Author Interview

Peter Hubscher was a pivotal figure in the fledgling New Zealand wine market after dipping his toes in winemaking waters in Hawke's Bay in the 1960s. He's now written a memoir of his time at the top… Audio

Everyone has one and everyone seems to have an opinion about them too. Kim Kardashian has built an empire on hers. Bums are cultural obsession says Heather Radke, an essayist, journalist, and… Audio

Richard Osman has now joined the ranks of those people in the United Kingdom who are referred to as a 'national treasure'. Even if you don't read his books and know his name you will almost certainly… Audio

American writer Richard Ford talks to Kim Hill about dyslexia, death, writing and Be Mine - the final book in his award-winning Frank Bascombe series. Audio

A question central to the new novel from author Nicholas Sheppard is this: are monsters born or bred? His new work, How to Disappear Completely, is a psychological portrait of a young college dropout… Audio

Journalist Karen Pinchin looks at the science and politics of ocean-travelling tuna and the humans trying to save the species from extinction in her new book, Kings of Their Own Ocean: Tuna… Audio

Before Harry Sinclair moved onto a successful film career and Don McGlashan formed The Mutton Birds, the two founded the iconic Kiwi band The Front Lawn. Musician and writer Matthew Bannister has… Audio

While Matt Damon, Larry David and Kim Kardashian were touting Crypto currency in TV commercials and on social media, former teen idol Ben McKenzie from the TV Show The O.C. started running in the… Audio

 The Beatles, Amy Winehouse, Abba; so many artists who recorded at Abbey Road have had their stories told. Now it's Abbey Road's turn. Legendary music journalist David Hepworth documents the 90 plus… Audio

Author Saige England has taken on a rather uncomfortable subject in her new book about the early days of colonial New Zealand. During research for Ngai Tahu's land and fisheries claim before the… Audio

50 years ago the first commercial wine grapes were planted in Marlborough. Local journalist and wine writer Tessa Anderson has written a historical account of the Marlborough wine region. She speaks… Audio

David Keenan turned from music journalism to writing relatively late in his career - but did something unusual with his first book. After completing it, David Keenan fulfilled a vow he'd made to… Audio

Psychology Professor Daniel Simons and co-author Christopher Chabris say we shouldn't feel bad about getting taken in and explain how to avoid it in their book "Nobody's Fool: Why We Get Taken In and… Audio

Humility, authenticity and vulnerability sound great, but these qualities have turned too many people into virtue signaling, self-absorbed narcissists says Lucinda Holdforth. Audio

A travel guide like no other, combining poetry, photos and history, Walking with Rocks - Dreaming with Rivers - My Year in the Waikato is the result of Richard von Sturmer's year as writer in… Audio

Airana Ngarewa left school to become a cage fighter. He hated English. Now a teacher, he's being described as a major new literary talent. His first novel is The Bone Tree. Born and raised in Patea… Audio

In her book Unheard Voices, Dawn Mauldon reflects on her own experience as a CODA - child of deaf adults, growing up in post war Melbourne. She also delves into the experiences of her mother's… Audio

Within minutes of the compound windows breaking, Dr Alia Bojilova and her two UN colleagues, were staring down the barrels of multiple guns ... and into the faces of the Syrian Free Army. It was 2013… Audio