The Listening Library

Great New Zealand books to listen to whenever you want them.

Produced by Duncan Smith

Cover image with olive green and cream tones featuring the text 'The Listening Library' in bold white serif font, and 'Audiobook Collection' in smaller text above. Stylized vertical book spines line the right side of the image.

RNZ exclusive

This podcast is only available on the RNZ website and apps, ad‑free and uninterrupted.

Harbouring (Part 1) by Jenny Pattrick

The Writer's Festival (Part 1) by Stephanie Johnson

Season 13 / Episode 1
A wise and witty novel that explores the contemporary phenomenon of the public face (or even celebrity status) of the writer. Part 1: Rae is putting the Oceania Writer's Festival together while Gareth sweats over judging the Opus Award.
Supplementary image for episode: The Writer's Festival (Part 1) by Stephanie Johnson

The Writer's Festival (Part 2) by Stephanie Johnson

Season 13 / Episode 2
Rae has a challenge keeping the Festival and her home life on an even keel.

Find out more

The Writer's Festival (Part 3) by Stephanie Johnson

Season 13 / Episode 3
Rae has a troublesome meeting while Gareth still has qualms about being an Opus judge.

The Writer's Festival (Part 4) by Stephanie Johnson

Season 13 / Episode 4
Merle's subterfuge is leading her into deep water.

The Writer's Festival (Part 5) by Stephanie Johnson

Season 13 / Episode 5
Adarsh reflects on his chances of winning the Opus award.

The Writer's Festival (Part 6) by Stephanie Johnson

Season 13 / Episode 6
Rae suffers through a team building workshop and reflects on her past.

The Writer's Festival (Part 7) by Stephanie Johnson

Season 13 / Episode 7
Merle is nervous about whether she can get away with her ruse.

The Writer's Festival (Part 8) by Stephanie Johnson

Season 13 / Episode 8
Rae is in hot water and Gareth has a skype session with the other judges.

The Writer's Festival (Part 9) by Stephanie Johnson

Season 13 / Episode 9
Adarsh has an eventful stop-over en-route to Auckland.

The Writer's Festival (Part 10) by Stephanie Johnson

Season 13 / Episode 10
The Festival opens and the prizes awarded.

The Writer's Festival (Part 11) by Stephanie Johnson

Season 13 / Episode 11
Merle has a proposition for Jacinta.

The Writer's Festival (Part 12) by Stephanie Johnson

Season 13 / Episode 12
What will become of Rae, and Kyla Mahan?

Other podcasts
like this one

More podcasts with similar themes or ideas that you might enjoy.

  • Sketch-style white line drawing of New Zealand’s Beehive parliamentary building on a dark background, with the words ‘Politics NZ’ in white text above.

    Politics NZ

    Stay in the know. All of RNZ's politics podcasts in one place.

  • Podcast title 'Here Now' in front of a colourful background with overlaid shapes. A map of New Zealand is also overlaid over the coloured shapes.

    Here Now

    What do 27% of NZers all have in common? They were born overseas.

  • An abstract heart constructed from shapes similar to rural fields seen in aerial photography sits behind the text 'Country Life'.

    Country Life

    Head out to the farms & back roads to hear the stories of rural New Zealand.

  • A grey and blue hypnotising illustration on the background with a large title saying "Mediawatch" and words "weekly since 2001" above the title.

    Mediawatch

    A critical look at the New Zealand media.

  • A stylised photograph of a paua shell mimicking the image of 'earth' with the podcast title 'our changing world' on top.

    Our Changing World

    Stories of NZ science and nature from out in the field and inside the labs.

  • Test reads "The detail" where the dot on the "I" is highlighted.

    The Detail

    Award-winning

    The big news explained, by the country's best journalists and experts.

  • Cover image in deep blue and periwinkle tones featuring the text 'Short Story Stack' in bold white serif font, with 'Audiobook Collection' in smaller text above. Stylized vertical book spines line the right side of the image.

    Short Story Stack

    A stack of short stories by independent and published writers from all over NZ.

  • Cover image in teal and seafoam green tones featuring the text 'The Playhouse' in bold black serif font, with 'Audio Collection' in smaller uppercase text above. Stylized vertical book spines in varying green hues line the right edge of the image.

    The Play House

    Listen here for RNZ's collection of plays, dramas and comedies

  • Hand-drawn doodles on a light background. The title is written in a blue, playful font in the center. Around the title are various doodles, including children, a house, a kiwi bird, and an elderly couple. There is also a red heart, a blue car, and stars scattered around the cover.

    It Takes A Village

    Practical, expert advice on how to tackle the challenges of modern parenting.

  • An illustrated motif representing people from the Pacific gathered around a sun.

    Tagata o te Moana

    Wrapping up the big Pacific news, issues, information & music each week.

  • An illustrated motif representing people from the Pacific gathered around a sun sits behind a photographic portrait of Susana Suisuiki.

    Pacific Waves

    Delving deeper into the major Pacific stories each week

  • Podcast Title 'The House' set in a bold font on an outside wall, with a image of the parliament house seen through a window

    The House

    Legislation, issues and insights from Parliament.