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A podcast about reading and writing. Pip Adam speaks with writers about a book as a starting point to discussions about the craft of writing and the act of reading and how these two feed each other.
Episodes
7 days ago
7 days ago
On June 10, my book Audition came out in the United States with Coffee House Press and Canada with Strange Light
To celebrate this, and with massive support from Laura Graveline at Coffee House Press, I've recorded three special episodes of Better off Read which feature three of my favourite writers published by Coffee House Press.
In this first special episode I get to talk to Zeke Caligiuri. Zeke is a writer and activist from South Minneapolis. He is the author of This is Where I Am, published by University of Minnesota Press, a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award. Caligiuri has won multiple awards through the PEN Prison Writing Contest and is the cofounder of the Stillwater Writers Collective, the first all-prisoner created and facilitated collective in the country.
I was really excited to talk with Zeke. The book Zeke co-edited American Precariat: Parables of Exclusion is one of my favourite books of the year. It's an incredible selection of writing about the precariat classes. I'd recommend it to everyone.
Zeke offered as a beginning point for our conversation an amazing passage from The Hours by Michael Cunningham.
One of the best ways to keep up with Zeke's events and writing is by following them on Instagram
The next podcast will be out this time next week.
Action: People Against Prisons Aotearoa
People Against Prisons Aotearoa (PAPA) believes that everyone has the ability to change. No one is born a criminal. When someone has hurt others, that does not mean they are destined to keep hurting others for the rest of their lives. If people are treated with dignity and respect, and given the resources they need to survive and thrive, we can live in a less violent and more peaceful society.
If issues of justice and incarceration interest you PAPA are organising all sorts of activism and education at the moment and one of the best places to stay in touch and get involved is by following PAPA on there social media channels:
You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee
Music in Better off Read was made by Brent McIntyre.
Wednesday Jun 11, 2025
Wednesday Jun 11, 2025
On June 10, my book Audition comes out in the United States with Coffee House Press and Canada with Strange Light
To celebrate this, and with massive support from Laura Graveline at Coffee House Press, I've recorded three special episodes of Better off Read which feature three of my favourite writers published by Coffee House Press.
In this first special episode I get to talk to Danielle Dutton whose astounding Praire, Dresses, Art Other was published by Coffee House Press in 2024. I love Danielle's work so much. There is this astounding hum to it that chimes with all the things I love - formal experimentation, language made new, visceral and emotive rendering of land and art. Danielle is always doing something interesting and she is one of my favourite people in the world to talk to. I was really grateful to get to talk to her here.
Danielle brought an amazing sculptural work by Eileen Agar as a starting point for this discussion about Danielle's work and writing in general. The work is Marine Object by Eileen Agar and you can see it by clicking this link to the Tate website
The next podcast will be out this time next week.
Action: KILL THE BILL! The closing date for submissions on Regulatory Standards Bill is 1.00pm, Monday, 23 June 2025
The point of the RSB is to try to make all future governments follow a rigid set of ideological “principles” handpicked by David Seymour when they are making laws.
These principles would:
- Exclude Te Tiriti o Waitangi entirely.
- Require the government to pay corporations if new rules impact their property, even if those rules are to stop pollution, protect nature, or prevent harm to people and communities.
- Prioritise private property and “individual freedom” over environmental protection, public safety, and indigenous rights.
You can make a submission here
You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee
Music in Better off Read was made by Brent McIntyre.
Friday May 30, 2025
Friday May 30, 2025
This recording was made live at Featherston Booktown on 10 May 2025. It was a really sunny day and Saraid and I sat in the Featherston Library with the sun streaming in the windows with a really great group of people.
Saraid is an amazing writing. Saraid's novel Amma is a really great work of fiction and I recommend to anyone who hasn't read it yet.
At the moment I'm asking guests to offer and object for discussion. Saraid brought along a suite of articles about money and housing and how these impact writing and writers.
Here are links to the three articles:
"‘Secure, affordable homes are the stuff of fiction’: how young writers are responding to the UK housing crisis" by Keiran Goddard published in The Guardian on 3 Feb 2024
"‘Our rental system is rigged’: young novelists on their generation’s housing crisis" by Daisy Lafarge, Okechukwu Nzelu, Amber Medland and Michael Magee published in The Guardian on 23 April 2023.
'Don’t give up your day job: how Australia’s favourite authors are making ends meet' by Rafqa Touma published in The Guardian on 16 December 2022
Thanks to amazing writer and snap-shot getter G. B. Ralph for the photos. G. B. Ralph is a Kiwi author of cosy mysteries and romantic comedies. His writing features chaotic yet lovable characters getting into trouble, an astonishing amount of crime, and handsome men falling for each other. You can find out more about G.B. Ralph's books at his website here
June on Better off Read
My book Audition is being released in the United States (Coffee House Press) and Canada (Strange Light) on 10 June.
To celebrate this, and with amazing support from Laura Gaveline at Coffee House Press, I'll be podcasting three special episodes of the podcast with Coffee House Press writers. I'm really grateful to the writers concerned for their time and their work. These special episodes will come out over June.
Action: Gaza Funds صندوق مالي لغزة
Gaza Funds is a project that connects people to crowdfunding campaigns for individuals and families from Gaza. Each time the page is reloaded, a different campaign appears. While the rotation is randomized, campaigns for the sick/injured and campaigns close to meeting their goals are prioritized. We never want any of these campaigns to go stagnant, so we make sure to also prioritize fundraisers that haven't had a donation in a while. As existing fundraisers meet their goals, they will be replaced with other fundraisers that need your help.
You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee
Friday Feb 14, 2025
Friday Feb 14, 2025
I've been a fan of Erin Harrington's work for a long time. I love her writing and research. Over the past six months I got to work on the same floor as Erin while I was one of the Ursula Bethell Fellow at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha where Erin is a Senior Lecturer.
It was so great to talk to Erin about this article:
'As we shovel in distractions, the inner life grows dim' by Charlotte Wood which appeared in The Guardian in 2020 during lockdown. Here's a link to the article
The article was published in The Luminous Solution: Creativity, Resilience & the Inner-Life Charlotte Woods book about creative thinking. Here's a link to the book
A Horse Walks into a Bar - Free Workshop
Thanks so much to everyone who attended and has watched the video of this workshop.
If you haven't watched the workshop yet you can learn more about it and get a link to it at my website
Action: Gaza Funds صندوق مالي لغزة
Gaza Funds is a project that connects people to crowdfunding campaigns for individuals and families from Gaza. Each time the page is reloaded, a different campaign appears. While the rotation is randomized, campaigns for the sick/injured and campaigns close to meeting their goals are prioritized. We never want any of these campaigns to go stagnant, so we make sure to also prioritize fundraisers that haven't had a donation in a while. As existing fundraisers meet their goals, they will be replaced with other fundraisers that need your help.
Disability Support Services Community consultation - runs from 10 February to 24 March 2025.
Almost a year since the initial sudden and unjust changes to disability support service, fresh consultation has begun on options for changes to flexible funding.
Here's a link to the submissions process
An interview with Joanne Dacombe who is the immediate past President of the Disabled Persons Assembly, and Jade Farrar who is the chair of the National Enabling Good Lives leadership group is really helpful. Here's a link to the RNZ Interview
You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee
Thursday Jan 16, 2025
Thursday Jan 16, 2025
It was so great to catch up with Isabelle before Christmas and talk about her work.
Isabelle writes writes LGBT Romance, Paranormal and Horror Young Adult books.
The best place to find out about Isabelle's work is on her website
A Horse Walks into a Bar - Free Workshop
Thanks so much to everyone who attended and has watched the video of this workshop.
If you haven't watched the workshop yet you can learn more about it and get a link to it at my website
Action: Submission to evidence brief and position statement into the use of puberty blockers
At the end of November, Manatū Hauora the Ministry of Health released their long-awaited evidence brief and position statement into the use of puberty blockers for trans children. Along with this, the Government has asked them to open up public consultation on whether additional restrictions need to be put in place for trans children accessing puberty blockers. Which is odd. It’s highly unusual and totally inappropriate to open up public consultation for a medical matter that – by the Ministry’s own press release – affects a little over 100 children per year.
InsideOUT have put together a very useful guide to putting a submission to this consultation
Submissions close on 20 January 2025.
While your on the InsideOUT website you might like to read about the things they do and consider donating to their amazing work.
You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee
Wednesday Nov 27, 2024
Wednesday Nov 27, 2024
Very grateful to Damien Levi for programming this live recording of Better off Read with the amazing Olive Nuttall at Verb Wellington 2024
Thanks also to Alistair from Alistair’s Music who hosted this event.
Olive and I talked about swords and Olive's book kitten published by Te Herenga Waka University Press
Content Note: This conversation includes mentions of CSA.
Action: New Zealand Ministry of Health - Impact of Puberty Blockers in Gender-Dysphoric Adolescents: An evidence brief
I know there is a lot going on but I'd love it if you took some time to read about the Ministry of Health's evidence brief and position paper on puberty blockers.
In particular this article which reports on leading transgender health professionals' concern that the government is directing the Ministry of Health to consult the public over gender affirming healthcare. These health professionals say, Public consultation on a medical matter is inappropriate. You can read the article here:
Transgender health professionals worried about public consultation over gender affirming healthcare
I also found this statement on the paper from Gender Minorities Aotearoa extremely useful.
Unfortunately, I fear we are in for some dark times for transgender rights. The government's reaction and direction concerning this paper, released the day after Transgender Day of Remembrance, feels like it may be a sign of things to come.
You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee
Better off Read Website:
Wednesday Nov 13, 2024
Wednesday Nov 13, 2024
Una and I spoke on the day her amazing book The Chthonic Cycle (Te Herenga Waka University Press, 2024) was released into book shops.
I have been incredibly moved by Una's book. It has shifted my mind and my world. It offers such an exciting opportunity to explore a new perspective of our current moment.
Action: Hikoi mō Te Tiriti
As I type this the Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti is moving over the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
Member in the hīkoi are walking from all over Aotearoa to Parliament in opposition to the Government’s assault on tangata whenua and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The Hīkoi is organised by Toitū Te Tiriti.
Toitū Te Tiriti is tupuna inspired, tiriti led, mana motuhake driven and mokopuna focused. Our intent is to demonstrate the beginning of a unified Aotearoa response to the Government’s assault on tangata whenua and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Click this link to find out what you can do to support Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti
You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee
Wednesday Oct 30, 2024
Wednesday Oct 30, 2024
It was so great to talk with Claudia. I am a huge fan of Claudia's book Biter published by Auckland University Press. It is an amazing, amazing poetry collection that I can't recommend enough.
Claudia and I chatted about Biter but also her other work including her music and new band Goodbye Starlet.
You'll hear us talk about Claudia's amazing Ōtautahi Christchurch Lit Scene Zine. Click this link for this incredible guide to all the literary events happening in Ōtautahi this month.
Thank you for listening
Action: Implement all recommendations from the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry
There is a new petition on Action Station calling for the Government to implement all recommendations from the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry.
Survivors of abuse in State and Faith-based care, and their supporters call on the Lead Coordination Minister for the Government's Response to the Royal Commission's Report into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions, to implement all of the 138 Recommendations of Whanaketia Through pain and trauma, from darkness to light and the 95 Holistic Recommendations of the Inquiry's Interim Report, He Purapura Ora, he Māra Tipu from Redress to Puretumu Torowhānui.
Click this link to sign this petition
You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee
Monday Sep 30, 2024
Monday Sep 30, 2024
My novel I'm Working on a Building has been out of print for a long time. In November it is being reissued in a really stuning B-Format edition by Te Herenga Waka University Press
For this episode I've recorded a short reading from the first chapter.
It feels quite emotional being in Ōtautahi for the re-release of this book. The book centres around a structural engineer and includes a fictional earthquake in Te Whanganui-A-Tara. I will always remember the day Lawrence Patchett, Lynn Jenner and I stood around a radio listening to the devastating events unfolding in Ōtautahi following the massive earthquake on September 4, 2010. It chills me now that we didn't realise how much worse was in store on February 22, 2011 at 12.51 pm.
Saturday Aug 31, 2024
Saturday Aug 31, 2024
It was so great to chat with Kerry Donovan Brown. Kerry and I have been friends for a long time and I always love talking to them. In this conversation we talk quite a bit about work - the work of writing and the other work Kerry has been doing.
Kerry's first novel Lamplighter is an amazing read. You can get a copy at the Te Herenga Waka University Press website
You may notice a slight change in acoustics for the last two questions of this conversation. For years people have been telling me to get a bigger SD card and I have not. When Kerry and I were recording at Tūranga my SD card ran out of room. I'm really grateful to Kerry for coming up to the office at Te Whare te Wānanga o Waitaha which is where we took the photo at the top of this post.
Thanks for listening.
Action: Nothing about us without us
Since this government came into power the assault on the rights of disabled people and their support networks has been continuous and cruel.
I wanted to highlight a couple of ways to stay informed about what is happening if you are pre-disabled and also maybe find community if you are disabled or whanau of disabled people.
Awhi Ngā Mātua - a community for parents of disabled, neurodivergent and medically fragile tamariki. They have a substack you can subscribe to here
The D*List is the home of disability culture in Aotearoa. Their website is an online culture magazine that creates space for disabled people to tell our own stories through features, columns and news reporting. Here is the website for The D*List
You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee