In this episode we talk to author Brigid Delaney, whose writing about her alarmingly numerous misadventures in life belies a more serious, intellectual side. Those two sides came together in her book exploring the wellness industry, Wellmania (comedian Celeste Barber plays a version of Delaney in the Netflix series of the same name).

She recently took a dive into stoic philosophy, including the 2022 bestseller Reasons Not to Worry, and her upcoming novel – The Seeker and the Sage – is billed as a tale to help us navigate our divided and unstable world.

Hosting this conversation – which also covers Delaney’s recent stint as a speechwriter for federal minister Tanya Plibersek – is Good Weekend senior writer Melissa Fyfe.

In this episode we talk to author Brigid Delaney, whose writing about her alarmingly numerous misadventures in life belies a more serious, intellectual side. Those two sides came together in her book exploring the wellness industry, Wellmania (comedian Celeste Barber plays a version of Delaney in the Netflix series of the same name).
She recently took a dive into stoic philosophy, including the 2022 bestseller Reasons Not to Worry, and her upcoming novel &ndash; The Seeker and the Sage &ndash; is billed as a tale to help us navigate our divided and unstable world.
Hosting this conversation &ndash; which also covers Delaney&rsquo;s recent stint as a speechwriter for federal minister Tanya Plibersek &ndash; is Good Weekend senior writer Melissa Fyfe.

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

The joys of stoicism (and a top tip from Marcus Aurelius): 'Wellmania' writer Brigid Delaney

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/0a2f9151-a0af-421d-9da4-b36b006516d9/transcript

Marianne Perkovic spent decades working in the finance sector. In 2006, she was the youngest chief executive of an ASX-listed company and in 2018, as a banking executive, she faced a grilling at a royal commission. This is not the standard path for nailing the best seat at Australian Fashion Week. In fact, becoming executive chair of the Australian Fashion Council in 2023 was meant to be her “fun board” (while giving her couture credibility with her two daughters).
Perkovic joins us to discuss her unlikely role determining the future of fashion in this country, and how she wrested control of Australian Fashion Week in her best Carla Zampatti outfit. She’s also the subject of a profile in the current issue of Good Weekend – "Seriously invested" – and today's episode is hosted by the writer of that piece, fashion editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, Damien Woolnough.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Good Weekend Talks celebrates 300 episodes in May, and to observe the occasion we’re hosting a special live event podcast at the Melbourne Writers Festival, where Good Weekend deputy editor Konrad Marshall will be on stage in conversation with the iconic environmentalist, Bob Brown. We’re pleased to offer a 10 per cent discount on a limited number of tickets to the event. Just hit this hyperlink  and then enter the promo code “GOOD10”, while tickets last.

Marianne Perkovic spent decades working in the finance sector. In 2006, she was the youngest chief executive of an ASX-listed company and in 2018, as a banking executive, she faced a grilling at a royal commission. This is not the standard path for nailing the best seat at Australian Fashion Week. In fact, becoming executive chair of the Australian Fashion Council in 2023 was meant to be her &ldquo;fun board&rdquo; (while giving her couture credibility with her two daughters). Perkovic joins us to discuss her unlikely role determining the future of fashion in this country, and how she wrested control of Australian Fashion Week in her best Carla Zampatti outfit. She&rsquo;s also the subject of a profile in the current issue of Good Weekend &ndash; "Seriously invested" &ndash; and today's episode is hosted by the writer of that piece, fashion editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, Damien Woolnough.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Good Weekend Talks celebrates 300 episodes in May, and to observe the occasion we&rsquo;re hosting a special live event podcast at the Melbourne Writers Festival, where Good Weekend deputy editor Konrad Marshall will be on stage in conversation with the iconic environmentalist, Bob Brown. We&rsquo;re pleased to offer a 10 per cent discount on a limited number of tickets to the event.&nbsp;<a href="https://your.theage.com.au/gwt300">Just hit this hyperlink </a>&nbsp;and then enter the promo code &ldquo;GOOD10&rdquo;, while tickets last.

From finance to front row: Australian fashion boss Marianne Perkovic

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/00766a48-6102-45c1-a358-b41900676206/transcript

Stephanie Alexander is a national icon: an internationally renowned cooking guru, best-selling writer and inspirational founder of a nationwide kitchen-garden scheme for schoolkids. She's also the final arbiter of kitchen disputes in homes all over Australia – resolving disagreements about how to store tomatoes and when to take the sponge out of the oven – as the author of Australia's most famous cookbook, The Cook's Companion. The 2.8-kilogram culinary doorstopper turns 30 this year, and Alexander joins Good Weekend senior writer Amanda Hooton for a chat about restaurants and writing, eating and air-fryers.

Stephanie Alexander is a national icon: an internationally renowned cooking guru, best-selling writer and inspirational founder of a nationwide kitchen-garden scheme for schoolkids. She's also the final arbiter of kitchen disputes in homes all over Australia &ndash; resolving disagreements about how to store tomatoes and when to take the sponge out of the oven &ndash; as the author of Australia's most famous cookbook,&nbsp;The Cook's Companion. The 2.8-kilogram culinary doorstopper turns 30 this year, and Alexander joins Good Weekend senior writer Amanda Hooton for a chat about restaurants and writing, eating and air-fryers.

Stephanie Alexander on writing, eating, air-frying – and The Cook’s Companion turning 30

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/473eb337-6206-4597-9142-b4110053daa7/transcript

Bob Carr has done hard jobs before. He was premier of NSW for 10 years, and later served as foreign minister under Julia Gillard’s government. But when his beloved wife, Helena, died suddenly of a brain aneurysm in 2023, he faced the hardest job of his life – learning how to live without her. Carr worked through his deep shock and sadness by obsessively walking the Sydney streets he once presided over as premier, often weeping as he did so. He knows he made his friends uncomfortable by talking too much about Helena’s death at dinner parties. The silence of their shared Maroubra home was unbearable. Carr joins us to discuss his grief memoir, Bring Back Yesterday, about the loss of Helena and scrounging his way forward into what he calls “the left-over life” – a life still full of pleasures like reading, opera and the foam of a wave on your face as you enter the ocean. Today's episode is hosted by Sydney Morning Herald senior writer and columnist Jacqueline Maley.

Bob Carr has done hard jobs before. He was premier of NSW for 10 years, and later served as foreign minister under Julia Gillard&rsquo;s government. But when his beloved wife, Helena, died suddenly of a brain aneurysm in 2023, he faced the hardest job of his life &ndash; learning how to live without her. Carr worked through his deep shock and sadness by obsessively walking the Sydney streets he once presided over as premier, often weeping as he did so. He knows he made his friends uncomfortable by talking too much about Helena&rsquo;s death at dinner parties. The silence of their shared Maroubra home was unbearable. Carr joins us to discuss his grief memoir,&nbsp;Bring Back Yesterday, about the loss of Helena and scrounging his way forward into what he calls &ldquo;the left-over life&rdquo; &ndash; a life still full of pleasures like reading, opera and the foam of a wave on your face as you enter the ocean. Today's episode is hosted by Sydney Morning Herald senior writer and columnist Jacqueline Maley.

Bob Carr on grief and 'the left-over life' after his wife's death

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/54ef4651-bdcb-46a5-853b-b40b00a64f1b/transcript

The joys of stoicism (and a top tip from Marcus Aurelius): 'Wellmania' writer Brigid Delaney

In 2 playlist(s)

Good Weekend Talks

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips