Flashlight by Susan Choi
Books On The Go
Anna and Geoff discuss their winner predictions. We haven't read enough of the shortlist to know who will win, but Geoff is tipping THE LAND IN WINTER (a DNF for Anna). Our book of the week is by Susan Choi. This is Choi’s follow-up novel after winning the National Book Award for TRUST EXERCISE. It is a sweeping family saga set in America, Japan and Korea. Shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize, we could not say we loved this one but it got us talking. How much cat litter detail is too much? Would Tobias really have gone to Japan or would he be trekking around...
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Seed with Bri Lee
Books On The Go
Annie was lucky enough to catch on her book tour for her second novel, Seed. Set in Antarctica, Seed follows two scientists, Mitch and Frances, as they spend a month at the seed vault that they have been creating and protecting. But as strange things keep happening to the facility, culminating in their helicopter failing to pick them up, they both have to grapple with their life choices and the secrets they have been keeping from each other and themselves. We chat about Bri's research trip to McMurdo Sound, interrogating the Antarctic literary tradition, visions of utopia and...
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I Make Envy On Your Disco with Eric Schnall
Books On The Go
A special episode: Anna chats with author and Tony-award winning Broadway producer about his debut novel . Sam Singer flies to Berlin for an art gallery opening, needing a break from his partner in New York. He meets enigmatic hotel receptionist Magda and ex-pat Jeremy, goes clubbing, and discovers the 2000s nostalgia for East and West Berlin. Named a GQ Editor's Pick and winner of the Barbara DiBernard Prize in Fiction, we loved this novel and recommend the audiobook read by Charlie Carver. Eric tells us some of the surprising reactions to Disco, a great game for book clubs,...
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Endling by Maria Reva
Books On The Go
Anna and Annie discuss the to pay $1.5bn to settle a book piracy lawsuit and the fiction longlist. Our book of the week is by Maria Reva. Yeva is a snail conservationist in Ukraine who becomes caught up in Nastia and Sol's scheme to disrupt the romance tour industry. A heist ensues but everything changes when Russia invades Ukraine. Longlisted for the Booker Prize and one of the New Yorker's Best Books Of The Year So Far, this is Reva's debut novel. We can't wait to see what she does next. Coming up: by Erica Schnall Follow us! Email: Instagram: and Substack: Credits...
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A Woman Talks to Her Tongue with Alison Gorman
Books On The Go
A special episode: Anna chats with award-winning poet about her debut poetry collection . These poems examine family secrets, silences and women’s voices. Beautiful and assured, we loved this book. Alison joins us fresh from her sold-out launch in Sydney to discuss the moving themes from the collection and other favourite poets, including Judith Beveridge, Eileen Chong, Sarah Holland-Batt, Audrey Molloy, Ada Limón and Sharon Olds. Alison recommends podcasts Poetry Off The Shelf, Poetry Unbound, Close Readings and The Literary Life. Coming up: by Maria Reva Follow us!...
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Flesh by David Szalay
Books On The Go
Anna and Geoff discuss to Palestine Action and the . Our book of the week is , the new novel by David Szalay which has been long-listed for the . It tells the story of Istvan, a Hungarian British man, in an episodic structure using key points in his life, moving from a poor upbringing in Hungary to the riches of London, charting his rise and fall. We both read this quickly and found much to discuss. Coming up: by Maria Reva. Follow us! Email: Instagram: Substack: Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz
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Comfort Reading Recommendations for 2025
Books On The Go
Anna and Annie discuss the . We have many comfort reading recommendations! Here are some of the books discussed: DEAD GIRL GONE by Gareth and Louise Ward THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB series and WE SOLVE MURDERS by Richard Osman IN SPITE OF YOU by Patrick Lenton CONSIDER YOURSELF KISSED by Jessica Stanley THE WEDDING FORECAST by Nina Kenwood FINE WEATHER, JEEVES by P. G. Wodehouse DIARY OF A PROVINCIAL LADY by E. M. Delafield LESS by Andrew Sean Greer THE UNCOMMON READER by Alan Bennett THE NEVERMOOR SERIES by Jessica Townsend PIPPI LONGSTOCKING by Astrid Lindgren FINN FAMILY...
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Perfection by Vincent Latronico translated by Sophie Hughes
Books On The Go
Anna and Geoff discuss by Vincent Latronico translated by Sophie Hughes. PERFECTION is a short novel about Tom and Anna, digital nomads living in Berlin. A re-telling of the cult classic 1960s novel by Georges Perec, it examines a couple who have built a stylish life but find themselves disilusioned. Perfection was shortlisted for the . Slight spoiler alert as we discuss the ending. Coming up: Comfort reading recommendations Follow us! Email: Instagram: and Substack: Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz
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The Director by Daniel Kehlmann translated by Ross Benjamin
Books On The Go
Anna and Geoff discuss by best-selling author of and Daniel Kehlmann, translated by Ross Benjamin. THE DIRECTOR tells the story of cinema director G. W. Pabst, who in the 1930s fled Nazi Germany for Hollywood and then returned to make films for the German Reich. This novel explores Pabst’s moral dilemma and the place of art in a dictatorship. Described as ‘his best novel yet’ (The Guardian) and ‘nothing short of brilliant’ (Wall Street Journal), it mixes comedy, tragedy and horror in Kehlmann’s ironic style. Coming up: by Vincnezo Latronico translated by Sophie Hughes. ...
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Our Top 10 Books of the Year So Far
Books On The Go
Anna and Annie discuss our 10 best books of 2025 so far. Books mentioned: by Rosanna Pike by Florence Knapp by Holly Gramazio by Chimananda Ngoze Adiche by Garth Greenwell by Sinéad Stubbins by Alexei Navalny translated by Arch Tait and Stephen Dalziel by Eric Schnall by Hisham Matar by Roisin O’Donnell by Christian Kracht translated by Daniel Bowles Follow us! Email: Instagram: and Substack: Credits Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz
info_outlineAnna and Annie discuss the 2025 Women’s Prize and try to predict the winner. Since we recorded this the winner has been announced: The Safe Keep by Yael Van Der Wouden. (Annie was right!)
And Annie wraps up recent Australian book award news including the Stella Prize winner Theory and Practice by Michelle de Kretser and the Miles Franklin Literary Award longlist.
Our book of the week is THE NAMES by Florence Knapp. Cora goes with her daughter Maia to register the birth of her son. According to family tradition, he will be called Gordon, after her husband. Cora prefers the name Julian and Maia suggests Bear. The story breaks into three as we see the ripple effects of each decision. Described as 'the best debut novel in years' (The Sunday Times), this buzzy book has been an instant bestseller and on many 'best of 2025' lists.
Coming up: THE EMPUSIUM by Olga Tokarczuk translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones.
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Substack: Books On The Go
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Artwork: Sascha Wilkosz