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In this episode, we talk to Melinda French Gates. Famous as one half of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – one of the largest philanthropic outfits in the world – Melinda spent more than two decades overseeing the giving-away of more than $US77 billion. Then, in 2021, she and Bill divorced after 27 years of marriage, and Melinda began to chart a new path for her life. That new path is the subject of a feature profile in this week's magazine – "The 'Gigantic Joy' of a Fresh Start" – in which Gates discusses the end of her marriage, the hard-won pleasures of personal growth, and philanthropy in Trump's America. She joins us today to chat about all that and more, with Good Weekend senior writer, Amanda Hooton.

 

In this episode, we talk to Melinda French Gates. Famous as one half of the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation &ndash; one of the largest philanthropic outfits in the world &ndash; Melinda spent more than two decades overseeing the giving-away of more than $US77 billion. Then, in 2021, she and Bill divorced after 27 years of marriage, and Melinda began to chart a new path for her life. That new path is the subject of a feature profile in this week's magazine &ndash; "The 'Gigantic Joy' of a Fresh Start" &ndash; in which Gates discusses the end of her marriage, the hard-won pleasures of personal growth, and philanthropy in Trump's America. She joins us today to chat about all that and more, with Good Weekend senior writer, Amanda Hooton.
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Good Weekend Talks features in-depth conversations with the people fascinating Australians right now, from sport to politics to the arts, business and beyond, interviewed weekly by the country's top journalists. Consider it a magazine for your ears.

Good Weekend Talks features in-depth conversations with the people fascinating Australians right now, from sport to politics to the arts, business and beyond, interviewed weekly by the country's top journalists. Consider it a magazine for your ears.

Good Weekend Talks

Melinda French Gates on perfectionism and pain, parenting and philanthropy

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/5d99d4db-0e84-4fc3-86b9-b2bb00d0376e/transcript

In this episode, we speak with Matthew Walker. The British neuroscience professor is the author of “Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams”, and he’s coming to Australia shortly to speak at Vivid Sydney in conjunction with the Sydney Writers' Festival. Walker has lately become the sleep expert of choice around the world for his deep research and clear thinking about one of life’s great mysteries – and necessities. This student of the sandman will be on stage in front of a packed audience at Sydney Town Hall on May 27, but for the moment, he joins Good Weekend senior writer Konrad Marshall for a chat about the incredible benefits of a good night's sleep.

In this episode, we speak with Matthew Walker. The British neuroscience professor is the author of &ldquo;Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams&rdquo;, and he&rsquo;s coming to Australia shortly to speak at Vivid Sydney in conjunction with the Sydney Writers' Festival. Walker has lately become the sleep expert of choice around the world for his deep research and clear thinking about one of life&rsquo;s great mysteries &ndash; and necessities. This student of the sandman will be on stage in front of a packed audience at Sydney Town Hall on May 27, but for the moment, he joins Good Weekend senior writer Konrad Marshall for a chat about the incredible benefits of a good night's sleep.

Sleep expert Matthew Walker on snoring, napping, nightmares and the power of slumber

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/43025535-3960-4abf-b36c-b2dd009fe14c/transcript

In this episode, we talk to Hannah Kent. The South Australian author burst onto the literary scene in 2013, with the publication of her debut historical novel, Burial Rites, about the execution of a young woman in Iceland, two centuries ago. The book was a global bestseller, optioned by Hollywood with Jennifer Lawrence attached to star in the film version, but Kent’s success also gave her that thing that all writers crave - not fame and fortune, but time and space to write. She followed Burial Rites with two more hit novels, The Good People and Devotion, not to mention a screenplay for Netflix, and now something different - a memoir. Kent talks to senior writer Konrad Marshall about “Always Home, Always Homesick”, which walks readers through the early life experiences that set Kent on the writing path, followed by her formative time as a teenage exchange student in Iceland, plus the forensic and emotional construction of her smash hit novel, and finally, the ghost who lingers and lives with her still.

In this episode, we talk to Hannah Kent. The South Australian author burst onto the literary scene in 2013, with the publication of her debut historical novel, Burial Rites, about the execution of a young woman in Iceland, two centuries ago. The book was a global bestseller, optioned by Hollywood with Jennifer Lawrence attached to star in the film version, but Kent&rsquo;s success also gave her that thing that all writers crave - not fame and fortune, but time and space to write. She followed Burial Rites with two more hit novels, The Good People and Devotion, not to mention a screenplay for Netflix, and now something different - a memoir. Kent talks to senior writer Konrad Marshall about &ldquo;Always Home, Always Homesick&rdquo;, which walks readers through the early life experiences that set Kent on the writing path, followed by her formative time as a teenage exchange student in Iceland, plus the forensic and emotional construction of her smash hit novel, and finally, the ghost who lingers and lives with her still.

Novelist Hannah Kent on writing, nightmares – and the ghost who lives with her

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/d09109b3-bc32-452a-82b0-b2d7009f95ba/transcript

In this episode, we talk to Rutger Bregman. You might remember the Dutch historian and author from a 2019 appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, which went viral after he called out millionaires and billionaires for tax avoidance. He joins us to talk about everything from the loss of America's moral authority after the re-election of Donald Trump, to why we need more ordinary people speaking up and defending principles of human decency. This week's Good Weekend features an extract from Bregman’s new book, Moral Ambition, examining our monstrous and long-running cruelty to animals. Hosting the conversation – which also delves into the corrosiveness of misogynistic male influencers, as well as the role of “realistic idealism” in improving our society's moral trajectory – is Good Weekend acting editor Greg Callaghan.

In this episode, we talk to Rutger Bregman. You might remember the Dutch historian and author from a 2019 appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, which went viral after he called out millionaires and billionaires for tax avoidance. He joins us to talk about everything from the loss of America's moral authority&nbsp;after the re-election of Donald Trump, to why we need more ordinary people speaking up and defending principles of human decency. This week's Good Weekend features an extract from Bregman&rsquo;s new book,&nbsp;Moral Ambition, examining our monstrous and long-running cruelty to animals. Hosting the conversation &ndash; which also delves into the corrosiveness of misogynistic male influencers, as well as the role of &ldquo;realistic idealism&rdquo; in improving our society's moral trajectory &ndash; is Good Weekend acting editor Greg Callaghan.

Meet historian Rutger Bregman – fighting the good fight with 'realistic idealism'

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/4607ee67-6fcb-4649-aa35-b2d0003ebf02/transcript

Melinda French Gates on perfectionism and pain, parenting and philanthropy

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