Wireless Books

Wireless Books

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Christine and Beth explore our city's rich literary heritage, with people who are passionate about the printed word.

Christine Powley and Beth Sizemore


    • Oct 4, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 26m AVG DURATION
    • 118 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Wireless Books

    Books Uncovered - 05-10-2024 - 08

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2024 26:53


    Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Books Uncovered - 21-09-2024 - 07 - NZ Fiction - Catherine Chidgey and Fiona Kidman

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2024 22:47


    Holly & Bella discuss NZ authors Catherine Chidgey's - Pet. And Fiona Kidman's This Mortal Boy. Mixed in with some quirky book blurbs and events happening around the city. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Books Uncovered - 07-09-2024 - 06 - New and Upcoming Releases

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2024 24:57


    Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Books Uncovered - 24-08-2024 - 05 - Romance Novels

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2024 25:05


    We talk with romance enthusiasts Jordon and Nell about romance novels. They discus Ali Hazelwood, Emily Henry, Rachel Reid and collaborators Eden Finley and Saxon James. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Books Uncovered - 10-08-2024 - 04 - Poetry Old and New

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2024 26:02


    Athenaeum Library starts their first poetry section thanks to the generous donation by Sir Vincent O'Sullivan's family. We discus poets, Jack Underwood, James Tate, Rachael Long. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Books Uncovered - 27-07-2024 - 03 - Historical Fiction Time

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2024 26:06


    This week Holly and Bella talk about Historical Fiction Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Books Uncovered - 13-07-2024 - 02 - Emily Perkins and Saraid D Silver

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2024 21:38


    Chat about Emily Perkins & Saraid D Silver - NZ Authors Emily Perkins & Saraid D Silver. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Books Uncovered - 29-06-2024 - Irish Fiction Writers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2024 21:49


    A conversation about Irish fiction writers. Featuring John Boyne, Sally Rooney, Oisín McKenna and Megan Nolan. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 15-06-2024 - Holly and Bella - The Last Wireless Books show

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2024 21:00


    The Last Wireless Books show. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 01-06-2024 - Holly talks with Gareth from Tūhura

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2024 24:30


    Guest Gareth West comes in for a chat about archival and library work. We discuss what we're reading and play a poem by Raymond Antrobus. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 18-05-2024 - Holly & Bella Chat Books

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2024 19:56


    Holly & Bella Chat Books - The Athenaeum's new librarian Holly Fletcher speaks with Bella King, about writers Sinéad Gleeson, Laureen Groff, Louise Erdich and Ottessa Moshfegh. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 04-05-2024 - Hello Holly

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2024 26:31


    Hello Holly - It is a time of change at the Athenaeum. Christine has retired and we have a lovely new librarian Holly Flecther. In todays show we introduced Holly and talk a little about her background and of course we have new books to talk about. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 20-04-2024 - Even more St Kilda

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2024 26:19


    Even more St Kilda - We return to St Kilda's past where the fear of being inundated by the sea did not put people off removing sand from the sand dunes. We call them Karens' but they were just busy bodies back then and we have some examples as well as odd financial dealings that would have Rate Payers Groups hopping mad today. Also new book reviews. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 06-04-2024 - Censorship at the Athenaeum

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2024 26:10


    Censorship at the Athenaeum - One of our members took out an old Ken Follett and when she brought it back she said 'what's the story with the missing pages?' and she showed me that six pages were missing. So Rosalie the librarian before me had censored this book. I was able to uncover some of the story behind this and share it with our listeners. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 23-03-2024 - More St Kilda

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2024 26:19


    More St Kilda - We have a host of new books. Christine provides an update on our favourite ancient Greek Aeschylus and tells us more about the borough of St Kilda. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 09-03-2024 - History of St Kilda

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2024 26:14


    History of St Kilda - Not that long ago Dunedin was a compact city surrounded by independent Boroughs one of the last of which was St Kilda. Something reminded Christine that people living in St Kilda had to pay a non-residents fee to borrow books from the Dunedin City Library and in trying to research that she stumbled upon lots of other interesting information about the creation of St Kilda. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 24-02-2024 - Maids of Honour

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2024 26:08


    Maids of Honour - Beth is back on deck hitting all the buttons at the right time (sort of) and Christine is very happy to see her. We have new books and old-time tips on economical ways to keep your leather shoes in tip top shape. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 10-02-2024 - Flying Solo

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2024 27:11


    Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 27-01-2024 - Books, books, books

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2024 26:42


    Books, books, books - The Athenaeum Library reopens on Monday the 29th of January and Christine runs through some of the great new books you can borrow then. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 02-12-2023 - Books for Christmas

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2023 25:18


    Books for Christmas - It's starting to look a lot like Christmas and one of the great Athenaeum Christmas traditions is being about to take a double lot of books over the summer break and Christine is busy buying up new books to meet the demand. In todays episode she reviews some of the new books.

    Wireless Books - 18-11-2023 - Randolph Churchill

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2023 26:11


    Randolph Churchill - Randolph was the only son of Sir Winston Churchill (Britain's war time prime minister) and famous for his volcanic tempter. The Athenaeum has a biography written by his cousin Anita Leslie in the collection and Christine shares some of the funnier stories contained in it. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 04-11-2023 - The Dangers of Lawn Tennis

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2023 26:04


    The Dangers of Lawn Tennis - A hundred years ago people were worried that women were ruining their figures by playing lawn tennis becoming lean, tough and unattractive. But here in the present we have new books to talk about. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 19-10-2023 - Waving Ghost

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2023 25:48


    Waving Ghost - A recent haunting in Dunedin turned out to be much less spooky than it originally appeared. The police were called and soon got to the bottom of it. Christine has all the details as well as lots of new books to review. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 07-10-2023 - Suffragette City

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2023 26:20


    Suffragette City - New Zealand women have been able to vote for 130 years now. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 23-09-2023 - Goodbye Durham Town

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2023 26:29


    Goodbye Durham Town - Christine and Beth are sorry to hear of the death of Roger Whittaker. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 09-09-2023 - Granny's Chips

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2023 26:32


    Granny's Chips - Queen Mary was renowned for her fabulous jewelry and Christine lists the incredible gems she wore to her coronation in 1911, many of which Queen Camilla used in her own coronation. The diamond Cockade and the diamond Stomacher really caught our interest. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 26-08-2023 - A Real Who Dunnit! Theft at the British Museum

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2023 26:38


    A Real Who Dunnit! Theft at the British Museum - The thefts from the British Museum that are hitting the headlines have not been the first ones from the museum in recent years. Christine lists some incredible security failures. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 12-08-2023 - By Dickens!

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2023 26:41


    By Dickens! - Barbara Kingsolver's novel Demon Copperhead was modeled on David Copperfield by Charles Dickens and when Christine mentions this Beth reveals a surprising amount of knowledge about the great man's ten children. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 29-07-2023 - New Books

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2023 26:39


    New Books - So many books to talk about, they make up most of the show. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 15-07-2023 - Matariki

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2023 26:08


    Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 01-07-2023 - A Stack of Books

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2023 26:34


    A Stack of Books - The Athenaeum was lucky enough to have a stack of books donated to us in the last week so Christine's rundown of new books is longer than usual this episode. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 17-06-2023 - The History of the Mountain of Light

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2023 26:48


    The History of the Mountain of Light - The Mountain of Light is the Koh-i-noor one of the world's biggest diamonds. Christine gives a very quick run through it's complicated history to explain how India, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Taliban all feel they have a claim for it's return from the British government. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 03-06-2023 - Struck by Lightning

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2023 26:23


    Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 20-05-2023 - Still No Beth

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2023 27:21


    Still No Beth - Beth is back from her holiday in Vanuatu but the change in temperatures has left her with a nasty cold, so we made her stay home and once again Christine is flying solo. Get well soon Beth is all we can say. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 06-05-2023 - The One Without Beth

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2023 28:19


    The One Without Beth - Beth is off on an Island holiday and Christine is left holding the fort. We have reviews of some cracking new books and to save Christine's voice some musical interludes. Hiawatha by Look Blue Go Purple - Christine outlines some of the inspiration and plot of The Song of Hiawatha the epic poem by Longfellow that inspired the song. We finish with Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush other song inspired by a literary work. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 22-04-2023 - Who stole the Governor General's Head?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2023 25:56


    Who stole the Governor General's Head? - Good old Lord Jellicoe was back in the news a 100 years ago when some wag in the Cromwell pub stole the impressive 15-point stags head he had bagged on a deer-stalking expedition to Wanaka. We also have new books to discuss. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 08-04-2023 - The Last of the Book Sale

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2023 26:42


    The Last of the Book Sale - Thomas A Watson the assistant of Alexander Graham Bell did more than help Bell invent the telephone, Christine explains why he is interesting in his own right and then we talk about the last batch of books from last month's Regent Book Sale. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 25-03-2023 - More Treasures from the Regent Book Sale

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2023 26:17


    More Treasures from the Regent Book Sale - Christine got a heck of a lot of books at the Regent Book Sale and here are quick reviews of more of them. Also we talk about the strange case of the Russian Princess travelling by train in the South Island a 100 years ago whose fondness for whisky caught the attention of the justice system and the press. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 11-03-2023 - Goodies from the Book Sale

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2023 26:35


    Goodies from the Book Sale - Christine made it to the Regent Book Sale last week and she came laden with some of her selections. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 25-02-2023 - Christine Won't Shut Up

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2023 26:44


    Christine Won't Shut Up. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 11-02-2023 - Christine ruins everything

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2023 26:00


    Christine ruins everything! Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 28-01-2023 - The Act of Oblivion

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2023 26:46


    The Act of Oblivion - The Stuart Kings of England are back in fashion again with two new books featuring them - Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris and Dawnlands by Philippa Gregory but that's not the only new books that Christine and Beth talk about. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 31-12-2023 - Divas' for New Years

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2022 25:57


    In what has become a New Year's tradition we mark the changing of the year with music. This year all the picks are Beth's and she has gone full Diva Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 17-12-2022 - Christmas Songs - Christine's Favourites

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2022 25:26


    Christmas is close and we return to our Christmas tradition of non-stop Christmas Songs - this year they all have a country flavour including Country Christmas by Loretta Lynn the long time Queen of country music and New Zealand's own country star John Hore, both who died recently. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 03-12-2022 - Rabbits and A A Milne

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2022 26:38


    A A Milne is best known now days as the writer of children's stories about Pooh Bear but he had an enormously successful career as a writer for adults. Christine shares some details of his life including that he wrote a very popular series of skits for Punch magazine called Rabbits about the doings of the bright young things of Edwardian London. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 19-11-2022 - Able Seacat Simon

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2022 26:33


    Able Seacat Simon - A dockside kitten stowed away to sea on the HMS Amethyst and for a brief time was the most famous cat in the world when his courage under fire and ratting abilities helped his crew through a difficult incident. Christine and Beth share his story and information about the Athenaeums new books. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 05-11-2022 - No Guy Fawkes Here

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2022 26:38


    This time of year Christine is taken by surprise by Halloween, The Melbourne Cup and Guy Fawkes night in quick succession. She admits she keeps forgetting about them because she doesn't celebrate any of them - Beth of course is horrified by her lack of party spirit. They both agree that there are some crackers amongst the Athenaeum's new books. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 22-10-2022 - An Antipodean Arcadia

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2022 26:46


    The first European settlers of Dunedin wanted it to be an Antipodean Arcadia but their own actions made that difficult. We tend to think of Dunedin as it is today but of course the settlers almost immediately set about changing the shore line and removing inconvenient hills. We talk about instances of this as well as reviewing new books. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 24-09-2022 - A New Vera

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2022 26:28


    Beth is delighted to have the new Vera Stanhope, The Rising Tide by Ann Cleeves, book number ten in the popular series. We talk about other new books and then discuss the State Funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 10-09-2022 - It's A Rum Do

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2022 26:30


    Lord Jellicoe was a hero of the First World War and Governor-General of New Zealand afterwards. Christine talks about his career in the Royal Navy. We also have new books to discuss. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

    Wireless Books - 27-08-2022 - The Frontiersmen

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2022 26:00


    A lot of legions and folktales have sprung up around the frontiers of early America. Christine and Beth try and shed light on the truth of the careers of three much mythicised men Daniel Boone, Davey Crockett and Jim Bowie as well as reviewing some of the new books at the Athenaeum Library. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

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