get you out of a reading slump! 'Cat Person' gained significant attention when it was published in The New Yorker in 2017, for exploring the complexities of modern dating. If you haven't read it yet, head over to The New Yorker now and read it before listening to the pod. Cat Person in The New Yorker >> https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/12/11/cat-person Books they mention: The Metamorphosis - Kafka The House of my Mother – Shari Franke I Want Everything - Dominic Amerena The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid Yellowface – R F Kuang Lyrebird – Jane Caro The Mother – Jane Caro What Happened to Nina? - Dervla McTiernan The Scholar - Dervla McTiernan The Murder Rule - Dervla McTiernan The Housemaid's Secret – Freida McFadden The Housemaid - Freida McFadden Onyx Storm – Rebecca Yarros The Help - Kathryn Stockett Beautiful Ugly – Alice Feeney Great Big Beautiful Life – Emily Henry Here One Moment – Liane Moriarty We Need To Talk About Kevin - Lionel Shriver

Episode 83 - Hannah Kent Author Talk 'Always Home, Always Homesick' Aug 31, 2025

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For this month's #LiteraryAnything episode, we're sharing Hannah Kent in conversation with Pip Williams talking about Hannah's much anticipated autobiography 'Always Home, Always Homesick'. Written in rich detail and humorous and poignant anecdotes (some Hannah shares in this author talk), 'Always Home, Always Homesick' is both a memoir of her experiences of living in Iceland, and a wider consideration of the centrality of literature to the nation's culture and identity. Have you read it? You'll definitely want to after listening to Hannah talk about it! Listen wherever you get your pods.

Episode 82 - The House of My Mother Jul 31, 2025

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New #LiteraryAnything podcast out now. This month, Jasmine joins Salma on the pod (for the first time in a while 🤣) to discuss Shari Franke's memoir 'The House of my Mother'. Other things they discuss: 🐛 Jasmine shares what book character she'd like to swap lives with for a day 🐉 Salma finally reads THE romantasy book 📚 There's lots to look forward to in the land of new book releases Listen wherever you get your podcasts. 🎧 TW: This episode contains discussions of child abuse, physical abuse, and sexual assault. Listener discretion is advised. If these topics may be distressing for you, please take care when listening or consider skipping this episode. Books they mention: Deep Cuts - Holly Brickley The Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle Daisy Jones and the Six – Taylor Jenkins Reid Sunrise on the Reaping - Suzanne Collins Rebel Rising – Rebel Wilson From Here to the Great Unknown - Lisa Marie Presley Would You Rather – Maggie Alderson Atmosphere – Taylor Jenkins Reid Evelyn Hugo – Taylor Jenkins Reid Summer Island – Kristen Hannah The Women – Kristen Hannah The Stranger Beside Me - Ann Rule Fourth Wing – Rebecca Yarros Great Big Beautiful Life – Emily Henry Iron Flame - Rebecca Yarros Onyx Storm - Rebecca Yarros Mad Mabel – Sally Hepworth At the Foot of the Cherry Tree - Alli Parker Until the Red Leaves Fall - Alli Parker Impossible Fortune – Richard Osman Always Home, Always Homesick – Hannah Kent

Episode 81 - Broken Brains Jun 30, 2025

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We're thrilled to share with you Jamila Rizvi and Rosie Waterland's conversation with Libby Trainor Parker, discussing their co-written memoir 'Broken Brains'. Their new book is a personal memoir about physical brain health and mental brain health, and how they coexist in two very different spaces. Jamila and Rosie were incredibly open in this author talk, it's definitely worth a listen if you weren't able to join us on the night (or even if you did).

Episode 80 - Great Big Beautiful Life Jun 10, 2025

Show notes

Paula and Salma read Emily Henry's latest book 'Great Big Beautiful Life' for the pod and they're both feeling like they've read this story before. Are you an Emily Henry fan? How do you think her latest book compares to her other novels? Listen to the podcast to find out Paula and Salma's thoughts, plus what else they've been reading lately and new releases you should keep an eye out for. Books they mentioned: The Love That Split the World Beach Read People We Meet On Vacation Book Lovers Happy Place Funny Story The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo The Disappearance of Adèle Bedeau - Graeme Macrae Burnet The Younger Woman – Mandy Byatt It Ends With Us – Colleen Hoover The Season – Helen Garner The Friday Afternoon Club – Griffin Dunne Broken Brains – Jamila Rizvi and Rosie Waterland Atmosphere - Taylor Jenkins Reid Never Flinch – Stephen King None of This Is True – Lisa Jewell Don't Let Him In – Lisa Jewell How To Lose Your Mother - Molly Jong Fast Fear of Flying – Erica Jong Australia's Agricultural Identity – Joshua Gilbert

Episode 79 - Paul Flavel Author Talk 'John Martin's' Apr 29, 2025

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For this month's #LiteraryAnything episode we're sharing our author talk with Paul Flavel in conversation with Georgina McGuinness, where together they discussed Paul's book 'John Martin's: The Story of South Australia's Beloved Department Store'. The passing of the years has not dulled SA's loved for 'Johnnies', with thousands of people working there and even more loyally shopping there. It was amazing to see so many people join us for this author talk who still had very fond memories of the store.

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