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Stories Behind the Story with Better Reading
Cheryl Akle discusses the world with her favourite authors.
Latest episode
Stories Behind The Story: Rachel Perkins on Her Father, Colonisation and Australia's Future
37:53|Rachel Perkins talks to Cheryl about the continuing impact of colonisation on First Nations communities, the extraordinary legacy of her father, Charles Perkins, and his lasting influence on Australia. Rachel also speaks about the importance of the Aboriginal Australian flag as a symbol of identity and unity, and shares insights from The Australian Wars, the book she co-edited with Stephen Gapps, Mina Murray and Henry Reynolds. The Australian Wars is out now.
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Book Chat: with Cheryl Akle and Caroline Overington – episode #11
27:06|Welcome to episode #11 of Book Chat with Cheryl Akle and Caroline Overington, where they discuss the impact of Australian literature, Caroline's writing journey, her thoughts on the rise of audiobooks, and the enduring appeal of traditional storytelling.
Stories Behind The Story: Loubna Haikal on Heritage, Immigration and the Power of Cooking
33:18|Loubna Haikal talks to Cheryl about their Lebanese heritage, displacement, immigration and the quiet beauty of cooking with others. She also reflects on the collaborative process behind Don’t Ask the Trees for Their Names, the powerful collection she edited and co-wrote with eight other Arab women. The book is out now.
Stories Behind the Story: Andrew Sloan on the Human Experience and the Future
37:07|Andrew Sloan talks to Cheryl about the human experience, the role of therapy, the future of our society and the inspiration behind his new book, Why Things Feel F*cked, which is out now.
Stories Behind The Story: Heather Rose on Inspiration, Writing Across Ages and Shifting Worldviews
36:34|Heather Rose talks to Cheryl about how worldviews have changed over time, discovering the story behind her latest book, A Great Act of Love, the moment she knew she wanted to be a writer, the influence of her father, and the difference between writing for children and adults. A Great Act of Love is out now.
Stories Behind The Story: Omar El Akkad on Truth & Ignorance, From Guantánamo to Gaza
37:39|Omar El Akkad joins Cheryl to discuss his latest book, One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This. Together, they explore his experiences reporting from places like Guantánamo Bay, examine the dangerous allure of ignorance, and reflect on the Gaza War and how it has shaped both their lives and the world. One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This is out now.
Stories Behind The Story: Susan Wyndham on Elizabeth Harrower and a Life in Literature
39:37|Susan Wyndham talks to Cheryl about researching her latest book Elizabeth Harrower: The Woman in the Watch Tower, how her mother’s love of books shaped her own, her career in journalism, and her path to becoming one of Australia’s leading literary editors. Elizabeth Harrower: The Woman in the Watch Tower is out now.