Podcasts about auckland writers festival

Nate is back up in the studio chatting with Rosetta and Milly about some of his favourites from the Auckland Writers Festival last week! They also recap the winners of the Ockham Book Awards last week. Whakarongo main nei! Thanks to Timeout!

He's been described as “the John le Carré of his generation” and a “megastar of the genre”. British spy writer Mick Herron has earned millions of fans around the world and delighted critics with his thrilling plots, rich characters, and dry humour. He's won dozens of awards for both his Slough House series, his stand alone works, and his short story collections, and ‘Slow Horses' and ‘Down Cemetery Road' have both been adapted to the screen. Herron's on our shores for the Auckland Writers Festival, in which he'll introduce the latest addition to his iconic series, ‘Clown Town', set during the height of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. ‘Slow Horses' was originally released in 2010, and wasn't particularly successful, especially when compared to the acclaim both the book, and Herron's work as a whole, now holds. Herron told Jack Tame things changed one day at a time, so it doesn't feel like that big of a difference. “It was a low slow process, and it's one in which, I mean, my part in it has been that every – well, most days, not every day, most days I just sit down and get on with the book that I happen to be writing.” “Everything else goes on around me really,” he told Tame. He attributes his success to his publishers, the people working in marketing, those who run festivals, and so on. “I just respond to invitations and very happily turn up.” Over four million copies of his books have sold around the world, but Herron isn't quite sure what it is about his work that people connect with so much. “I don't intend to investigate it too closely,” he said. “It's a feeling that if I did, I might break something without meaning to.” “I just carry on doing what I'm doing and hope I'm doing it right ... I just do what I've always done, which is write the novel that's inside me that I need to write.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Erica Stanford: NCEA, immigration and "anti-Māori" criticism Minister for education and immigration Erica Stanford joins Jack Tame to discuss the new scheme replacing NCEA, facing down public criticism over removing school boards' Treaty of Waitangi obligations, and why the National Party is toughening its rhetoric on immigration. She also pushed back on education ministry plans to remove ESOL funding for year 0 and year 1 students in the second half of this year, saying the ministry had “got ahead of itself” and that wouldn't now be happening. Stanford also touched on the government's pause in rolling out a social media ban for under-16s, saying there was a legislative programme still under way, and that the National Party was still committed to moving something on age verification. Where's the policy? Chris Hipkins on Labour's election plans Less than six months out from a general election, New Zealand's highest-polling party has only revealed a handful of policies. On big issues like the cost of living, fuel security and immigration, Chris Hipkins says the Labour Party will be sharing their vision for the country after Budget Day. Chris Hipkins joins Jack Tame for his first appearance of 2026 to discuss his flagship education policy of the previous government, Fees Free - now set to be cancelled, with a price tag to date of $2 billion. He also considers whether Labour in New Zealand can take any lessons from Sir Keir Starmer's turmoil in the UK. “Oligopoly”: How a lack of competition hurts public pockets OECD economist David Haugh joins Q+A with Jack Tame to talk about a major new report detailing the weak state of competition in the New Zealand economy, and why ordinary New Zealanders are being economically hurt by the structure of key markets. His report also critiqued the government's LNG plans, and he responds to an assertion from PM Chris Luxon that those sections of the report are “a load of rubbish”. The “global Goliath” and risk of worldwide societal collapse Cambridge researcher of existential risks Luke Kemp talks to Q+A about the threats facing the continued survival of humanity, why wealth inequality is such a major risk factor, and how in such a globalised world, a collapse would be much more difficult to survive than previous societal collapses. Kemp's book is Goliath's Curse: The History and Future of Societal Collapse, and he's been in New Zealand as part of the Auckland Writers Festival. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

The Auckland Writers Festival gets underway this week, and organisers say it's shaping up to be the biggest festival ever, with ticket sales breaking records. The festival's artistic director, Lyndsey Fineran spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

A busy show on a beautiful sunny day in Tāmaki Makaurau. Emma was joined in the 95bFM studio by comedian Courtney Eggleton to talk funny business, her new Comedy Festival show and finding (and loving!) your inner rageful hag. We also heard from writers Laura Vincent and Dominic Hoey (follow the links for the full-length interviews) who discussed their work and what they're doing at the Auckland Writers Festival. Tunes today include new Aldous Harding, old Opossum and an epic track from Shayne P Carter with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Plus one luck B Card holder won a ticket to see Saul Williams and Carlos Niño at The Tuning Fork on June 9. Thanks to The Tuning Fork

Daniel Hahn is an award-winning literary translator who works in French, Spanish and Portuguese with over 100 books to his name.

No-one knows what the future of AI has in store for us, and one journalist has raised concerns about the impact of the technology. When investigative journalist Karen Hao started looking into Sam Altman's OpenAI, she had hopes for the technology, but extensive research and unparalleled access to those closest to the AI arms race left her with a different view. Her work in this space has made her one of the foremost tech journos covering AI. She's been listed in Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People. She's heading to New Zealand for the Auckland Writers Festival with her book EMPIRE OF AI: Inside the Reckless Race for Total Domination. "My criticism of companies that use this kind of rhetoric is that they are essentially just leveraging the lack of a shared definition as a way to just hype up their technologies." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No-one knows what the future of AI has in store for us, and one journalist has raised concerns about the impact of the technology. When investigative journalist Karen Hao started looking into Sam Altman's OpenAI, she had hopes for the technology, but extensive research and unparalleled access to those closest to the AI arms race left her with a different view. Her work in this space has made her one of the foremost tech journos covering AI. She's been listed in Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People. She's heading to New Zealand for the Auckland Writers Festival with her book EMPIRE OF AI: Inside the Reckless Race for Total Domination. "My criticism of companies that use this kind of rhetoric is that they are essentially just leveraging the lack of a shared definition as a way to just hype up their technologies." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time for Wednesday Breakfast! Rosetta and Milly have a big day ahead with the Taite Music Prize tonight, and a great show to kick things off for you dear listeners. E whai ake nei; the announcement of Strange Universe Winter Edition support acts, Parakuihi Pals with Radio One, Loose Reads with Jenna, and a kōrero with Gabrielle Vincent from the Auckland Writers Festival about Plot Twist! Whakarongo mai nei.  Thanks to eighthirty coffee roasters!

As a little mid-week treat for you, Jenna is up in the studio chatting pukapuka for Loose Reads - after the long weekend! She chats with Rosetta and Milly about Lily King, who Jenna is chatting to at the Auckland Writers Festival on Sunday May 17! Whakarongo mai nei.  Thanks to Timeout Bookstore!

Gab Vincent joins Rosetta and Milly in the studio for a chat about some of her mahi with the Auckland Writers Festival this year - including Streetside and Plot Twist, the latest addition to the lineup on May 17 which features a takeover at Q Theatre aimed at rangatahi! Whakarongo mai nei!

Happy Rātu e te whānau! E whai ake nei, coming up on Tuesday Breakfast with Rosetta and Milly; Political Commentary with David Slack, a kōrero with Lyndsay from the Auckland Writers Festival, and Ready Steady Learn. Whakarongo mai nei!  Thanks to eighthirty coffee roasters!

Yann Martell is coming to the Auckland Writers Festival next month to discuss the parallels between history and modern life.

Fans of his books will be able to catch Mick when he appears at the Auckland Writers Festival in May.

Australian author Charlotte McConaghy's novel Wild Dark Shore has been widely reviewed as one of the must read books of 2025. It also saw McConaghy named on the longlist for the Women's Prize for Fiction. Ahead of her appearance at the Auckland Writers Festival, she's opened up about the creative journey behind her iconic work. "I was concerned that my sort of level of immersion into my writing was so different than what it had been in the past, and I was worried that it was going to sort of translate into the book and into the writing - they're very normal doubts to have as a writer." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi audiences will be able to see S.A Cosby in person when he's here for the Auckland Writers Festival. 

The programme for the 2026 Auckland Writers Festival Waituhi o Tamaki has just dropped, and it's looking to be a star-studded line-up for book lovers. The programme is compiled by artistic director Lyndsey Fineran, who joins Jesse.

This week author Josie Shapiro joins Jesse. Her bestselling and much-loved debut novel 'Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts' won the inaugural Allen & Unwin Commercial Fiction Prize, she followed it up with her novel 'Good Things Come and Go' last November which has had fans and critics raving. Josie will be taking part in two events at the Auckland Writers Festival in May.

New Zealand literary giant C K Stead joins Georgina Godwin to discuss aging, mortality and his early fascination with poetry. He also reflects on his influential role in shaping New Zealand’s literature. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georgina Godwin speaks with Michael and Matariki Bennett, co-curators of the Auckland Writers Festival, about their Māori heritage, the kōhanga reo movement and addressing sociopolitical issues through art.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georgina Godwin meets Damien Wilkins, the 2025 Ockham New Zealand Book Award winner for fiction with his novel ‘Delirious’. Wilkins reflects on his early literary influences, past work and transitioning to songwriting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adolf Hitler. Joseph Stalin. Benito Mussolini. Pol Pot. Saddam Hussein. Apart from being some of the most famous dictators in human history, they all have one thing in common. They all had dramatic, violent, and disgraced downfalls. But, in almost every case, foreign powers played a major role in shaping the post-dictatorship future. How Tyrants Fall: And How Nations Survive by political scientist Marcel Dirsus delves into the vulnerabilities of authoritarian regimes and explores strategies for their dismantling. Dirsus was recently in New Zealand for the Auckland Writers Festival, and joined The Front Page while here to discuss tyrants and whether we’ve learnt anything from the world’s darkest rulers. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsSound Engineer/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ‘war on wokeness’ may feel like a new phenomenon, but in fact, it’s been around for centuries. People have been ‘cancelled’, in one way or another, since the beginning of time – it's human nature to form tribes, create an ‘us’ and ‘them’, and serve as judge, jury, and sometimes literally, executioner. But in recent years, the ‘culture wars’ have erupted between the left and right, progressive and conservative, the woke and anti-woke over everything from gender and sexuality to race and equal rights. Discriminations – Making Peace in the Culture Wars is the latest work by British philosopher A. C. Grayling, where he delves into some of the biggest issues of our time. He joins us today on The Front Page to discuss wokeness, who decides who gets to be ‘cancelled’, and understanding mankind’s inherent need to be right. A.C. Grayling will be appearing at the Auckland Writers Festival from May 13–18. For more information and tickets, visit www.writersfestival.co.nz. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Chelsea DanielsSound Engineer/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neal Shusterman is in New Zealand for Verb and the Auckland Writers Festival, with talks specifically for teenagers squeezed into his schedule.

Kaliane Bradley's The Ministry of Time has been regarded as one of the of successful books of 2024 - and it's got quite a history attached to it. The book was initially written as a fanfiction project intended for a small group of friends over the Covid-19 lockdowns, but it went on to become an instant hit. Ahead of her appearance at the Auckland Writers Festival, Bradley opened up about her creative process - and the journey that led to the creation of the book. "It's been a real pleasure to see that there are people out there that have connected with it and who care about it - when I started writing is, I didn't expect it to get beyond the original 15 readers. It really is very thrilling." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Paula's guest is Australian author, Trent Dalton, who returns to Auckland for a special talk about his acclaimed career, including Boy Swallows Universe. They discuss how his life story influenced his debut novel, what his family thinks about being a part of his fiction, meeting his idol Eddie Veder, and he shares his advice for being optimistic and why he doesn't think it's naive to view the world with positivity. Details for Trent's talk and other events at the Auckland Writers Festival, head to writersfestival.co.nz. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Nicholls is a critically acclaimed author and BAFTA-winning screenwriter - and he's set to make an appearance at this year's upcoming Auckland Writers Festival. His bestselling book One Day sold millions of copies and went on to become a successful hit series on Netflix. Off the back of his latest hit novel, You Are Here, Nicholls plans to address Kiwi fans - and open up about the pressures of success. "I've written a lot of books set in the past and a lot of books with quite a large time scale - and this is like a little delicate chamber piece, even though it takes place against all these mountains and lakes and rivers. It's a character study." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Epic thriller All the Colours of Dark was one of the must-read books of 2024 - but author Chris Whitaker's road to success was a long one. Whitaker has suffered his share of trauma - childhood abuse, stabbing, and losing millions of pounds as a stockbroker. He turned to writing - a move he credits with saving his life. Ahead of his upcoming appearance at Auckland Writers Festival, Whitaker says it was a 'vulnerable' place putting his creative work out for audience approval. "It felt like I didn't have anything else to offer - that was then, obviously, but now I've started writing a new book and I'm in love with that." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager, host Jenny Li Fowler sits down with Samuel Harriman and Olivia Finch from Oxford University to unpack the inner workings of their incredibly unique roles as a two-person university-wide campaigns team. Titled “How Oxford University Built a Campaigns Team to Reshape Their Global Brand,” this conversation dives deep into the hows and whys of Oxford's centralized campaign strategy—one that touches all 57 departments and positions the institution as a forward-thinking, globally connected research powerhouse. If you're curious about higher education content marketing, centralized campaign models, or the strategic integration of social media in research comms, this one's for you.Guest Names: Samuel Harriman, Campaigns Project Manager, University of Oxford Olivia Finch, Campaign Producer, University of OxfordGuest Socials: Samuel: LinkedIn, InstagramOlivia: LinkedInGuest Bios: Samuel Harriman (He/him) is responsible for the delivery of large scale multimedia campaigns as Campaigns Project Manager at the University of Oxford. He has previously worked in digital media management at Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, student recruitment and marketing at the University of Leicester and in stakeholder engagement at the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Olivia Finch (She/her) plays a pivotal role in delivering campaigns in her role as Campaigns Producer at the University Oxford. She has previously been responsible for marketing languages and library content at Oxford University Press and worked as a marketing executive at Auckland Writers Festival. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Jenny Li Fowlerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylifowler/https://twitter.com/TheJennyLiAbout The Enrollify Podcast Network:Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you'll like other Enrollify shows too! Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

On Various Artists i tēnei wiki... Beth had a kōrero with Tāmaki Makaurau-based poet Amy Marguerite about her debut poetry collection, over under fed, out now via Auckland University Press.  She also spoke with Pōneke-based poet Gregory Kan about his new poetry collection, Clay Eaters, out now via Auckland University Press, also. Sofia had a kōrero with Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum's Wikimedian in Residence, Anjuli Selvadurai, about the Wiki 101 Edit-a-thon tomorrow.  And Beth also had a kōrero with the Artistic Director of the Auckland Writers Festival for 2025, Lyndsey Fineran, about the programme this year. And for Stage Direction this week, Ngahiriwa Rauhina joined Alice Canton in the studio to speak about ration the Queens veges currently on at Te Pou Theatre. Whakarongo mai!

Last year the Auckland Writers Festival smashed all previous attendance records - this year looks to be even bigger. 

American novelist David Baldacci is well-regarded as a prolific writer, having sold over 150 million books worldwide and inspired film and TV adaptations afterwards. He's best known for writing legal thrillers and suspense novels - and he's no stranger to tapping into controversial topics, having been subject to death threats in recent years. He explained limiting himself to safe topics would have negatively impacted his writing output. "Books can inspire people in many different ways - both for the good and for the bad. I've always felt that if people were angry enough at something I wrote and would threaten to take my life, I'd gotten to them a little bit." Baldacci is set to speak at the Auckland Writers Festival on January 30th in his first-ever public event in New Zealand. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the final episode of the summer edition of Great Chats with Francesca Rudkin, we hear from author, podcaster and former late night talk show host Chelsea Handler joined the show before her tour to New Zealand. Gemma Arterton, of Quantum of Solace and The King's Man fame, talked her latest movie, The Critic. And award winning author Abraham Verghese spoke to Francesca before his appearance at the Auckland Writers Festival. Great Chats with Francesca Rudkin brings you the best interviews from Newstalk ZB's The Sunday Session. Listen on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the sixth episode of Great Chats with Francesca Rudkin, one of Ireland's bestselling authors Marian Keyes talks Francesca through her 16th novel and why people crave love stories. And Australian author Trent Dalton visited New Zealand for the Auckland Writers Festival - and popped in to studio for an interview. Hollywood star Diane Kruger starred in Kiwi film Joika - and joined Francesca for a chat. Great Chats with Francesca Rudkin brings you the best interviews from Newstalk ZB's The Sunday Session. Listen on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special episode of GBL, recorded before a sell-out audience at the Auckland Writers Festival on May 18, Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire haul the KPIs out of the cabinet and assess the first six months of the National-led government, the performances of Prime Minister Chris Luxon, Winston Peters and David Seymour, along with the efforts from the parties of opposition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a crucial year for India, millions of voters are going to the polls in the mammoth six-week election in the most populous country on earth. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hoping to secure a rare third term as the poll hits the mid point. Internationally acclaimed author of twenty-five books, Dr Shashi Tharoor is a third-term Member of Parliament for the Congress and former Under Secretary-General of the United Nations. Dr Tharoor is appearing in conversation with Linda Clark in 'The Year the World Votes' at the Auckland Writers Festival.

Grave New World: Writing Dystopia Today is an Auckland Writers Festival event that is happening on Saturday 18th May. Among the speaker is author of Ockham NZ Book Awards longlisted Turncoat Tīhema Baker (Raukawa te Au ki te Tonga, Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai, Ngāti Toa Rangatira). From the AWF website: With wars raging, censorship on the rise and all manner of accepted human rights under threat both close to home and across the globe, how do fiction writers approach the dystopian genre when the line between fictional dystopias and our lived reality seems increasingly blurred? Beth caught up with Tīhema Baker about the panel and the dystopia genre. They also spoke about another event Tīhema is chairing, We Can Be on Other Planets: Māori Speculative Fiction.

The 2024 Auckland Writers Festival is kicking off next week, offering 200 events exploring literature, arts and culture and bringing together creatives from both Aotearoa and across the globe. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Festival Co-Curator Michael Bennett about this year's programme, discussing incorporation of Te Reo and Te Ao Māori, alongside the importance of intergenerational relationships in this creative space.  To learn more about programme events, head to www.writersfestival.co.nz

Claudia Jardine is a poet from Ōtautahi. She released her collection of poems Biter last year, which has been met with positive reception around the country. Beth caught up with Claudia about all things poetry as well as what she's up to at the moment, including curating the event Should I Have Read That? at Auckland Writers Festival annual fringe event, Streetside.

Streetside is Auckland Writers Festival's annual fringe event that showcases literature and the arts outside of conventional spaces. It's a free event in which writers, musicians and artists take to the streets of Britomart for a night of creativity. This year it takes place on Friday 17th May from 6-8pm. Beth caught up with Programme Manager for Auckland Writers Festival Jennifer Cheuk about Streetside and began by asking her how it all works.

Best-selling author and Stanford University medical school professor Abraham Verghese has a new novel - a sweeping epic following three generations of a family in South West India across the 20th Century. The Covenant of Water will delight fans of his 2012 novel Cutting for Stone, which sold over 1 million copies and remained on the New York Times best-seller list for over two years. The story centres on a young Christian girl in Kerala, who is married to a 40 year old widower, and follows as she become matriarch of the family over decades in which India changes enormously. Abraham Verghese was born and grew up in Ethiopia - the son of expatriate Indian parents. He began medical school in Ethiopia, but his studies were interrupted by the civil war in 1974, and he continued in India before moving to the United States. He will appear live at the Auckland Writers Festival next month.

Writer Viet Thanh Nguyen remembers watching Apocalypse Now for the first time and not knowing whether to sympathize with the Americans or with the Vietnamese. Growing up as a refugee in America, having fled Vietnam as a child, resulted in a unique but unsteady identity with which to view American culture and politics. He won the Pulitzer Prize fiction award for his debut novel The Sympathizer which takes place in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. His other books are the sequel to The Sympathizer; The Committed; a short story collection, The Refugees; Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War, and Race and Resistance: Literature and Politics in Asian America. His most recent publication is a memoir: A Man of Two Faces: A Memoir, A History, A Memorial. Viet Thanh Nguyen is coming to the Auckland Writers Festival in May.

Chris Riddell is a world-renowned illustrator and author of children's books and the political cartoonist for the Observer newspaper. He has collaborated with artists and writers such as Neil Gaiman, Phoebe Bridgers and Frances Hardinge. In 2018 he travelled to Aotearoa to speak at the Auckland Writers Festival. Most recently, Chris has released I Can't Remember What We Talked About, a slim volume of 24 poems. Beth and Chris chat about the creative process of art-making and poetry writing, love of nature, designing pop-up books for the backdrop of Phoebe Bridgers' tour and magical pear tree staffs. Chris reads some poems and they also speak about what it's like being a political cartoonist in the current political climate.

Jennifer Cheuk (Programme Manager) is in the studio to talk about the launch of the Auckland Writers Festival programme, which runs in May. Whakarongo mai nei!

Welcome to Wednesday! On What's Up with Chris Hipkins Rachel speaks with the leader of the opposition about road user charges, the government's decisions regarding Kāinga Ora and the fast track consenting bill. Rob Bollix discusses electronic music's impact on the brain on The Mind Trench. Litia Tuiburelevu is in the studio to talk about her new short documentary series on The Spinoff, K-Polys. Jennifer Cheuk (Programme Manager) is in the studio to talk about the launch of the Auckland Writers Festival programme, which runs in May. Whakarongo mai nei!

E. H. Gombrich's 1950 book The Story Of Art is one of art history's seminal texts. Now on it's 16th edition, it has sold over eight million copies and been translated into more than 30 languages. But it has one major flaw. The first edition didn't include any women artists, whilst subsequent editions feature just one; Käthe Kollwitz. Art historian Katy Hessel is on a mission to correct that. Her book The Story of Art Without Men re-examines art movements from the Renaissance to today, focusing on the achievements of women artists. Artists who have often been overshadowed by their male counterparts. Hessel's book challenges the traditional narrative and celebrates the artistic genius of women. Katy is also the curator behind popular Instagram account The Great Woman Artists. She joins Nine To Noon ahead of her May 18th appearance at the Auckland Writers Festival.

The Auckland Writers Festival is returning this May for its 24th year, with more than 40 international authors and over 200 events planned for the city of sails. Artistic director Lyndsey Fineran spoke to Emile Donovan.

Australian writer and social researcher Pip Williams' first novel, The Dictionary of Lost Words, was published just as the world locked down due to covid, and became an international best seller. It tells the story of motherless Esme who spends her childhood in the Scriptorium, a garden shed in Oxford where her father and a team of lexicographers gather words for the first Oxford English Dictionary. Over time she discovers words relating to women's experiences often go unrecorded. She's just published a companion book ,The Bookbinder of Jericho, which is the story of twin sisters who work in the bindery at Oxford University Press in Jericho. Pip Williams was a social researcher with dozens of peer reviewed academic papers in the fields of psychology, sociology, public health, medicine, work and family, and community development. But a few years ago she got fed up with academia, and "the only logical thing to do was give it up and drag the whole family to the other side of the world to work as labourers on organic farms." That adventure was documented in a previous book One Italian Summer. Pip Williams will be appearing at the Auckland Writers Festival next month.

Vietnamese author Dr Nguy n Phan Qu Mai's Dust Child tackles the difficult subject of Amerasian children, left behind when the American military fled after the Vietnam War.

Podcasts about unsolved murders, scandals and con artists dominate the charts these days, but a constant favourite since it started in 2015 involves deep dives into linguistics. 'The Allusionist' is hosted by British writer and broadcaster Helen Zaltzman who is appearing at the Auckland Writers Festival. She's produced almost 160 episodes, with some of the most recent ranging from 1920s crime noir slang to Objectivity in Journalism and Rainbow Washing. There are several episodes featuring Te Reo Maori in the back catalogue too.