95bFM's Loose Reads: Caledonian Road by Andrew O'Hagan

Today we welcome Jonny as bFM’s new breakfast host with the heifty 650-paged Caledonian Road by writer and journalist, Andrew O’Hagan.

A huge cast weaves together fully realised characters from all walks of life - an art writer, a Robin Hood style hacker plus Lords, politicians, Russian oligarchs and migrants. This is a Dickensian epic that tells a tale of modern London. It is also readable! and funny!

Jenna is tipping this for a Booker nod - the longlist is announced on July 31st.

Listen below!

95bFM's Loose Reads: Hard by the Cloud House by Peter Walker

Jenna phoned into the 95bFM studio fresh from the BookPeople Australian Booksellers Conference.

Hard by the Cloud House, written by Peter Walker and published by Massey University Press, weaves together the threads of memoir, history, pūrākau and nature writing to tell the tale of the mysterious extinct bird, Pouakai (Haast’s Eagle).

Listen below!

RNZ's Nine to Noon: Take What You Need by Idra Novey

Take What You Need follows an estranged stepmother and stepdaughter whilst commenting on the rural and urban divide, class, poverty and racism in America and the lives of artists.

It’s a fantastic read - compelling, nuanced and contemporary. Listen to Jenna chat with Kathryn below.

RNZ's Nine to Noon: Night Swimmers by Roisin Maguire

Set on the coast of Northern Ireland, Maguire’s debut novel Night Swimmers is another to add to the pile of great Irish writing. Local woman Grace, is known as a bit a grouch, who lives an independent life. However, after a meeting between two new village arrivals - Evan and his young son Luca - the three are drawn together, which may bring healing for them all.

The warmth of community and connections between strangers are highlighted in this novel about loneliness, with both humour and profound sorrow.

Listen to Jenna chat with Kathryn below.

95bFM's Loose Reads: All Fours by Miranda July

Miranda July’s work crosses many mediums, however Jenna has been anticipating her first novel since 2013’s The First Bad Man.

Our unnamed protagonist is an artist and mother and she is ready for freedom. Whilst experiencing symptoms of perimenopause as well as flashbacks to the traumatic birth of her child, she sets on a cross country road trip, which soon takes a detour. Boundaries and ethics are no barrier to her as she attempts to balance her desires and her family life.

The connection between strangers is what intrinsically links all of July’s work and All Fours is no exception. A laugh out loud, bonkers and provocative ride, it’s wonderful to be back in the hands of July’s storytelling.

Listen to Jenna, Rachel & Stella chat below!

95bFM's Loose Reads: The 2024 Ockham Fiction Finalists

Abby, one of our two Ockham Fiction Champions, popped into the bFM studio to chat the fiction shortlist.

Listen below and you can watch the Ockhams this Wednesday 15th March here.
You can also come in person! Purchase tickets here.

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95bFM's Loose Reads: Amma by Saraid de Silva

This week, Jenna reviewed Saraid de Silva’s Amma, a moving family story that follows three generations of Sri Lankan women. From Singapore, to Invercargill, to London, Saraid’s visceral storytelling is immersive with great plotting.

Listen to Jenna and Rachel chat below!

RNZ's Nine to Noon: The Best Minds by Jonathan Rosen

The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions tells the tale of a lifelong friendship and a schizophrenia diagnosis which leads to murder.

Told through a historical, political and scientifc context, mental health and American healthcare are explored.

Listen to Jenna chat with Kathryn below.

95bFM's Loose Reads: Vladivostok Circus by Elisa Shua Dusapin

French author Eilsa Shua Dusapin (Winter in Sokcho) is back with another atomospheric novel.
Nathalie arrives in Vladivostok to work on costumes for the Russian bar trio who are preparing their dangerous routine for the winter circus season.

This book captures a snapshot of a creative and physical undertaking by a small team of people. Punchy sentences, a sense of danger and a strong sense of place enrich Dusapin’s prose.

Translated by Aneesa Abbas Higgins.

Listen to Jenna, Rachel and Stella’s conversation below.

RNZ's Nine to Noon: My Brilliant Sister by Amy Brown

Jenna called into the RNZ studio to review My Brilliant Sister, a Trans-Tasman novel linking three women who observe balancing creativity and domesticity - all with a connection to Australian author and feminist, Stella Miles Franklin.

Listen to Jenna chat with Kathryn below.

95bFM's Loose Reads: The Beautiful Afternoon by Airini Beautrais

Jenna called into the studio this morning, to chat about The Beautiful Afternoon, a collection of essays from Airini Beautrais. You may know her from her short story collection, Bug Week, which was the winner of the 2021 Acorn Fiction Prize at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards.

Combining research with the personal; exploring feminity, sexuality, motherhood, pop culture, consumerism, activism and more, this is a insightful delve into a different genre of writing for Beautrais.

Listen below!

95bFM's Loose Reads: Kids Run the Show by Delphine de Vigan

Jenna visited the studio to speak about Kids Run the Show by Delphine de Vigan, translated from French by Alison Anderson.

Two women are brought together when Clara (a policewoman) meets Melanie, an influencer whose child has just been kidnapped.

Spanning the begiining of the Big Brother generation to 2031, this is a cautionary tale about family youtube channels, this is a literary thriller that observes the ethics of putting your children online.

Listen below!

95bFM's Loose Reads: Lord Jim at Home by Dinah Brooke

Jenna dialed into the bFM studio today from her tent at the Camp A Low Hum festival, in Wainuiomata.

Lord Jim at Home is a fantastically strange found classic from 1973. With an introduction by Ottessa Moshfegh, Lord Jim is based on the true story of the ill-fated Miles Giffard, this book explores class and violence - all with a very black sense of humour.

95bFM's Loose Reads: Backwaters by Emma Ling Sidnam

The 2024 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards longlist has been revealed. To celebrate, Jenna talks about one of the longlisted fiction titles, Backwaters, a debut novel set between Auckland & China by Emma Ling Sidnam. A gentle read about origins, identity and family?

Listen to Jenna’s chat with Rachel and Stella below!

RNZ's Nine to Noon: Best of 2023

Today on Nine to Noon, Jenna was in the studio to chat to Kathryn about some of her favourite 2023 reads.

Listen below for the full review.

RNZ's Nine to Noon: Best of 2023

Radio New Zealand

95bFM's Loose Reads: The Librarianist by Patrick deWitt

Today, Jenna reviewed Patrick deWitt’s The Librarianist, a book that’s at risk of being too light or cheesy, but is actually very good.

Bob Comet, a retired librarian, finds himself volunteering at a retirement centre, when he realises he already knows a resident. deWitt’s expert dialogue leads us through a most heartwarming (and sometimes heartbreaking) and funny return to significant events from Bob’s life.

Listen to Jenna’s chat with Rachel and Stella below!

95bFM's Loose Reads: Prophet Song by Paul Lynch + Christmas agony aunt

Jenna brings in the recently minted 2023 Booker winner, Prophet Song by Paul Lynch. A powerful, gut-punch of a book, set in modern day Ireland - following a mother of four as she desperately tries to keep her family together during a civil war.

Jenna, Rachel & Stella also some Christmas agony aunt questions!
Wafting 95bFM listener: The Vulnerables by Sigrid Nunez or Sonic Life by Thurston Moore.
Big reader aunt: The Postcard by Anne Berest
Tween read: Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell

Also! Don’t forget to get tickets to the Save the B gig. This Wednesday, 20th December.

95bFM's Loose Reads: Bird Life by Anna Smaill

Bird Life is a lyrical, present novel set in Japan. Dinah, grieving the suicide of her twin brother, moves from Aotearoa to Japan to teach English. There, she meets Yasuko, a mother grieving her son leaving home. Together, the kinship between Dinah and Yasuko deepens as they navigate their own paths.

Listen to Jenna’s on studio chat with Rachel and Stella below.

95bFM's Loose Reads: Three Nice Novels

It’s almost Christmas, therefore it’s time for our end of year round-ups. Today, Jenna chose three nice novels, just because it feels like we need them.

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
Good Material by Dolly Alderton (audiobook on Libro.fm)
Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum

Listen to Jenna’s on studio chat with Rachel and Stella below.

RNZ's Nine to Noon: The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

Today on Nine to Noon, Jenna chatted to Susie about The Bee Sting. This has been shortlisted for the Booker, which will be announced in just over a week!

A supremely Irish tragi-comedy, this is Jenna’s favourite novel of 2023.

Listen below for the full review.

RNZ's Nine to Noon: The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

Radio New Zealand