Adelaide poet Miriel Lenore didn't take to poetry until two thirds of her way through an adventurous life. She was over her many years a botanist, researcher, traveller, student, teacher, activist, feminist, mother and grandmother. Miriel spent twenty years in Fiji, forty years in the Australian women's movement and the Adelaide writing scene, and ten years as a regular visitor to a Ngaanyatjarra community in the Western Desert of Western Australia.

Miriel died in 2024 aged 96. Cath discusses Miriel’s final collection, with the poet’s longtime friend and curator, author Margaret Merrilees.

Guest: Margaret Merrilees

“Driving to Mulberrygong” published by Wakefield press

@wakefieldpress

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In the midst of the anxiety-ridden chaos of late-stage capitalism, is it really possible to lead a plain life? Philosopher, essayist and yogi Antonia Pont’s book is far more a philosophical analysis of our modern existence than it is self-help, but she offers advice on being true to oneself and ignoring the ‘noise’ of our current social media driven culture.

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The Tsundoku team have a revealing chat about their summer reads; from erudite literature to cosy murder mysteries, from self-help to the secrets of the British Royals.

Guest:
Antonia Pont, author of ‘Plain Life’

Other books that get a mention:

‘Organising from the Inside out’ - Julie Morgenstern

‘Let them’ - Mel Robbins

‘Paperboy’ - Christopher Fowler

‘A long winter’ - Colm Toibin

‘What Rhymes with Murder’ - Penny Tangey

‘The Names’ - Florence Knapp

‘Mad Mabel’ - Sally Hepworth

‘The Palace Papers’ - Tina Brown

‘The Vanity Fair Diaries’ - Tina Brown

‘A Different Kind of Power’ - Jacinda Ardern

‘The Lady in Gold’ - Anne-Marie O’Connor

INSTAGRAM

@newsouthpublishing
@newsouthbooksau

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Meet Dr Annette Marner who has spent eight years documenting her ‘patch’, South Australia’s geologically extraordinary Southern Flinders ranges. With patience and respect for wildlife, and some very fancy camera gear, Annette captures in her book very up close and personal moments with the animals and birds of the region, and explains in beautiful prose the tumultuous geo-history of the region and why it contains such unique species.

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Meet Eleanor Elliott Thomas, a former lawyer turned author, who’s written a darkly comic tale about a family fracturing over the best and worst of problems - a lotto win! Skeletons begin emerging from the family closet as the three very mismatched Halloway siblings gather around their mother, rightful owner of the winning ticket, who lies in a coma.

Guests
Annette Marner, author and photographer of “The Southern Flinders; A Celebration of Wildlife and Landscapes”

Eleanor Elliott Thomas, author of “Do We Deserve This?” and also “The Opposite of Success”

Other books that get a mention:

Annie Hauxwell author of the Catherine Berlin crime series

“Sorrow and Bliss” by Meg Mason

“Flying Hero Class” by Thomas Keneally

“ Normal Women - 900 years of Making History” by Philippa Gregory

INSTAGRAM

@text_publishing
@eleanorelliottthomas

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