Picture this: a crumbling Italian mansion in the Tuscan hills, an eccentric aristocrat, sun-soaked lunches, too much wine and a house humming with secrets. That’s the delightful world into which we’re heading today as we talk to writer Andrew Sean Greer, whose new novel, Villa Coco, is loosely inspired by his own time at an Italian estate around a famous Baroness. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Less also joins us to discuss his life in Italy, the pleasures of the charm novel, and the one piece of travel advice he always comes back to. Today’s episode is hosted by books editor Melanie Kembrey.

Picture this: a crumbling Italian mansion in the Tuscan hills, an eccentric aristocrat, sun-soaked lunches, too much wine and a house humming with secrets. That&rsquo;s the delightful world into which we&rsquo;re heading today as we talk to writer Andrew Sean Greer, whose new novel, Villa Coco, is loosely inspired by his own time at an Italian estate around a famous Baroness. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Less also joins us to discuss his life in Italy, the pleasures of the charm novel, and the one piece of travel advice he always comes back to. Today&rsquo;s episode is hosted by books editor Melanie Kembrey.

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

New episodes from ongoing Metro podcast series. 

New episodes from ongoing Metro podcast series.&nbsp;

New episodes

Pulitzer novelist Andrew Sean Greer on ‘charm novels’, the Italian life and travel wisdom

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/03197b63-7ba9-412f-a47b-b4670010506a/transcript

Peter Singer, often called the world's most influential philosopher, is turning 80, and he's returned home to Melbourne too, after almost 25 years as a professor of bioethics at Princeton University.
Singer's practical ethics has had a huge impact and caused controversy across issues as diverse as the rights of animals, voluntary euthanasia and abortion, freedom of speech, and our moral obligation to help those living in extreme poverty.
Given all that's happened in Singer's world and in the wider world, it seemed like a good time to ask him to reflect on his life and work, and about the issues of today, from Trump to anti-Semitism and the limits of free speech.
Today's conversation is hosted by Good Weekend senior writer Gay Alcorn.

Peter Singer, often called the world's most influential philosopher, is turning 80, and he's returned home to Melbourne too, after almost 25 years as a professor of bioethics at Princeton University. Singer's practical ethics has had a huge impact and caused controversy across issues as diverse as the rights of animals, voluntary euthanasia and abortion, freedom of speech, and our moral obligation to help those living in extreme poverty. Given all that's happened in Singer's world and in the wider world, it seemed like a good time to ask him to reflect on his life and work, and about the issues of today, from Trump to anti-Semitism and the limits of free speech. Today's conversation is hosted by Good Weekend senior writer Gay Alcorn.

‘I’ve mellowed a little bit’: Peter Singer on the limit of free speech and his guidance for giving

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/e298c2db-d899-4dd4-8cb8-b47b017fcb02/transcript

Rob de Castella, otherwise known as “Deeks” - or, to his opponents, “Tree”, due to his sturdy limbs and unshiftable calm - is a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medal winner and Australian running royalty. He joins Good Weekend Talks to chat about his Indigenous Marathon Project, in which he takes a group of Indigenous people from around the country every year and signs them up for a rigorous training and education program before each of them runs the famed New York City Marathon. De Castella likes to say that the finishing line in Central Park has be their starting line - encouraging them to go home after the race and use the lessons and strength built throughout the program to be a ripple of change. A new documentary celebrating the project - The Long Run - follows a group of graduates as they’re mentored by former AFL superstar Buddy Franklin and NRL legend Johnathan Thurston. This episode is hosted by Good Weekend deputy editor - and avid runner - Konrad Marshall.

Rob de Castella, otherwise known as &ldquo;Deeks&rdquo; - or, to his opponents, &ldquo;Tree&rdquo;, due to his sturdy limbs and unshiftable calm - is a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medal winner and Australian running royalty. He joins&nbsp;Good Weekend Talks to chat about his Indigenous Marathon Project, in which he takes a group of Indigenous people from around the country every year and signs them up for a rigorous training and education program before each of them runs the famed New York City Marathon. De Castella likes to say that the finishing line in Central Park has be their starting line - encouraging them to go home after the race and use the lessons and strength built throughout the program to be a ripple of change. A new documentary celebrating the project - The Long Run - follows a group of graduates as they&rsquo;re mentored by former AFL superstar Buddy Franklin and NRL legend Johnathan Thurston. This episode is hosted by Good Weekend deputy editor - and avid runner - Konrad Marshall.

'Accomplishment flows into courage': Rob de Castella on the Indigenous Marathon Project

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/617a7045-e754-4481-b306-b47500151e34/transcript

Australian author and intellectual Anna Funder specialises in telling the stories of people forgotten or ignored by official histories. She began her writing career with Stasiland, detailing the state surveillance of the people of the former East Germany, which was followed by her prize-winning novel, All That I Am, telling the previously untold story of early resisters to the Nazis. In her most recent work, Wifedom, Funder shifted her lens to the unexamined life of author George Orwell’s wife, Eileen O’Shaughnessy, whose contribution had – until then – been obscured. The recently-appointed professor in creative writing at the University of Sydney is about to embark on a national speaking tour – live conversations exploring history, power, and the stories that shape public life. In this episode, she joins The Sydney Morning Herald senior writer and columnist Jacqueline Maley for a chat about everything from the dangers of AI to the livelihood of creatives.

Australian author and intellectual Anna Funder specialises in telling the stories of people forgotten or ignored by official histories. She began her writing career with Stasiland, detailing the state surveillance of the people of the former East Germany, which was followed by her prize-winning novel, All That I Am, telling the previously untold story of early resisters to the Nazis. In her most recent work, Wifedom, Funder shifted her lens to the unexamined life of author George Orwell&rsquo;s wife, Eileen O&rsquo;Shaughnessy, whose contribution had &ndash; until then &ndash; been obscured. The recently-appointed professor in creative writing at the University of Sydney is about to embark on a national speaking tour &ndash; live conversations exploring history, power, and the stories that shape public life. In this episode, she joins The Sydney Morning Herald senior writer and columnist Jacqueline Maley for a chat about everything from the dangers of AI to the livelihood of creatives.

Anna Funder on telling untold stories – and the blowback it sometimes brings

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/d535d688-c8c3-4ad4-b4de-b46e0024a6f8/transcript

Pulitzer novelist Andrew Sean Greer on ‘charm novels’, the Italian life and travel wisdom

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