RD Talks

The young hiker was wedged upside down between two boulders. How could rescuers pull her free? Written by Helen Signy. Read by Louise Waterson

Understanding the science behind why some people constantly interrupt others can help you to be heard better. Written by Kristina Berndt. Read by Louise Waterson.

Pinned by a giant boulder, a hiker had two choices: panic or gut it out. He did both. Written by Nick Hune-Brown. Read by Louise Waterson

Sometimes the simplest presents are the most meaningful. Here, RD readers reflect on the gifts they have never forgotten.

The Darvaza crater in Turkmenistan is known as the Gates of Hell. I stood on its edge—and lived to tell the tale. Written by Tim Johnson. Read by Louise Waterson

A couple were astonished to see who had taken up residence in their letterbox. Written by Cathy Free, from Washington Post. Read by Louise Waterson.

We wanted to do a once-in-a-lifetime trek in northern Laos. Just getting there became the adventure. By Bonnie Munday. Read by Louise Waterson

The former 'starchitect' who designed gleaming towers for Pakistan's corporate elite now rebuilds villages devastated by natural disasters. Written by Lisa Murphy. Read by Louise Waterson.

It's a spectacular sight when countless ruminants cross the Serengeti in search of greener pastures. Written by Vincent Noyoux, from Le Figaro Magazine. Read by Louise Waterson.

Far from home, a couple decides on an unusual wedding venue in the marriage capital of the world. By Christine Tan. Read by Louise Waterson.

An unusual volunteer enlisted in the navy – and brought heart and soul to a naval band. By Rudy Sadie. Read by Louise Waterson.

At a time when female announcers weren't commonly heard on the radio, a young woman defied the odds to get on the air. By Erica Condon Smith. Read by Louise Waterson

This cinematography student found inspiration in a most unexpected friend. By Tamlyn Wilson. Read by Louise Waterson.

A trip down memory lane brings a touching reality to a childhood fantasy. By Lorna Bergamasco. Read by Louise Waterson.

A small white towel holds precious memories for a Polish refugee who started a new life. By Anna Malarz. Read by Louise Waterson.

Solutions to many of our most perplexing personal problems can often be found by applying a kind of creative arithmetic. Written by Fredelle Maynard. RD Classics. First published December 1979. Read by Louise Waterson

Hairpieces have been around for millenia. Written and read by Zoe Meunier.

I used to think the solution to my aversion to going to a hair salon was finding a stylist with superpowers. Then I dropped by a local barbershop. Written by Patricia Pearson. Read by Zoe Meunier.

So this is weird… when long-term couples start to have the same health issues. Written by Lisa Kadane. Read by Zoe Meunier.

What did my husband and one of the biggest rock stars of the '80s have in common? More than I realised. By Nancy French. Read by Zoe Meunier

Caring for people is part of the deal at family-run shops. By Scott Grills. From The Globe and Mail. Read by Louise Waterson

COVID and the cost-of-living crisis have significantly altered how signs of the condition appear. Here's why.

Shot and left to die, Kenyon Tuthill was determined to bring his assailant to justice. First published May 1993. Written by Edward Ziegler. Read by Zoë Meunier.

The words were meant to be reassuring. But for the two men clinging to oily cables 35 storeys up in the giant chimney, the question was, "How?" First published June 1981. Written by Richard Schneider. Read by Zoë Meunier.

Born in 1961 and separated soon after, the three boys each felt "something missing" in his life. Then suddenly, they found out what it was. First published in 1981. Written by Phyllis Battelle. Read by Zoë Meunier.

A mysterious disease had left my wife comatose and breathing through a ventilator. It all started with a broken ankle. First published in April 2002. Written by Jon Tevlin. Read by Zoë Meunier.

A passenger gets an emergency flying lesson when his pilot passes out 3000 metres above the ocean. First published June 2023. Written by Robert Kiener. Read by Zoë Meunier.

We associate the emotion with rare experiences. But people in our daily lives can make us feel it, too. First published March 2023. Written by Elizabeth Bernstein from The Wall Street Journal. Read by Zoë Meunier.

After the tragic crash of Air Florida's Flight 90 into Washington's Potomac River, an unforgettable scene was played out in the dark, icy waters. Twice, a balding, middle-aged "average" man had a chance to save himself. Twice he chose instead to save someone else. And then he disappeared. First published November 1982. Written by Claire Safran. Read by Zoë Meunier.

A gadget aimed at making our lives easier is now the perfect stalking tool if in the wrong hands. First published February 2023. Written by Maggie Kim. Read by Zoë Meunier.

These seemingly friendly marsupials can do serious damage if provoked. First published May 2023. Written by Helen Signy. Read by Zoë Meunier.

In pitch darkness, amid a raging torrent of icy stormwater, a terrified young boy cried for help in a flooded tunnel. First published August 2013. Written by Allan Sparkes, from the book The Cost of Bravery. Read by Zoë Meunier.

Learn more about the ways in which this NSW Government initiative has become a runaway success story. Sponsored podcast. Read by Zoë Meunier

Day after day, she cared for the unwanted child – talking and singing to him, encouraging and loving him, trying to break through the barrier holding him mute and helpless. First published in November 1982. Written by Joseph Blank. Read by Zoë Meunier.

Sicily's puppeteers are finding novel ways to keep their art form alive. First published April 2023. Written by Anna Staropoli from Atlas Obscura. Read by Zoë Meunier

In that odd and dreaded instrument was the gift of a lifetime. First published July 1992. Written by Wayne Kalyn. Read by Zoë Meunier

After trying to conceive for over three years, the bunny we adopted was a welcome distraction from our struggles with infertiity. First published October 2022. Written by Stacey May Fowles. Read by Zoë Meunier.

For year's after his beloved daughter's death, he inspired a new generation. First published April 1997. Written by Cara Wilson. Read by Zoë Meunier.

A plunge into forbidding waters off Norway leads to an extraordinary encounter. First published March 2023. Written by Pete McBride from Smithsonian Magazine. Read by Zoë Meunier.

Sometimes, a teacher needs skills that are not taught. Written by Giovanni Mosca. Read by Zoë Meunier.

Are only children really more likely to be selfish, self-obsessed and socially awkward? An only child examines the reality behind this long-held stereotype. First published September 2022. Written by Jane Murphy. Read by Zoë Meunier.

It was just a quick climb, but one slip trapped him 20 metres underground. First published June 2016. Written by Lisa Fitterman. Read by Zoë Meunier.

I gave his mother all I could. Now it was his turn. First published June 2016. Written by Karen Mott, as told to Melody Warnick. Read by Zoë Meunier.

When his boat struck a reef and sank in the Caribbean, Don Cavers jumped on a life raft and watched as the ocean carried him away. First published February 2023. Written by Gary Stephen Ross. Read by Zoë Meunier.

After a freak backyard accident almost kills her, a woman is taken on a miraculous medical journey. First published December 2022. Written by Donna Barbour. Read by Zoë Meunier.

If you never pine for a different past, you'll stay trapped in a cycle of mistakes. First published October 2022. Written by Arthur C. Brooks from The Atlantic. Read by Zoë Meunier.

When faced with certain death, it takes bravery, determination and plenty of luck. These people lived to tell their stories. First published July 2022. Written by Sheri Niemegeers (as told to Emily Landau); Ryan Osmun (by Jason Daley, from Outside); and Julie McSorley (as told to Emily Landau). Read by Zoë Meunier.

My parents paid far more than they could afford for the greatest gift of my life. First published December 2022. Written by Peter White from The Guardian. Read by Zoë Meunier.

I discovered that this gentle activity supports healing for both body and soul. First published March 2022. Written by Gloria Liu, from Outside. Read by Zoë Meunier.

In 2008, with no inkling of trouble ahead, Bruce Feiler received some devastating news. It was the catalyst for a most unusual request... First published September 2010. Written by Bruce Feiler. Read by Zoë Meunier.

Behind efforts to preserve the endangered giant stork is a biologist – and a 400-strong group of women. First published in December 2022. Written by Lam Lye Ching. Read by Zoë Meunier.