Author Interview
How failing well can lead to important discoveries
Failure happens. It's not a glitch, but an inevitable part of life. But most of us fail to learn from failure, letting fear and shame get in the way, says Harvard Business School professor Amy… Audio
How to move through change with 'rugged flexibility'
To be resilient in the face of change, we need to hold on to our core values while cultivating adaptability, says writer and human performance expert Brad Stulberg. He speaks to Jesse Mulligan about… Audio
Sam Low: the modern Chinese Masterchef
Since winning Masterchef in 2022, Sam Low has been figuring out what's important to him as a chef in the New Zealand media. In the new recipe book Modern Chinese, he honours both his cultural heritage… Audio
Cristina Rivera Garza: grief demanding justice
It took Mexican scholar, novelist, and poet Cristina Rivera Garza 30 years to be able to write about what happened to her younger sister. Liliana Rivera Garza was murdered by her abusive boyfriend in… Audio
When pushing for achievement becomes toxic
Modern kids are getting caught up in the "grind culture" of the adult world and not developing a sense of inherent self-worth, says American journalist Jennifer Berhenti Wallace. Audio
Michael Palin's New Zealand connection: My great uncle Harry’s life and death in WWI
Actor, comedian, broadcaster and author, Michael Palin, has documented the extraordinary life and tragic death of a First World War soldier - his great-uncle Harry in latest book Great-Uncle Harry: A… Audio
Otto English: History's fake heroes
Andrew Scott is a political journalist who goes by the pen name of Otto English. His latest book, 'Fake Heroes: Ten False Icons and How they Altered the Course of History' dives into the hidden lives… Audio
Ethan Kross: How to master your inner voice
How you talk to yourself can mean the difference between a good day or a day spent wallowing with your head under the covers. Award-winning Professor of Psychology and Management at the University of… Audio
The true Kiwi story of a daring escapes and brave resistance
Sometimes, real stories about bravery, betrayal and ultimately love are more dramatic than that can be conjured in the imagination. Doug Gold, the co-founder of the More FM radio network, has a knack… Audio
The biggest birding year in New Zealand history
In 2021 Harry Boorman attempted to break the record for the most New Zealand bird species seen in one calendar year. Jesse spoke to Harry at the time, stating his intention to publish a book about the… Audio
Reclaiming Crip Culture
Just released, Henrietta Bollinger’s debut essay collection, Articulations published by Tender Press speaks to their experiences as queer, disabled and as a twin.. Audio
How biblical ideas of 'goodness' hold women back
For too long, women have been constrained by a set of ancient biblical rules that define what it means to be "good", says writer Elise Loehnen. She talks to Jesse Mulligan about her new book Our Best… Audio
Good as Gold! Matt Elliott looks at the best and worst
Ah the 80s! Big hair, bright clothes, and some very risque advertising. It was also a time of some big political, social and economic changes in New Zealand: The Springbok Tour, Rainbow Warrior… Audio
Heather Morris on her new book of sisterhood and survival
Author Heather Morris has penned a new book that focuses on the experiences of a group of Australian Army nurses who were taken prisoner by the Japanese as they tried to sail from Singapore in 1942… Audio
Feature interview: Rebekah Ballagh
Little kids have big feelings. And one of the hardest and most important things a child can learn is how to manage them. The fancy name for that is executive function. For bestselling author and… Audio
New Zealand's biggest online book club
Now in its second year Together We Read is Aotearoa's biggest online book club, with thousands of readers joining reading the same book between September 27 and October 11. This year, the novel is… Audio
Dr Sam Parnia: Life, death and in-between
We may never solve the question of what happens when our hearts stop and electrical activity in our brain flatlines, but science is giving this a good go now. Dr Sam Parnia is a British associate… Audio
Arthur C Brooks: Understanding happiness
How can we bring more happiness into our lives? How do we translate a yearning for happiness into the sort of action that will enable us to grasp it? How do we live, now, in a less-and-less happy… Audio
Olive Jones: anarchy and idealism at the Graham Downs commune
In 1979, inspired by the countercultural movement sweeping the country, teenager Olive Jones embraced rural communal living. By the age of twenty-one she was one of the founders of the Graham Downs… Audio
David McAllister: Ballet Confidential
Internationally-acclaimed former principal dancer and artistic director of The Australian Ballet, David McAllister recently completed his tenure as acting artistic director of the Royal New Zealand… Audio