In “The Seeker and the Sage” a traumatised journalist is given a dream assignment - track down the mayor of a mysterious town whose citizens are the happiest people on Earth. She wants to learn how to live a good life but the town’s mayor wants to protect his dominion from the modern world. In what is an allegory for our times; Delaney poses the question: can the ancient philosophy of Stoicism help us create our own utopias in an increasingly troubled world?

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Short fiction set in the Pacific Islands was a popular genre in the early 20th century. Associate Professor Mandy Treagus offers a deep analysis of the adventuring writers whose stories were set in these islands, such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Jack London and W. Somerset Maughan.

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Our random reader, Lesley, introduces us to Jan Morris’ book “Conundrum” in which Jan shares a grippingly honest account of her ten-year transition from man to woman. On first publication in 1974, “Conundrum” generated enormous interest around the world and was chosen by “The Times” as one of the '100 Key Books of Our Time'.

Guests
Brigid Delaney, author of “The Seeker and the Sage”

Mandy Treagus, Associate Professor in English and Creative Writing at the University of Adelaide, author of “The Pacific Tale: Short fiction from 1890 - 1950”

Other books that get a mention:

Cath mentions Richard Osman’s “The Impossible Fortune”, Mick Herron’s “Clown Town” and “Peter Ackroyd’s “The English Soul; Faith of a Nation”

Annie mentions “What we can Know” by Ian McEwin, “Ripeness” by Sarah Moss and “Novacene; The coming of age of hyper intelligence” by James Lovelock

INSTAGRAM

@allenandunwin

@palgrave_macmillan

@brigidwd

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Indulge in the best-of from the live, weekly Brunch-Hour with Two Brunettes & A Gay.

Perfect for unwinding any time of the day, accompanied by your favourite bubbles.

Follow us on Instagram.

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CREDITS:

Hosts: Aaron Collis, Celeste La Scala & Deanna Carbone.

Panelist: Deanna Carbone.

Content Warning: None.

Two Brunettes & A Gay is recorded LIVE every Saturday @ 11am (Adelaide Time) on Radio Italia Uno 87.6FM.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indulge in the best-of from the live, weekly Brunch-Hour with Two Brunettes & A Gay.

Perfect for unwinding any time of the day, accompanied by your favourite bubbles.

Follow us on Instagram.

Give us a like on Facebook.

Check us out on TikTok.

CREDITS:

Hosts: Aaron Collis, Celeste La Scala & Deanna Carbone.

Panelist: Deanna Carbone.

Content Warning: None.

Two Brunettes & A Gay is recorded LIVE every Saturday @ 11am (Adelaide Time) on Radio Italia Uno 87.6FM

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.