What’s your story? Everyone has one — the ones we read and the ones we live. In The Good Books is a new weekly podcast that serves as a community for those who believe in the power of a good story. Each week, host Luke Bateman shares the books that have shaped his world, from timeless classics to buzzy bestsellers. He’ll also sit down with the most fascinating voices in the literary world — from bestselling authors to emerging new talent — as they reveal the inspirations behind their work. This is more than a book club; it's a space to explore ho...
Latest episodes
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46 min
Ariel Lawhon on the Pirate Queen and Writing the Incredible Women History Forgot
History was written by the victors and the wealthy— but Ariel Lawhon is on a relentless mission to resurrect the women they erased. From an off-grid childhood reading by kerosene l…
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36 min
Drawing Courage from 'Dangerous' Women - Antoinette Lattouf
How do you hold your ground when speaking the truth makes you a target? For award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and author Antoinette Lattouf, at least one way is to draw upon t…
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55 min
The Serious Power of Uninhibited Imagination, with Andy Griffiths
Prepare for a peek inside the one-of-a-kind mind behind some of the most seriously kid-approved stories ever! In this episode, record-breaking and internationally bestselling child…
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31 min
Book Club: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Luke becomes acquainted with this regency romance classic, with it themes, characters and moments, and what they all have to show us about modern romance today. Stay connected on o…
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52 min
Shen Tao: The Real Magic of Words & the Poet Empress
Luke is joined by Shen Tao, the brilliant debut author behind The Poet Empress—a novel Luke proudly declares as his favorite book of the year so far! But despite being a debut, it…
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50 min
The Limitless Passion of Jodi Picoult
From relentless research, to battling book bans, to a career of 30 bestsellers and counting, Jodi Picoult is a literary force unlike any other. In this conversation, Luke and Jodi…
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44 min
Joshua Hortinela Talks Representation, That 'Rom Com Feeling' and His Top Queer Romance Recommendations
Sydney-based author Joshua Hortinella, after becoming beloved in the book industry for over a decade, has just penned Hate You to Love You, one of the most vibrant romance debuts o…
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56 min
V.E Schwab: Fear, Magic, Monsters and Her Own 'Deep Lore'
A pre-birth prophecy, a contrarian relationship to fear that pushes her toward her deepest discomforts, and years spent studying both the stars and the greatest monsters of our ima…
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33 min
Write What You Love (And Be Lucky): Unfiltered Advice from Fantasy Legend Garth Nix
There are few more beloved voices in fantasy writing than Australia's own Garth Nix - with Luke accounting for a fair share of that love himself. Here, the two finally sit down to…
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29 min
Book Club: My Personal 'GOOD BOOK', the Book That Saved Me - Magician by Raymond E Feist
Luke dives into his own personal "Good Book": Raymond E. Feist's fantasy classic, Magician. From picking up a paperback copy fresh out of rehab, to examining how Pug and Tomas's jo…
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47 min
"Nothing Makes Me Hornier Than Books": Em Rusciano on Smut, Self-Discovery, and Her New Single Life
Luke is joined by Em Rusciano—the powerhouse singer, comedian, author, broadcaster, podcaster and more—for an uninhibited, laugh-out-loud, and deeply honest conversation about midl…
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50 min
How Liane Moriarty Tricks Herself to Write Bestsellers
Liane Moriarty, author of mega best-sellers Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers and more, joins Luke in the studio for a candid, hilarious, and insightful conversation on her w…
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33 min
The Secret Grief Behind Matt Nable’s Latest Novel
You wouldn't expect constructing a crime thriller to be a time of laughter and healing after a tragic loss. But that's exactly what it was for Matt Nable. In this conversation, the…
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45 min
One of Luke's MOST LOVED Authors! Peter V. Brett on How Fantasy Worlds Give Us Real Strength
The episode that proves that you SHOULD meet your heroesLuke is joined by Peter V. Brett, the acclaimed writer behind the Demon Cycle, a fantasy series destined to one of Luke's fa…
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25 min
Book Club: The Layered, Living and Heartaching History of Land by Maggie O'Farrell
Prepare to be immersed in the times and lives of history in the most sweeping epic of Maggie O'Farrell's career yet. In this episode, Luke breaks down the lyrical, poetry-like pros…
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49 min
The Real Story About Boys and Books, with Scott Stuart
What books do young boys really want to read? Scott Stuart, a passionate children's author and advocate for inclusive stories, joins Luke to reveal the surprising truths about gend…
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38 min
How Maggie O’Farrell Gives Her Historic Novels Their Own Heartbeat
What does it really take to breathe life into a bestseller? To make another time come alive? To place us into a polyphony of perspectives? In this candid conversation, acclaimed au…
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1 h 01
Changing the Narratives of Masculinity, with Dr Zac Seidler
'Becoming a man is a process of subtraction' - so says one of the leading experts in masculinity and men's mental health. But why? And what can we do to change that? In this episod…
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17 min
Luke's Favourite Reads in 2026 So Far (Part 2)
We're back to finish Luke's list of favourite books he's read this year - including an EPIC fantasy, a global best-seller smash, the end of a romantic trilogy very well known to li…
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14 min
Luke's Favourite Reads in 2026 So Far
It's the halfway point of the year and, surprise, Luke's read a lot of books so far! Here he takes us through some of his favourite discoveries - from a fantasy at the end of the w…