Author Interview

Tā Mark Solomon spent 18-years at the helm of Ngāi Tahu. He was elected to the role in 1998 just as the iwi was about to sign its $170 million historic Treaty of Waitangi settlement. Today Ngāi Tahu's… Audio

Shaking hands hasn't been so popular in social distancing Covid times, but it is a widely accepted gesture that has existed for thousands of years. The handshake ritual Is deeply embedded in a range… Audio

Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York follows the first rule of writing for her debut novel; write what you know. Jesse talks to Sarah Ferguson about being a new grandmother, the romance of royalty and… Audio

Nikki Gemmell was crushed when her writer fiancee jilted her, but 30 years on she says the relationship ending was her personal salvation. In her new memoir Dissolve, the best-selling Australian… Audio

A year ago we spoke to one of the founders of a new online fashion and beauty magazine called Ensemble. Today they've announced they have been acquired by Stuff Ensemble co-founder Zoe Walker Ahwa… Audio

The emerging author HG Parry writes complex and engaging fantasy novels. She talks to Lynn Freeman about reinventing the 18th century in this highlight of 2021's Dunedin Writers Festival. Audio

Ben Rhodes was a speechwriter, national security adviser, and right-hand man to US President Barack Obama for eight years. Following his time in the White House, Rhodes wrote an insider account… Audio

A famous kiwi short story 'Coming Home In the Dark' by Owen Marshall is appearing on screens next week as a feature film of the same name. It's based on the titular story of New Zealand short Story… Audio

We discuss life and strange stories with Jack Remiel Cottrell and his new flash fiction collection called Ten Acceptable Acts of Arson and other very short stories. Audio

New Statesman deputy editor Tom Gatti asks 50 great writers to share their stories in his new book, Long Players: Writers on the Albums that Shaped them. Audio

For today's How To Write, our very own Perlina Lau talks to Jesse about how to write a fictional television series script. Audio

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the controversial Springbok rugby tour that divided the country, and a new book is helping young New Zealanders to understand the issues that made it so… Audio

More and more research suggests empathy and kindness can predict long-term success better than academic scores. Teach a child to be kind, says science journalist Melinda Wenner Moyer, and you get an… Audio

Educator, Te Ataakura Pewhairangi was brought up in te ao Māori, and her home language was and still is te reo Māori. She has completed a Bachelor of Arts and teaching degree entirely in te reo… Audio

For years Michael Pollan told us about what happens to our bodies when we eat plants. Now he wants the world to have a more open and honest conversation about what happens when we consume psychoactive… Audio

Erin French is the owner of the Lost Kitchen in her small hometown of Freedom, Maine, where the population hovers just above 700. The restaurant is located in a former 19th century grist mill has made… Video, Audio

Tim Marshall is a leading authority on foreign affairs with more than 30 years of reporting experience. His latest book The Power of Geography focuses on ten maps that reveal the future of the world.

Guardian Australia columnist Bridie Jabour calls millennials the miserable generation so set out to discover how 30 somethings can learn to be happy. She shares her roadmap for navigating a path away… Audio

When David Mitchell's son was diagnosed with autism at three years old, the British author and his wife Keiko Yoshida felt lost, unsure of what was happening inside their son's head. In an effort to… Audio

Wellington writer John Summers delves into old-school New Zealandness in his new essay collection The Commercial Hotel. Audio