Jennifer Byrne Presents

Jennifer Byrne travels to New York to interview one the world’s most impressive young women – 17 year old Pakistani student, (2014 Nobel Peace Prize Winner) and activist Malala Yousafzai. At the age of 14 Malala became internationally known as the schoolgirl who was shot by the Taliban. The brutal attempt on her life was payback for the profile she had gained in Pakistan as an advocate for girl’s education. Fearless and committed to her cause, Malala refused to be silenced despite awareness of the danger her activism attracted. She miraculously survived the attack after being airlifted to a specialist hospital in Birmingham UK for ongoing care. Now three years down the track Malala has penned a young adult version of her story “Malala: the Girl Who Stood up for Girls Education and Changed the World”. Jennifer Byrne discusses the events of that terrible day, the impact it has made on her life, and the aspirations of this future world leader.

Jennifer speaks to writer, novelist and journalist Helen Garner in a very rare television interview. Garner discusses her new book This House of Grief, as well as her previous works 'The First Stone', 'Joe Cinque's Consolation' and 'The Spare Room', and talks about aging, compassion and wisdom.

Jennifer talks to one of Australia's most prolific writers Tom Keneally as he celebrates his 50th year of publication. Traversing his many successes as well as some of the criticisms he's faced over the decades, this warm interview highlights one of our great, enduring talents.

Jennifer speaks with the remarkable primatologist Jane Goodall, who grew up with a dream of going to Africa and working with animals - and went on to become a legend in the field. Her work with chimpanzees changed the way we humans looked at ourselves - and later, her work as an activist, writer and scientist, has made her a messenger of hope. At 80, Jane Goodall is still travelling the world campaigning some 300 days a year and talking to everyone from presidents to schoolchildren.

Part 1 of Jane Goodall at Sydney Town Hall, in conversation with Jennifer Byrne

Part 2 of Jane Goodall at Sydney Town Hall, in conversation with Jennifer Byrne

Gluttony has made an indelible mark on literature and the arts throughout the ages. Is it a weakness, a lacking in self-control or is it a blatant disregard for the notion of moderation and a summoning up of every pleasure seeking cell in one's being. Guests, broadcaster Mark Colvin; author and food blogger, Charlotte Wood; author of the wickedly funny, The Cook, Wayne Macauley; and George McEncroe, a comedian with many previous lives, join Jennifer to discuss gluttony in the age of instagrammed food porn.

Envy, the mean and plotting sin which has driven so many twisted villains from the Evil Queen in Snow White, to Iago in Othello, is a constant. It’s remained pretty much the same since The Bible gave us Cain and Abel, but this poisonous sin has also given us some of literature’s best villains. Guests, veteran journalist and foreign editor of the Australian, Greg Sheridan; writer and literary blogger, Angela Meyer; former baritone and now artistic director of Opera Australia, Lyndon Terracini; and multiple Walkley Award winning investigative journalist, Kate McClymont, discuss the fine distinction between the merely ambitious, as opposed to the greedy and envious.

Sloth is the most ambiguous of the sins. Its definition has morphed over the centuries since it was originally defined in the 4th century as a lack of spiritual effort. In the modern, over-committed era we generally believe sloth is about laziness and procrastination. But perhaps we’ve all got it wrong and sloth is really about the lack of moral courage. Guests, former politician and author, Bob Carr; comedian and television presenter, Hannah Gadsby; author Gary Shteyngart and Buddhist teacher Venerable Robina Courtin, join Jennifer Byrne in unravelling the complex nuances of sloth in art, literature and life.

Whether it is lust as opposed to love, lust for power or lusting after a pair of shoes, lust is a tricky sin in this modern era. Originally considered a disordered desire for sexual pleasure and bound up in religious terms, Jennifer and her guests question how lust drives the narrative in literature and plays from Romeo and Juliet through to Fifty Shades of Grey. Author and TV presenter Tara Moss plus founder of The Bell Shakespeare Company, actor and director John Bell join Jennifer and regular Book Clubbers Marieke Hardy and Jason Steger to discuss Lust in great literature.

It takes many forms including hubris, vainglory and arguably, increasingly often in the modern era, narcissism. Pride has given us some of the most mesmerising characters in literature, from Doctor Faustus to Madame Bovary, as well as the creations in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion. Guests, director of the Wheeler Center, Michael Williams; former Vogue magazine editor and author Kirstie Clements; writer and host of The Monthly Book online, Ramona Koval; and lawyer, producer and performer, Steve Vizard, join Jennifer to discuss the inspiration of great literature, the sin of pride.

Wrath, anger or rage. It is a big, grand sin that drives man a plot and crates the catalyst for many a character. From the first words of one of the oldest works in Western literature The Iliad through to the revenge plot of The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, wrath powers along leaving little in its wake. But does all wrath and anger have to be sinful; can anger drive a character to do good? Guests actor and novelist Brendan Cowell, Journalist, media presenter and former newsreader Tracey Spicer, author and poet Craig Sherborne and Academic and Indigenous Rights activist Larissa Behrendt join Jennifer to discuss the role of Wrath in literature and art.

From bragging tomes like The Wolf of Wall Street to get-rich-quick-manuals, it might seem like the sin of avarice could be one of the defining sins of our time. Guests, businessman, philanthropist and novelist Geoff Cousins, Boost Juice founder and former Telstra Business Woman of the Year Janine Allis, Advertising and Marketing Strategist Dee Madigan and Author Shane Maloney join Jennifer to discuss the role of Greed in literature and art. This lively discussion looks at a range of novels stemming from the rise of capitalism through to Dr Seuss’ The Lorax.

BRAGGING RIGHTS is about those difficult books we're told are the "must read" masterpieces of our time. Have we actually read them - or do we just pretend? John Safran, Lawrence Mooney, Sandra Yates and Sophie Black join Jennifer Byrne to discuss the books that defeated them. Call it a literary failure support group.

THE SPORTS PAGES explores what it is about the atmosphere of high stakes sporting contests that provides fertile ground for writers - and rabid interest among readers. Sport and literature have a fascinating relationship, but one that is seldom discussed. Jennifer Byrne and special guests Rebecca Wilson, Christos Tsiolkas, Malcolm Knox and Mischa Merz look at the sports books that have changed our lives.

In this exclusive episode of Jennifer Byrne Presents, TIM WINTON talks about the new film adaptation of his short story collection, 'The Turning', and the experience of writing his latest novel 'Eyrie' - his first in five years. Winton opens up about how his life has changed since the success of 'Cloudstreet', his passion for environmental causes, his preoccupation with class, and the magic experience of becoming a grandfather.

Rhyll McMaster is a poet and author. She has published a number of poetry collections and her first novel Feather Man was greeted to great acclaim.

Matthew Reilly is an international best selling action/thriller novelist. His books have been published in 30 countries and have sold over 3.5 million copies.

Di Morrissey is a former journalist and television presenter. Since publishing her first novel in 1991, Morrissey has now written 18 best sellers.

Jack Marx is an author, blogger and 'gonzo' journalist. His books include The Damage Done, Sorry and Australian Tragic.

Mem Fox is Australia's most highly regarded picture book author. She has written over 35 books for children and 5 non-fiction books for adults.

Tara Moss is an acclaimed crime and horror novelist. Her work has been published in 17 countries and in 11 languages.

Melina Marchetta's first novel Looking for Alibrandi was an immediate success. Since then she has written another four novels, a screenplay and a children's book.

Bob Ellis is an author, speech writer and enfant terrible of Australian letters. He has written 17 books, several screenplays and many essays.

Andy Griffiths is one of Australia's best loved children's authors. His books, including The Day My Bum went Psycho, and the 'Just' series, which have sold over 4 million copies worldwide.