Author Interview
Taken hostage and negotiating her release: Dr Alia Bojilova
Within minutes of the compound windows breaking, Dr Alia Bojilova and her two UN colleagues, were staring down the barrels of multiple guns ... and into the faces of the Syrian Free Army. It was 2013… Audio
Hannah & Huia: A novel aimed at demystifying mental health
Author Charlotte Lobb's debut novel details life in a mental health unit - and the impact a stranger can have on someone's life. Audio
Labour of Love: 50 years of midwifery
Joan Skinner has been a midwife for 50 years, and during that time it's fair to say, she's seen it all. Since starting in the profession in 1976, midwifery has undergone extraordinary change; both in… Audio
Humans are the only ones who can clean up the messes they make
We designed the world around us, the world with the growing climate problems and inequality, and we are the only ones who can fix it, professor Don Norman says. Audio
Hiwa: Contemporary Māori Short Stories released
An exciting new book is out today from one of Afternoon's favourite guests and incredible author, Paula Morris. Hiwa: Contemporary Maori Short Stories is a unique anthology. Audio
Women want a different kind of power than men
The reason there aren't more women in positions of power around the world, more female CEOs, Prime Ministers, board members, is not a problem with women. Audio
Dig this: get your hands dirty to save food costs says Mrs Evans
With food price inflation the highest its been in decades, growing your own vegetables has never been more appealing. But if you're not sure where to start, or think your outdoor area isn't big… Audio
Mardo El-Noor's Dogs with Stories
Our four-legged best friends are the subject of a new photography book; Dogs with Stories. The work of Mardo El-Noor, the book showcases one hundred adorable dogs and their owners, elaborately staged… Audio
Nazaré: the Holy Grail of big-wave surfing
A small fishing village in Portugal is home to the biggest waves in the world. Nazaré is known as the Mecca of big-wave surfing, attracting the world's most fearless surfers, all in pursuit of the… Audio
When technology takes over from nature
Ted Anton is a Professor of English, his new book tells the stories of people on the frontier of discovery and the policy makers trying to keep up with them. It's called Programmable Planet: The… Audio
Al Brown: 'My whole thing is informality'
Renowned chef Al Brown has just released Eat Up New Zealand: The Bach Edition, a collection of nostalgic recipes that celebrate seasonal ingredients, kaimoana, and the occasional sweet treat. Audio
Jury researcher pens gripping courtroom drama
Claire Baylis is a fiction writer and legal researcher based in Rotorua. After 12 years as a law lecturer at Victoria University, Claire Baylis joined a trans-Tasman Jury Research project, and was… Audio
How women in sport are tackling gender inequality
It's not just in the boardroom where women are paid less, penalised for having children and considered less capable of generating big bucks. "The most competitive FIFA Women's World Cup we've ever… Audio
From harrowing childhood to award winning writer
Rachel Louise Snyder survived a harrowing childhood in an cruel, evangelical family to become a globally recognised journalist and author. She tells her story to Kathryn Ryan. Audio
Behind the book which inspired the movie Oppenheimer
From the moment Film Director Christopher Nolan read a Pulitzer Prize winning biography about the leader of the Manhattan Project laboratory, he wanted to tell his story. Now Oppenheimer is exceeding… Audio
Marie Darrieussecq: reflections on insomnia
Shortly after the birth of her first child in 2001 French writer Marie Darrieussecq developed insomnia, and she's not been able to get a good night's sleep since. She's spent some of her many waking… Audio
Alice Sherwood: the fashion for authenticity in a world of fakes
Knock-offs are big business, worth $600 billion a year on the world market: anything from whiskey and bags to footwear and hair care products. In her book Authenticity: Reclaiming Reality in a… Audio
Dunedin author's book makes unexpected appearance in the Barbie movie
A retired academic from Port Chalmers was surprised to discover a copy of his memoir makes an appearance in the Barbie movie. John Egenes's book Man & Horse, The Long Ride Across America - about… Video, Audio
Parenting : big feelings experienced by little people
We're looking at how a range of emotions that children experience can be addressed through age appropriate books. Audio
Putin's Prisoner: Surviving six months of brutality
Aiden Aslin spent a harrowing six months as a Russian prisoner of war, and was eventually freed in a prisoner exchange in September last year. Audio