Category Archives: Podcasts

Podcast – Technology & Us

Posted on by

In this episode of Parra Pods Katherine & Nisa discuss books about the relationship between humans and technology in this IT-saturated world.

Join them while they talk about the future of AI, the impact of social media, the relationship between our private selves and our digital avatars and eroding trust in traditional institutions.

HAPPY LISTENING!

Some of the books discussed in this podcast include:

Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmark. Penguin Random House, 2017.

Net loss: the inner life in the digital age by Sebastian Smee. Quarterly Essay No. 72, 2018

Who can you trust? How technology brought us together and why it might drive us apart by Rachel Botsman. Public Affairs, 2017

Podcast Miles Franklin Shortlist 2019

Posted on by

First awarded in 1957, this year marks the 62nd year of the Miles Franklin Literary Award.

Join Katherine & Nisa as they discuss books that have made it on to the 2019 shortlist. The books span genres such as magic realism, autobiography, mystery and dystopia. Some themes found in the novels include: family, the environment, art, masculinity, relationships, race and racism – all against a range of Australian backdrops.

Some of the books discussed in Episode 18 of Parra Pods include:

The Lebs / Michael Mohammed Ahmad. Hatchette, 2018

A stolen season / Rodney Hall. Picador, 2018

The death of Noah Glass / Gail Jones. Text Publishing, 2018

Too much lip / Melissa Lucashenko. University of Queensland Press, 2018

Other books in the Shortlist include:

A sand archive / Gregory Day. Picador, 2018

Dyschronia / Jennifer Mills. Picador, 2018

Feel like exploring some of the AMAZING past winners of the Miles Franklin Award? Or maybe you would like to learn more about the history of the award, check out the Miles Franklin Award website.

Happy Listening!

Katherine & Nisa

Podcast – Young Adult Fiction

Posted on by

In Episode 17 of Parra Pods, Katherine & Nisa discuss some of the amazing Young Adult fiction books they have read over the last couple of weeks.

Reading Youth Adult fiction in all its diversity is great way to understand the issues facing the up and coming generation. The books that we review in this episode discuss diverse themes  such as “Black lives matter”, growing up Muslim in Australia, body issues and being young and LGBTQ identified. What these wonderful books have in common is that they are all thought provoking, funny at times, often inspiring and always entertaining. I urge you to grab a YA book now and enjoy!

Some of the books discussed in this podcast include:

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, 2017.

How (Not) to Ask a Boy to the Prom by S.J. Goslee, 2019.

You Must Be Layla by Yassmin Abel-Magied, 2019

There’s Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon

Podcast Memorable Memoirs

Posted on by

In this episode of Parra Pods Katherine & Nisa asked themselves why do some memoirs resonate so much with people?

Michelle Obam’s ‘Becoming was City of Parramatta Libraries most borrowed non-fiction title so far in 2019. Her spouse Barak Obama was the President of the United States for eight years, yet it is she who has garnered both popular and critical acclaim for this “tell it like it is” memoir.

Sally Fields is a Hollywood legend and, an Oscar recipient, here is her memoir about growing up in a dysfunctional family, overcoming the limitations of  her early career playing the “Flying Nun” & “Gidget”.  Finally forging a career that has afforded her longevity as an actress, but more importantly finding peace with the dark secret that cast a shadow over her life.

Some of the books discussed in this podcast include:

  • Becoming by Michelle Obama. London, Viking, 2018
  • In Pieces by Sally Fields London, Simon & Schuster, 2018

Podcast Up Lit

Posted on by

Parra Pods – Episode 13 Up Lit in Review

Up Lit – What is it? & why do we love it!

‘Up Lit’ can be described as books with an emphasis on empathy, books that are  uplifting and life-affirming and in our latest episode of Parra Pods Katherine, Nisa & Yi discuss and review four titles in this popular newish genre.

If you are tired of reading grim true crime and Scandi Noir, try some of these titles on for size:

Some of the books discussed in the Podcast include:

Your Second Life Begins When You Realize You Only Have One – Raphaelle Giordano

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman

The Happiness Project Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun – Gretchen Rubin

My Squirrel Days – Ellie Kemper

Why not have a listen now?