Melbourne Library Service

Michael Williams, director of the Wheeler Centre, reveals his Desert Island Books in conversation with librarian and host, Natalie Mason.

Robyn Annear, writer and historian, reveals her Desert Island Books in conversation with librarian and host, Natalie Mason.

This podcast was recorded by Vision Australia, read by David Treddinick. For more information, visit magazine.melbourne.vic.gov.au

Episode 33 – Banned Books They're controversial, thought-provoking and downright dubious. What else could Bern and Louise be talking about but banned but banned books? Bern’s books: The Hunger Games trilogy / Suzanne Collins All Quiet on the Western Front / Erich Maria Remarque The Catcher in the Rye / J. D. Salinger Louise’s books: Brave New World / Aldous Huxley 1984 / George Orwell American Psycho / Bret Easton Ellis Children's Books that have been banned: Where's Wally / Martin Handford The Giving Tree / Shel Silverstein Winnie the Pooh / A. A. Milne James and The Giant Peach / Harriet the Spy / Louise Fitzhugh Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl / Anne Frank Bridge to Terabithia / Katherine Paterson Charlotte's Web / E. B. White Alice's Adventures in Wonderland / Lewis Carroll Where the Wild Things Are / Maurice Sendak The Lorax / Dr. Seuss Harry Potter (series) / J. K Rowling Music by Flapjack Industry Records (milesrecommends.com/label)

Bern and Louise are looking to be the best version of themselves, but isn't everyone? Tune into this episode of Dear Reader as our hosts trek into Self Help territory and discuss personal illuminations, books that help, and of course, sloths! Bern’s books: All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten / Robert Fulghum The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People / Stephen R. Covey Sloth: The Seven Deadly Sins / Wendy Wasserstein Louise’s books: Ice Cream for Breakfast: How Rediscovering You Inner Child Can Make You Calmer, Happier, and Solve Your Bullsh*t Adult Problems / Laura Jane Williams How to Win Friends and Influence People / Dale Carnegie Get Your Sh!t Together / Ruth Field Music by Flapjack Industry Records (milesrecommends.com/label)

Jane Harper, author of The Dry and Force of Nature, reveals her Desert Island Books in conversation with librarian and host, Natalie Mason.

Marieke Hardy reveals her Desert Island Books in conversation with librarian and host, Natalie Mason.

This podcast was recorded by Vision Australia, read by David Treddinick. For more information, visit magazine.melbourne.vic.gov.au

Episode 32 – Summer Sizzlers It's hot outside and in between the covers - it's our summer sizzlers edition! Bern and Louise discuss books that will kick-start your summer and get your mind and heart sizzling. With books ranging in topic, from death, history, crime, and Australian food to gangsters, friendships and trauma cleaning, this episode of Dear Reader is packed full of heat! Bern’s books: The Trauma Cleaner: One Woman’s Extraordinary Life in Death, Decay & Disaster / Sarah Krasnostein The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter / Margareta Magnusson Turtles All the Way Down / John Green Louise’s books: Manhattan Beach / Jennifer Egan The Oldest Foods on Earth: A History of Australian Native Foods with Recipes / John Newton The Broken Shore / Peter Temple Music by Flapjack Industry Records (milesrecommends.com/label)

Melbourne Magazine December January 2018 This podcast was recorded by Vision Australia, read by David Treddinick. For more information, visit magazine.melbourne.vic.gov.au

Melbourne Magazine October November 2017 This podcast was recorded by Vision Australia, read by David Treddinick. For more information, visit magazine.melbourne.vic.gov.au

Melbourne Magazine August September 2017 This podcast was recorded by Vision Australia, read by David Treddinick. For more information, visit magazine.melbourne.vic.gov.au

Episode 31 – Spectres and Ghouls Bern and Louise discuss books that are spooky, creepy, and scary - never mind Halloween is over, the chills are still coming in episode 31 of Dear Reader! Louise’s books: The Bloody Chamber / Angela Carter The Road / Cormac McCarthy The Long Goodbye: Coral, Coal and Australia's Climate Deadlock, The (Quarterly Essay)/ Anna Krien Bern’s books: The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton / Edith Wharton The Haunting of Hill House / Shirley Jackson The Travelling Bag and Other Stories / Susan Hill Music by Flapjack Industry Records (milesrecommends.com/label)

Episode 30 – Train Trash Bern and Louise discuss books to commute with in their first full episode of Dear Reader! Louise’s books: The Bus Driver Who Wanted to Be God & Other Stories / Etgar Keret Goodbye, Vitamin / Rachel Khong Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda / Noam Chomsky Bern’s books: Anything is Possible / Elizabeth Strout Life in a Fishbowl / Len Vlahos Museum of Modern Love / Heather Rose Music by Flapjack Industry Records (http://milesrecommends.com/label)

Episode 29 - New kids on the books Justine and Natalie have retired from Dear Reader, but Natalie gives new hosts Bernadine and Louise a quick tour of the studio and hands over the keys. Bernadine's book: Our souls at night / Ken Haruf Louise's book: South and west / Joan Didion Natalie's book: Woman no. 17 / Edan Lepucki

Episode 28 - Books we love (Justine & Natalie's final episode!) Justine and Natalie talk about their reading habits and some of their all time favourite books, in this, their final episode as Dear Reader hosts. Stay tuned for new host announcement! Justine’s all time favourite books and authors: The Lord of the Rings / J R R Tolkien Alanna, the First Adventure (series) / Tamora Pearce The Magician Trilogy / Raymond E Feist The PERN series, anything by Anne McCa ffrey The Man in the High Castle / Phillip K Dick Farenheit 451 / Ray Bradbury Neuromancer / William Gibson Snow Crash and The Diamond Age / Neal Stephenson The Importance of Being Earnest / Oscar Wilde Ancillary Justice series / Ann Lecke Anne of Green Gables series / L M Montgomery Harry Potter series / JK Rowling The Unbearable Lightness of Being / Milan Kundera Natalie’s all time favourite books and authors: Lincoln in the Bardo / George Saunders all books by Lidia Yuknavitch History of Love / Nicole Krauss all books by Elizabeth Strout My Bri

Panel discussion held at City Library on Wednesday 26 July, facilitated by Christine Gordon (Readings) with: Lucasz Dziadkiewicz (overall winner of the 2015 Lord Mayor's Creative Writing Award), Lee Kofman (author and writing teacher), Veronica Sullivan (Prize Manager of the Stella Prize) and Alan Vaarwerk (online editor at Kill Your Darlings).

Episode 27 - Page to screen Justine and Natalie talk about book adaptations to the big (or small) screen. Justine's books: Cat on a hot tin roof / Tennessee Williams A Walk to remember / Nicholas Sparks Me and Earl and the dying girl / Jesse Andrews Natalie's books: The girl on the train / Paula Hawkins Room / Emma Donoghue Phryne Fisher series / Kerry Greenwood Olive Kitteridge / Elizabeth Strout Music by Ben Mason (www.benmason.com.au)

Episode 26 - Jane Austen readalikes In this episode Justine and Natalie talk about the books that remind them of reading Jane Austen, chat about the Mr Darcy merits of Colin Firth, and make controversial comments about Bridget Jones' Diary, Clueless and Colin Firth. They also spend some time discussing Colin Firth. Justine's books: Dear Mr Knightly / Katherine Reay Match me if you can / Elizabeth Phillips Natalie's books: My name is Lucy Barton & Anything is possible / Elizabeth Strout Bridget Jones' Diary / Helen Fielding Justine & Natalie's favourite Austen book: Pride and prejudice / Jane Austen Music by Ben Mason (www.benmason.com.au)

Melbourne Magazine June July 2017 This podcast was recorded by Vision Australia, read by David Treddinick. For more information, visit magazine.melbourne.vic.gov.au