What a year it was. I’ve been reflecting on 2018, and wow, I was fortunate to speak with some generous people and brilliant minds! Here are the ‘Top 12 Interviews for 2018’, in no particular order. Really, I loved speaking with all of my interviewees so this is more a way to highlight some of the fascinating discussions. Listen to the embedded players below or find the podcast on Apple or your preferred podcast app. An extensive highlights list can be found on my Triple R page here. Most importantly, thank you for tuning in and supporting Uncommon Sense and Triple R 102.7FM in Melbourne.
#1 Johann Hari, best-selling British writer and journalist, on his book Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions; AND my second interview with Johann Hari for 2018, on his book, Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs
#2 Kerry O’Brien, journalist and ABC 7.30 Report legend, on his new political memoir; a life lived through Australian politics, the stories behind his greatest political interviews, his views on the series of leadership spills and the changing media landscape
#3 Bri Lee, Author of Eggshell Skull: A memoir about standing up, speaking out and fighting back. On her time as a Judge’s Associate in the QLD District Court and Bri’s experience as a sexual assault claimant in her own court case
#4 Professor Jürgen Tautz from the University of Würzburg on his book co-authored with Diedrich Steen, The Honey Factory: Inside the Ingenious World of Bees
#5 Professor Daniel Chamovitz, Plant biologist (now also President of Ben-Gurion University) and author on his book, What A Plant Knows: A Field Guide To The Senses
#6 Hugh Mackay, Social researcher and author of Australia Reimagined: Towards A More Compassionate, Less Anxious Society
#7 Fiona Patten MP, State Politician (Vic) and Leader of the Reason Party (formerly Australian Sex Party), on her memoir Sex, Drugs and the Electoral Roll: My unlikely journey from sex worker to Member of Parliament
# 8 Parisian author Agnès Poirier on her book, Left Bank: Art, Passion and the Rebirth of Paris, 1940-50, which explores the intellectual, philosophical, literary and cultural flourishing during Nazi-occupied Paris and after liberation. Notable thinkers include, Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Robert Wright, Janet Flanner, Arthur Koestler, Jacques Jaujard, and Jean Paulhan.
#9 Philosopher Anne Manne on mothers and the quest for social justice. Anne argues for a ‘universal caregiver’ regime as opposed to the current ‘universal breadwinner’ regime that expects “productive citizens” to be in full-time paid work and devalues unpaid caring work. Anne’s chapter is in the new multi-author book, Dangerous Ideas About Mothers.
#10 Don Watson, author and former speechwriter to Paul Keating, on neoliberalism, the Banking Royal Commission and the language of corporate greed – in his essay A Pack of Bankers.
#11 Gillian Triggs, Emeritus Professor and former President of the Australian Human Rights Commission on The Decline of Parliamentary Democracy in a Post-Truth Era
#12 3RRR alumni Greg Champion of the ABC’s Coodabeen Champions joined Amy in the studio to talk about the new published collection of his football songs, The Thing About Football – The Songs of Greg Champion, and sang many of them live
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