On this episode of Book(ish) I sit down with comedian and recent author Tom Ballard to talk The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg. Our chat includes accidentally telling Tom Santa isn't real, how he approaches writing, and the purpose of political comedy. Enjoy! You can find Tom on Twitter, Instagram, and his website. Follow Bookish…

On this weeks episode of Book(ish) I sit down with journalist and author James Weir to talk I Was Told There'd Be Cake by Sloan Crosley. Our conversation includes the invention of a horrible new word, how cultural commentary stays the same even though the culture changes, and watching the youths and reporting back to the oldies. Enjoy! Books mentio…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with author Craig Silvey to talk To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Our chat includes the problematic Mockingbird prequel, slogging through your work to hear the muse, and the excitement and stress of working in film. Enjoy! You can follow Craig on his website and Instagram. Follow Bookish Comedy on Twitter and …

On this weeks episode of Book(ish) I sit down with urbanist Jillian Glover to discuss Happy City by Charles Montgomery. Our conversation includes what people say they want vs what they really want, how to make dense living work, and people who hate the sound of children playing. Enjoy! You can follow Jillian on twitter or her blog. Follow Bookish C…

On this weeks episode of Book(ish) I sit down with designer and renaissance man Gregory Ladner to talk Flowers for Mrs Harris by Paul Gallico. Our conversation includes weighing in Melbournes fashion sense, focussing on antiques over travel in your youth, and enjoying the chance to get a little bit of revenge. Enjoy! A Boy and his Bear is available…

This week on Book(ish) I speak to activist Travis Larcombe about As Beautiful As Any Other: A memoir of my body by Kaya Wilson. Our conversation incudes being friends with the author of a very personal memoir, sharing stories to know you exist, and needing 10-15 beers to let the emotions flow. Enjoy! Follow Queerstories here. Follow Bookish Comedy …

On this episode of Book(ish) I sit down with Eva Rodriguez Rodriguez to talk Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein. Our conversation includes having twice the surnames of most people, the many benefits of personal and professional range, and how NASA uses crowdsourcing to solve difficult problems. Find Eva on Linked…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with science presenter and childrens author Dr Niraj Lal to talk Full Circle by Scott Ludlam. Our conversation includes how bicycle couriering and tuna fishing helps appreciate science communication, the way systems influence technology and science, and what to do to fight a feeling of hopelessness. Enjoy! Books d…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with photographer, stylist, blogger and influencer Tamsien West to discuss My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante. Our conversation includes the ongoing mystery of who Elena Ferrante is, actively trying to widen the type of people you're reading, and the fascinating places you can go when you journal. Enjoy! Books/…

On this weeks episode of Book(ish) I sit down with former musician and current author/TikTok sensation Jake Griggs to talk The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby. Our conversation includes the many magical uses of the Air Fryer, a personal journey of leaving one career and then somehow stumbling into something adjacent years late…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with fluid mechanist Dr Sophie Calabretto to discuss The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham. Our conversation includes why fluid does what it does, the final judgement on whether it's pronounced math or maths, and how many ways you can say you're not interested. Enjoy! Click here to listen to the evolved Cosmos Scien…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with journalist and recent author of On The Scent, Paola Totaro, to talk Perfume by Patrick Süskind. Our conversation includes a deep dive into the lost smell epidemic during COVID, a day in Paris for Michael Hutchens and Kylie Minogue, and the ideal career for a journalist couple. Enjoy! On the Scent by Paola Tot…

On this weeks episode of Book(ish) I sit down with author Chris Flynn to discuss I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. Our conversation includes his recent book Mammoth, growing up during the Troubles, and how to turn an entire writers festival audience against you with a single sentence. Enjoy! Books discussed: I Am Legend by Richard Matheson Slaughter…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with comedian Jarryd Goundrey to discuss Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harriri. Our conversation includes several attempts at predicting the future and how that can go wrong, the ways military technology advancements reshape the world, and an example of living well via Shane Warne. Enjoy! You can follow Jarryd on Instagra…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with founder and CEO of Little Dreamers Madeleine Buchner OAM to talk Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Our conversation includes accidentally having too many books on the go at the same time, how finding your tribe is always worth the wait, and an unexpected similarity between the Harry Potter series and the m…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with comedian Eli Landes to talk The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Our conversation includes the rigours of Jewish private school, the romanticisation of elite universities, and learning to enjoy reading quite late. Enjoy! Books discussed: The Goldfinch by Donna Tart Stoner by John Williams Seveneves by Neal Step…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with comedian Jez Watts to discuss The Running Man by Richard Bachmann née Stephen King. Our chat includes the hell of loving what you do, writing hammered and how to be good at comedy. Enjoy! You can find Jez on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.. Follow Bookish Comedy on Twitter and Instagram. Sign up to our news…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with two time Australian Memory Champion Anastasia Woolmer to discuss Shogun by James Clavell. Our conversation includes what's involved in becoming a world class memory athlete, tying together a love of Japan with a love of dance, and dealing with Imposter Syndrome. Enjoy! Books discussed: Shogun by James Clavell…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with Blake Worrell Thompson to discuss Lost Connections by Johann Hari. Our conversation includes the other side of hitting bottom, learning to hear yourself, and living a life by design instead of default. Enjoy! Books mentioned Lost Connections: Why You’re Depressed and How to Find Hope by Johann Hari The Obesit…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with music and language researcher Anna Fiveash to talk Music, Language and the Brain by Anirruddh D. Patel. Our conversation includes the similarities (and differences) in the brain between music and language, using music to help learning, and the universal appreciation of a good beat. Enjoy! You can follow Anna …

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with Philosophy Professor at UWA Rob Wilson to discuss White Queen Psychology and other essays for Alice by Ruth Millikan. Our conversation includes why philosophy matters in the world, a deeper understanding of eugenics, and when is it ok to do some sh*t stirring. Enjoy! Books discussed White Queen Psychology and…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with former lawyer and current comedian Andrew Portelli to discuss A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K Leguin. Enjoy! You can find Andrew on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Bookish Comedy on Twitter and Instagram. Sign up to our newsletter here. Join our facebook group here. You can now physically send us stuff to PO B…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with businesswoman and "Australias first influencer" Lauren Bath to discuss The Untethered Soul by Michael Alan Singer. Our conversation ranges over what it takes to be professional in social media, slowing down your travel right before 2020 hits, and the benefits of finding someone to teach you. The Untethered So…

On this weeks Book(ish) we sit down with Dr Sam Han to discuss The Americans by Robert Frank. Our conversation includes who gets to choose a countries culture, one of the best original examples of the the medium being the message, and the possibility of New York not being the greatest/worst place in the world anymore, regardless of how much New Yor…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with biologist/lawyer/model/science communicator Laura Wells to talk The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peculiar Pairs in Nature by Sami Bayly. Our conversation includes COP26, staying calm in the face of climate change, and symbiotic relationships with an anus. Enjoy! Books mentioned: The Illustrated Encyclopaedia …

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with brain biomaterials researcher Dr Kiara Bruggeman to discuss The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. Our conversation includes the ever developing research around getting your brain on drugs, the difference between soft and hard magic, and what fantasy can teach you about life. Enjoy! Books mentioned: The Storm…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with entomologist Dr Tanya Latty to talk Project, Hail Mary by Andy Weir. Our conversation includes the undiscovered plains of insect research, swarm intelligence, and testing the rationality of slime moulds. Enjoy! Follow Bookish Comedy on Twitter and Instagram. Sign up to our newsletter here. Join our facebook g…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with firefighter, author and mental health advocate Tara Lal to discuss Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. Our conversation includes the limits of language, post-traumatic growth, and reading a great book at just the right time. Enjoy! Books mentioned: Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl The Body Kee…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with Director of the Westerly Research Group and Chair of Australian Literature at UWA Tony D'aeth to discuss Carpentaria by Alexis Wright. Our conversation includes the woeful prize money for one of the most prestigious science fiction awards on the planet, how magical realism reflects reality, and what makes Aus…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with creative director/producer Rhys Salmon to discuss The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. Our conversation includes the mentality of giving recommendations, the forever war against Resistance, and going solo in the eye of a pandemic. Books discussed: The War of Art by Steven Pressfield The Forever War by Joe Hal…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with Associate Professor (Finance) at UWA Lee Smales to discuss Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne. Our conversation includes growing up sharing a few similarities with Billy Elliot, when debt wizardry does crazy things, and why you can now get a decent coffee in LA. Enjoy! Books discussed Around the W…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with writer and comedian Alistair Baldwin to talk The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith. Our conversation includes the beauty of seeing the sun go down over the ocean, the pleasure in rorting the rich, and a Tim Winton speech at an under-14 writing competition that is very Tim Winton. Enjoy! The Talented Mr…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with game development company Samurai Punk founder Nick McDonnell to talk Labyrinths by Jorge Luis Borges. Our conversation ranges over the differences between game development and tech, building worlds to escape into, and learning world history in the most delicious way possible. Enjoy! Books mentioned: Labyrinth…

On this weeks Book(ish) I chat to comedian and writer Kit Richards about Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones. Our conversation includes when the movie completely desecrates the book, writing musical comedy, and how Essendon definitely had a conspiracy against them. Enjoy! Books discussed: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold The Straight Dope by Chip Le Gr…

On this weeks episode of Book(ish) I sit down with designer Mete Erdogan to talk The Arrival by Shaun Tan. Our conversation includes being a stranger in a slightly strange land, making art on the Frankston line, and reminding yourself of the weird. Enjoy! You can follow Mete on Instagram. Follow Bookish Comedy on Twitter and Instagram. Sign up to o…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with comedian Rose Bishop to discuss Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee. Our conversation includes the unexpected solace of reading sad books when you're sad, how COVID has helped strip everything away, and how a book can feel like the intellectual equivalent of a fight club. Enjoy! Books mentioned: Discgrace by J.M. Coetze…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with cinema expert Dr Vikrant Kishore to discuss Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. Our conversation includes how modern filmmaking has influenced documentaries, a personal experience of caste vs class in India and beyond, and the best of Curry Western cinema. Enjoy! Follow Bookish Comedy o…

On this weeks episode of Book(ish) I sit with ex-comedy editor for The Chaser and Tonightly and host of podcast News Fighters Dylan Behan to talk The Rum Diary by Hunter S Thompson. Our conversation includes the rollercoaster ride that is working in Australian media, why satire seems to veer left, and the joy of tight deadlines. Enjoy! Follow News …

On this weeks episode of Book(ish) we sit down with property law professor Dr Samantha Hepburn to discuss The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. Our conversation includes the legal status of trees, who technically owns the land in Australia, and how growing up in a different class gives you a different perspective. Cheers! Books discussed: The G…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with development executive at production company Every Cloud Productions Matt Kazacos to discuss the Tomorrow When The War Began series by John Marsden. Our conversation includes lessons from working in tiling, what it's like in the Australian film industry, and being a coward. Enjoy! You can follow Matt on Instag…

On this weeks Book(ish) we sit down with comedian Oliver Coleman to talk The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolaño. Our conversation includes the pleasure of reading invented histories, sharing a namesake with an Oscar/BAFTA winner, and a new perspective on the terrifying loneliness of reading. Enjoy! Books discussed: The Savage Detectives by Roberto…

On this weeks episode of Book(ish) we sit down with comedian/radio host Johnny Kats to discuss The Fabric of the Cosmos by Brian Greene. Our conversation includes a 19 year anniversary in comedy, some fun facts about theoretical physics, and the time Schrodinger had an epiphany during an orgy. Enjoy! You can follow Johnny on Facebook and Instagram.…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with actor Dean Gunera to discuss Batman: The Court of Owls by Scott Snyder. Our conversation includes superheroes as self help, trying lots of careers before settling with acting, and the dangerous pleasure of escapism. Enjoy! You can follow Dean on Instagram. Actor Director Talk can be heard here and followed on…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with comedian Kelly Fastuca to chat It's Always Something by Gilda Radner. Our conversation includes finding out you have ADHD in your 30's, dealing with sickly dogs, and discovering a kindred spirit through reading. Enjoy! You can follow Kelly on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Follow Bookish Comedy on Twitter a…

This weeks Book(ish) I sit down with one of Australias leading prose poets, Cassandra Atherton, to discuss Irradiated Cities by Mariko Nagai. Our conversation includes some surprisingly intense fights in the poetry community, whether the bomb could ever be justified over Hiroshima, and studying public intellectuals at Harvard. Enjoy! Books discusse…

This week I sit down with podcaster Hayden Bleechmore to discuss Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut. Our conversation includes what the pandemic has done to regional radio, trying to read more and hot tub twitch streaming. Enjoy! Books discussed: Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut Dracula by Bram Stoker Mort by Terry Pratchett Guards! Guards! by T…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with Deakin lecturer and author Andrew Dean to talk The Ghost Writer by Phillip Roth. Our conversation includes choosing whether to call yourself a doctor, studying in Oxford and when comedy doesn't commit. Enjoy! Books discussed: The Ghost Writer by Phillip Roth Horse Walks Into A Bar by David Grossman The Anatom…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with the first ever - and now first ever returning - guest Jackson Baly to discuss Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. Our conversation includes using the right $10 words, wanderlust as a way of avoiding your problems and a very circular unresolved debate. Enjoy! Follow Jackson on Twitter. Follow Bookish Comedy on Twit…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with owner of Sanspants Radio Joel Zammit to talk House of X/Powers of X by Jonathan Hickman and Pepe Larraz. Our conversation includes the neverending death of the audio drama, when you decide to form your own team, and superhero soap opera. Enjoy! Follow Book(ish) and give your thoughts on Twitter, Instagram, an…

On this weeks Book(ish) I sit down with comedian, graphic designer and father Matt O'Neill to talk Bram Stokers Dracula. Our chat includes being a Monster kid, the worlds worst wax museum and the best New Order song. Enjoy! You can find Matt on Instagram or his website. Follow Book(ish) and give your thoughts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Si…