95bfm: Loose Reads

A layered, sometimes visceral portrait of contemporary Japanese womanhood, Mieko Kawakami's Breasts & Eggs reaches new audiences via her first widely disributed English translation. Jenna lets us in on how she found Kawakami's family fiction on gender, beauty, and that classically contested site: the human female body.

Kiran joins us with a special book this week, one that she's been savouring for months and months. Underland: a Deep Time Journey by Robert Macfarlane takes you on a journey through time and the world beneath you and is certain to give you a visual experience that you want forget. 

Jenna's covering the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, with a heads up on some of the nominations and how you can get involved from the comfort of your own home! Glorious.

Kiran's been plowing through the Ockham NZ Book Awards fiction shortlist, with plenty of time for reading on her hands. Pearly Gates by Owen Marshall, is not only entertaining but insightful and is sure to make you feel at home during some strange times. Add it to your list.

Reading lists are our best friends at the moment, Jenna joins us after ploughing through hers. One of her top picks for the week is Rebecca Solnit's Recollections of My Non-Existence, a portrait of a woman that asks how a young writer finds her voice in a society that prefers women to be silent.

Kiran joins us to talk about a book that kept her up reading well into the night, Auē by Becky Manawatu. Shortlisted for the Ockham NZ Book Awards, this novel is definitely one to add to your reading list. Whilst touching on some heavier topics, this is a novel that is still hopeful and full of love. 

Jenna joins us on Breakfast with a book recommendation that's sure to make you feel really nice. Separation Anxiety by Laura Zigman is a tender read with witty dialogue that's divided up into three parts, Jenna reckons it's very relatable for the current environment without being too heavy. Definitely one to chuck on your reading list.

Kiran dials in with another book recommendation to get us through, Going Dark: The Secret Social Lives of Extremists by Julia Ebner. There couldn't be a better time to stock up on books so get crackin'.

A book of timely manner, Jenna brings in How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell. A book that will guide you through doing absolutely nothing, what's not to like? Don't worry folks, Jenna's got you.

Suri's in the studio this week, chatting to Rachel and Tess about a memoir that's an absolute must-read. The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom narrates stories from over 100 years in the same house, with a huge touch on the influence of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. An important read.