In The Good Books with Luke Bateman

The episode that proves that you SHOULD meet your heroes
Luke is joined by Peter V. Brett, the acclaimed writer behind the Demon Cycle, a fantasy series destined to one of Luke's favourites from the moment he picked it up at 13.
In this raw and far-ranging chat, Luke gets to express just how much Peter's work has meant to him, and explore the incredible impact that fantasy can have as a whole.

Peter retells the beginnings of his career, from the many manuscripts that will never see the light of day, to writing his breakthrough on his phone on the subway to his day job, the breakthough, all he learned along the way- and even a peek at what's next. He explains how witnessing the 9/11 attacks in New York inspired his written world, how he deliberately aims for his works to make his readers more empathetic, the importance of representation, what true literary heroes really look like, and the incredible power fantasy has to empower us and help us find belonging.
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Prepare to be immersed in the times and lives of history in the most sweeping epic of Maggie O'Farrell's career yet.
In this episode, Luke breaks down the lyrical, poetry-like prose and perspective-shifting narrative while exploring the story's rich tapestry of 19th-century Irish history, complex family dynamics, and the resonances he himself found with the stories vivid characters.
How do the hardships of the past shape who we are? Can forcing ourselves to slow down help us truly step into another person's shoes? What does it mean to deeply belong to a place that outlasts all human attempts to own or alter it?
What are your thoughts? Let us know and have your voice notes featured on the podcast: email goodbooks@taptmedia.com.au.
Stay connected on our socials:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inthegoodbooks_podcast/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@inthegoodbooks_podcast
Thanks to Hachette - for the list of their expert readalikes for Land and other Good Book Club picks, go to https://www.hachette.com.au/news/in-the-good-books
and for more, visit www.hachette.com.au
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What books do young boys really want to read?
Scott Stuart, a passionate children's author and advocate for inclusive stories, joins Luke to reveal the surprising truths about gender bias in reading, how to break free from it, and the simple (and often joyful) acts that can ignite lifelong love of reading - even for reluctant boys.

You'll learn how to model reading as a parent, the importance of diverse voices, and the power of engaging with children’s interests, whether it be Disney or sports.
Scott shares inspiring stories about on-the-ground literacy efforts, from author visits to library access disparities, illustrating the broader social impact of promoting inclusivity in literature.

And you'll hear about his response to censorship controversies - including having his books criminalised and called out by Donald Trump - how it only encouraged him to continue challenging societal norms and trying to create a safer, more welcoming, more empathetic and inclusive world for our kids.
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What does it really take to breathe life into a bestseller? To make another time come alive? To place us into a polyphony of perspectives?
In this candid conversation, acclaimed author Maggie O’Farrell joins Luke Bateman to unpack her extraordinary life story and highly intuitive creative process. From surviving a life-altering childhood illness at age eight that forced her to re-learn basic motor skills and embrace reading (and re-reading), to inspirations and insights into her most accliamed works such as Hamnet, Land and The Marriage Portrait, and why Irish culture is uniquely built for storytelling.

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'Becoming a man is a process of subtraction' - so says one of the leading experts in masculinity and men's mental health. But why? And what can we do to change that?
In this episode, Luke is joined by Dr Zac Seidler: clinical psychologist, Global Director of Research at Movember and Associate Professor with Orygen at the University of Melbourne.
Together, they dismantle the many stories men are told, and learn to tell themselves, about how they should be - from how the pressures of self-optimization culture creates isolated "lone-wolves", to the "perception gap" that keeps men from expressing themselves, and how reading, especially fiction, can serve as an antidote, and a path to empathy and authenticity.
What are your thoughts? Let us know and have your voice notes featured on the podcast:
email goodbooks@taptmedia.com.au.
Stay connected on our socials:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inthegoodbooks_podcast/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@inthegoodbooks_podcast
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.