Anna and Annie discuss the 2024 Goldsmiths Prize winner, Parade by Rachel Cusk, and ghostwriters in crime writing. Our book of the week is JAMES by Percival Everett.  This re-telling of Huckleberry Finn has been an instant New York Times best-seller, shortlisted for the Booker Prize and National Book award and described as 'genius' (The Atlantic).  Coming up: our comfort reading recommendations. Follow us! Email: [email protected] Instagram: @abailliekaras and @mr_annie ...

Anna and Annie discuss AI in publishing. Our book of the week is ALL FOURS by award-winning author and artist Miranda July. Described as July's 'peri-menopause novel', ALL FOURS tells the story of a woman who escapes married life and creates a space for herself.  A finalist for the 2024 National Book Award and instant New York Times bestseller, it's funny, frank and causing a stir amongst book clubs.   We recorded this before the US election but some of the themes will resonate. Coming...

Anna and Annie discuss the 2024 Booker Prize Shortlist. Our book of the week is INTERMEZZO by award-winning author Sally Rooney. Intermezzo is a novel about two brothers who deal with grief, family and relationships. Intimate and poignant, it's been an instant New York Times bestseller, shortlisted for the An Post Irish Book Awards Book of the Year and one of Publishers Weekly's Best Books of the Year. We discuss Sally Rooney's popularity, the backlash and what it says about women's...

A special episode! Anna chats with author Chris Hammer about his new crime novel THE VALLEY, the fourth in the Nell Buchanan and Ivan Lucic series. Chris' award-winning debut SCRUBLANDS was an instant bestseller and is now a TV series.  THE VALLEY is his seventh novel and follows detectives Nell and Ivan as they investigate a murder in rural Australia and the victim's connections with logging, politics and an abandoned gold mine.  We discuss why Chris has been compared to Shakespeare and how...

A special episode!  Kate Slotover from the Book Club Review Podcast joins Anna to discuss what makes a good book club book and our top recommendations.  We tried to keep it to three each, and failed.  Our best book club books are: STONE YARD DEVOTIONAL by Charlotte Wood ALL FOURS by Miranda July JAMES by Percival Everett WIFEDOM by Anna Funder FRUIT OF THE DEAD by Rachel Lyon HOW I WON A NOBEL PRIZE by Julius Taranto THE GARDEN AGAINST TIME by Oliva Laing THE VASTER...

Anna and Annie discuss the 2024 Booker Prize Longlist. Our book of the week is WOO WOO by Ella Baxter. The latest novel from the award-winning author of New Animal, this tells the story of Sabine, an artist about to open her exhibition.  She faces the pressure of the show and the terror of being stalked.  Both disturbing and funny, Baxter's writing is strong, visceral and on point. We loved this one! Coming up: James by Percival Everett Follow us! Instagram: @abailliekaras and...

Anna and Annie discuss the Booker Prize 2024 Longlist. Our book of the week is THE ALTERNATIVES by Caoilinn Hughes.  We loved this Irish novel about four eccentric sisters each grappling with their dysfunctional family in different ways. Gripping, humane and funny, we highly recommend this one. Coming up: WOO WOO by Ella Baxter. Follow us: Email: [email protected] Instagram: @ abailliekaras and @mr_annie   Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz  

Anna and Annie discuss the 2024 Women's Prize winners. We reveal our best books of 2024 so far.   Our favourite reads are: THE ALTERNATIVES by Caoilinn Hughes HOME READING SERVICE by Fabio Morábito translated by Curtis Bauer NOT THE END OF THE WORLD by Hannah Ritchie THUNDERHEAD by Miranda Darling REAL AMERICANS by Rachel Khong THE SQUARE OF SEVENS by Laura Shepherd-Robinson Follow us! Instagram: @mr_annie and @abailliekaras Email: [email protected]   Credits ...

A special episode!  Anna chats with author Kemper Donovan about his new crime novel THE BUSY BODY, the first in the Ghostwriter series. A contemporary murder mystery told in the spirit of the Golden Age by the host of the All About Agatha podcast, THE BUSY BODY has been described as Veep meets Agatha Christie and a 'witty and highly entertaining mystery' (Sophie Hannah). Dorothy Gibson, failed presidential candidate aka That Woman, invites her ghostwriter to Maine to pen her memoir, but the...

Anna and Annie discuss the 2024 Stella Prize winner and the Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist. Our book of the week is Thunderhead by Miranda Darling. A black comedy, set in suburbia, about one woman's struggle to be free, it has been described as a 'feminist triumph and homage to Virginia Woolf' (Australian Book Review).  We love a short novel and this is a gem. Coming up: The Busy Body with author Kemper Donovan. Follow us! Instagram: @abailliekaras and @mr_annie Email:...

Anna and Annie find some book recommendations to read along with Taylor Swift's new album The Tortured Poets Department. Our book of the week is Question 7 by Richard Flanagan.  This memoir encompasses H. G. Wells, nuclear physics and the atomic bomb and ends in Tasmania, Australia. Memories, encounters and fictional vignettes are woven together into a beautiful tapestry that show how words don't suffice.  The title references Chekhov and gives a hint of the absurd. Much to discuss! ...

Anna and Annie discuss the 2024 Stella Prize shortlist. Our book of the week is Butter by Asako Yuzuki translated by Polly Barton. Described as 'a novel of food and murder' this follows Riko, a journalist, who investigates serial killer Manako Kajii.  Kajii allegedly seduced rich men with her cooking before killing them, and she encourages Riko to cook and appreciate food.  Inspired by a true story, this has been a cult Japanese best-seller.  Coming up: Question 7 by Richard Flanagan. ...

Anna and Annie discuss the 2024 Stella Prize Shortlist.  We reveal our favourite recent crime reads.  Our recommendations are: The Many Lies of Veronica Hawkins by Kristina Perez Death of a Lesser God by Vaseem Khan The Sleeping Nymph by Ilaria Tutti translated by Ekin Oklap To Love and Be Wise by Josephine Tey The Fugitives by Jamal Mahjoub Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead by Jenny Hollander The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan   Coming up: Question 7 by Richard Flanagan   ...

A special episode: we chat with author Jenny Hollander about her debut crime novel EVERYONE WHO CAN FORGIVE ME IS DEAD. Charlie Colbert is an editor at a major magazine and engaged to a publishing heir.  But she witnessed a tragedy at her elite journalism school and lied to the police 9 years ago.  Now a classmate is making a film about the events, which threatens the life Charlie has built.  This is a gripping, twisty thriller described as 'a delicious crime debut' (Red) and 'knife-sharp'...

Anna and Annie discuss the inaugural Women's Prize for Non-Fiction longlist, including Anna Funder's Wifedom. Our book of the week is THE VULNERABLES by Sigrid Nunez. This is the third in a loose trilogy after THE FRIEND and WHAT ARE YOU GOING THROUGH. A writer, a college drop-out and a talking parrot share an apartment in New York during the Covid pandemic.  This is subtler than the first two books but we loved the mix of story and Nunez's reflections on life and writing.   Coming up: our...

It's the Shawn and Anna Book Club! Our first book is Home Reading Service by Fabio Morábito translated by Curtis Bauer. Eduardo is sentenced to a year of community service reading aloud to the elderly and disabled.  Set in Mexico, this novel is witty and poignant.  It even inspired us to discuss poetry!  And the fine line between whacky and eccentric. Also mentioned: Shawn's Bite Sized Book Chat with Stu aka Winston's Dad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PubR7KrANvE&t=40s  Mild...

Anna and Annie reveal our book recommendations for the holiday season. Our favourite holiday reads this year are: THE CLUB by Ellery Lloyd NOW YOU SEE US by Balli Kaur Jaswal WEST HEART KILL by Dann McDorman FLIGHT by Lynn Steger Strong THE LIBRARIANIST by Patrick deWitt ROMANTIC COMEDY by Curtis Sittenfeld Follow us! Email: booksonthegopodcast @ gmail.com Facebook: Books On The Go Instagram: @ abailliekaras and @ mr_annie Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

Anna and Annie discuss the Booker Prize 2023 winner, PROPHET SONG by Paul Lynch. We reveal the best books we read in 2023.  In no particular order, they are: Collected Works by Lydia Sandgren translated by Agnes Broomé Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver Seven Days in the Art World by Sarah Thornton Girl in a Pink Dress by Kylie Needham The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison The Fraud by Zadie Smith The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor Loot by Tania James Black Narcissus...

Anna and Annie discuss authors' concerns about Spotify streaming books and highlights from the 2024 Adelaide Writers Week lineup. Our book of the week is Collected Works by Lydia Sandgren translated by Agnes Broomé. Sandgren has been described as "Sweden's Sally Rooney" (The Times).  Collected Works is a thought-provoking, intellectual novel set in Gothenburg.  At the heart of it is the mystery of the disappearance of Martin's wife, Cecilia.  Anna loved it but Annie would have preferred...

Special guest Shawn Mooney of Shawn the Book Maniac joins Anna for Book Club! We discuss TRUE BIZ by Sara Nović and Y/N by Esther Yi.  These books have taken us down rabbit holes of deaf culture (True Biz) and super fandom (Y/N). Two interesting and thought-provoking reads! Shawn recommends the interview with Esther Yi on Jaylen's The Bar and the Bookcase podcast. We're currently reading: GIBBONS OR ONE BLOODY THING AFTER ANOTHER by James Morrison (and see the book launch on Shawn's...

Anna and Annie discuss the 2023 Booker Prize Shortlist and the authors taking action over the generative AI use of their work. Our book of the week is WIFEDOM: MRS ORWELL'S INVISIBLE LIFE by Anna Funder.  An innovative biography of Eileen Orwell by the Miles Franklin and Samuel Johnson prize winner, it has been described as a masterpiece and we think would make a great book club book. Coming up: Book Club with Shawn Mooney Follow us! Facebook: Books On The Go Instagram: @ abailliekaras...

Anna and Amanda discuss the Nero Book Awards which will commence in 2024. Our book of the week is CHAI TIME AT CINNAMON GARDENS by Shankari Chandran.  A layered story about a nursing home in Sydney whose residents have traumatic memories of the civil war in Sri Lanka, this won the 2023 Miles Franklin Literary Award.  Coming up: WIFEDOM by Anna Funder. Follow us! Email: [email protected] Instagram: @ abailliekaras and @ vibrant_lives_podcast Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz

A special episode: Anna chats with Shawn Mooney of Shawn the Book Maniac. We recommend three books and each choose one to read for our next episode: the Anna and Shawn book club! Books discussed: The Transit of Venus by Shirley Hazzard True Biz by Sara Nović Y/N by Esther Yi Loop Tracks by Sue Orr Wifedom: Mrs Orwell's Invisible Life by Anna Funder The Recent East by Thomas Grattan   Coming up: Chai Time in Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran Follow us! Email:...

Anna and Annie discuss a recent study on reading to young children. We wrap up Women in Translation month.  The books we read (or Annie did at least!) and recommend are: Slime: A Natural History by Susanne Wedlich translated by Ayca Turkoglu Heaven by Mieko Kawakami translated by Sam Bett and David Boyd What You're Looking For Is In The Library by Michiko Aoyama translated by Alison Watts Collected Works by Lydia Sandgren translated by Agnes Broomé My Devotion by Julia Kerninon...