Emily Bronte was born on 30 July 1818: 200 years ago this month. To celebrate her 200th birthday, Stephanie was joined by Dr Lee O'Brien to discuss the Bronte myth, Wuthering Heights, poetry, and dogs.

Meera Atkinson's Traumata is an innovative mix of memoir and cultural criticism, in the vein of Maggie Nelson's The Argonauts. This week, Stephanie chats to Meera about writing about trauma, the #metoo movement, and the possibility of change.
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Show notes: 

​Writing site: www.meeraatkinson.com
Academia.com: https://sydney.academia.edu/MeeraAtkinson
UQP purchase link: https://www.uqp.uq.edu.au/Book.aspx/1465/Traumata
Booktopia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/traumata-meera-atkinson/prod9780702259890.html?source=pla&gclid=CjwKCAjwiPbWBRBtEiwAJakcpEm-QT3UB4GivYZiQl4ubnAJMglABk0zh74_S1ME1wBYzCCWDNwLpxoCeoIQAvD_BwE

Mary Shelley's life was just made for the screen. Or was it? This week, Stephanie heads off to the movies with Dr Kirstin Mills to see the new Mary Shelley film, and they give their verdict.

Show Notes:
Kirstin's review of the film: http://www.kirstinmills.com/blog/mary-shelley-film-review/

Just as our Contemporary Literature students were reading Junot Diaz, allegations of sexual harassment against the author emerged at the Sydney Writers Festival. Stephanie talked to three students from the class - Joanna Catsanos, Juliette Kaado and Jasmine Joyan - to discuss their reactions to the revelations. ​

Chaucer is often called the Father of English Literature, but what do you really know about this? This week, Stephanie is joined by Professor Louise d'Arcens to discuss Chaucer's life, work, the Cecily Champagne case, and oddly enough, Chaucerian porn.

Remorse plays an important part in Australia’s criminal justice system, impacting both sentencing and parole. Kate Rossmanith’s book, Small Wrongs, explores remorse in all its complexity. Join Michelle Hamadache as she talks with Kate about researching and writing her compelling new release.

Show notes:
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Gleebooks (13 June, Sydney): Kate Rossmanith in conversation with Suzanne Leal
https://gleebooks.worldsecuresystems.com/BookingRetrieve.aspx?ID=301827
 
Emerging Writers' Festival (22 June, Melbourne): Masterclass: Nonfiction, Kate Rossmanith in conversation with Arwen Summers
http://www.emergingwritersfestival.org.au/event/masterclass-non-fiction/

Christopher Marlowe, the big Renaissance playwright before Shakespeare, was murdered on May 30, 1593. To mark the 425th anniversary of his death, Stephanie is joined by Professor Tony Cousins to talk about his life, his plays, and why he became so popular in the 1980s. 

If you follow true crime news, you'll know that the Golden State Killer was recently arrested, over forty years after his crime spree began. This week, Jimmy and Stephanie discuss the book that many people believe was responsible for renewed interest in this case: Michelle McNamara's posthumously published I'll Be Gone in the Dark. 

Is Oscar Wilde's play about a woman of no importance or a man of no importance? To celebrate the 125th anniversary of the play, Stephanie and Lee discuss comedy, tragedy, and the confusing appeal of aestheticism.

Jeanette Winterson is one of the UK's most beloved and challenging writers. This week, Stephanie and Michelle discuss Winterson's long career, from the publication of Oranges are Not the Only Fruit in 1985, to her recent (fabulously titled) memoir, Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal?