Donald Trump is on his way back to the White House, and I thought it warranted a special overview.

Normally I chat to an author on this podcast about the book they've written - but I felt there is so much content, and so much information out there since Donald Trump was announced the winner of the election - that I felt the best use of an episode today would be to almost filter through the most helpful information I've come across.

It looks at where the latest developments, historical context, where Trump's legal challenges currently stand, Biden's legacy, and an insight into what diplomacy might look like for a second Trump term.

No matter how you feel about this election, let's be real - it's going to be discussed at your work, with your friends, in social settings etc over the coming days and weeks.

I have no interest in telling anyone how to feel today, I only care that I'm a helpful source of impartial analysis and context - so I hope you find today's episode helpful.

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Rashid Khalidi is the author of a bestselling book called 'The Hundred Years' War on Palestine' - looking at the tumultuous century from the Balfour declaration in 1917 up until 2017.

This book is not just a historical overview - it is also a deeply personal look at the author's family roots in the region.

We spoke about his perspectives - as a Palestinian, an American, and a historian - on everything from the establishment of Israel, the unwavering bond it shares with America, and the ongoing suffering of the Palestinian people, particularly those in Gaza.

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Lord Mountbatten was a great grandson of Queen Victoria and an uncle of Prince Philip. During his marriage to Countess Edwina, he famously said they spent all their married lives "getting into other people's beds".

In 1979, he was murdered by the IRA off the coast of Sligo in one of the most significant moments of The Troubles.

Yet, decades after his death, he made headlines once again in 2022, when a man accused him of sexually abusing him when was an 11-year-old boy.

Author Andrew Lownie has written the most comprehensive biography of this complex figure, and was generous enough to chat with me about his research.

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Last weekend marked 40 years since an IRA bomb very nearly killed the British Prime Minister at the time, Margaret Thatcher.

The bombing of a hotel in Brighton during the 1984 Conservative Party Conference was one of the most significant moments during the Troubles.

In a chilling line while taking responsibility for the attack, the IRA said "today we were unlucky, but remember we have only to be lucky once, you will have to be lucky always".

Rory Carroll, author of 'Killing Thatcher', sat down with me to talk about the significance of this moment, and its unintended consequences.

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For eight seasons, Mary Bonnet has been one of the most popular members cast on the hit show, Selling Sunset.

Always the one to stay out of the drama, it came as no surprise to me that she decided to name her newly published memoir, 'Selling Sunshine'.

However, what I had not appreciated nor understood from the show, was just how many challenges Mary has faced throughout her life. She has a tattoo on her arm that reads 'but the fighter still remains', and in a twisted sense of irony - she never knew how much the day she got the tattoo would test that fighting spirit.

Please note: this episode touches on grief, miscarriage, abuse, rape and teenage pregnancy.

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Donald Trump is arguably the most famous person - and most polarising political figure - on the planet. Few people know him more personally, or understand his upbringing better than his nephew, Fred Trump III.

Fred was kind enough to chat with me about his bestselling book, All In The Family, an intimate look at the Trump clan, and his own evolution of opinions towards his uncle.

While having a president in the family is not something most can relate to, the topics explored in the book are understood and experienced across the globe - from addiction to inheritance and family fallouts.

In a way, so much of the family's dynamic can be understood while learning about William, Fred's youngest son - who is non-verbal and in need of around the clock care. As you'll hear throughout our conversation, Fred always grappled with the fact he didn't vote for his uncle in either election - and doesn't plan on doing so this year either - but he attended the inauguration, feeling it could provide a platform for his advocacy work for others like William.

He has asked me to share two links for Irish organisations that advocate for intellectual disability rights in Ireland - where most of my listeners are. According to Social Justice Ireland, the 2022 census showed 13.5% of the population - more than 600,000 people - are living with a disability.

The first link is for Inclusion Ireland, and the second is for Advocacy.ie.

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We've all heard the famous saying, that at one point in time the sun never set on the British Empire.

But, what is its lasting impact and complex legacy? How much does reflecting back on the past assist in understanding the present?

Author Sathnam Sanghera has explored the impact of Britain's colonial past - both within the UK through his book 'Empireland', and further afield assessing its global influence in his latest book, Empireworld. It was an absolute joy chatting to Sathnam about his books - I hope you find the conversation as interesting as I did!

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It is a gripping story of family dynasties, abuse of power, corruption, cover ups and murder.

While on trial for the 2021 murders of his wife and son - Maggie and Paul - Alex Murdaugh spoke of the 'tangled web we weave'.

Wall Street Journal reporter Valerie Bauerlein has masterfully untangled that web in her new book, The Devil at His Elbow, and - as someone who followed every detail of this case - I could not get over just how much I learned reading this book.

I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I appreciated chatting with Valerie.

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