54 episodes

Listen to Australia's best writers and thinkers read out longform essays from The Monthly magazine, the country's leading publication on politics, current affairs and culture.

The Weekend Read Schwartz Media

    • News
    • 4.5 • 31 Ratings

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Listen to Australia's best writers and thinkers read out longform essays from The Monthly magazine, the country's leading publication on politics, current affairs and culture.

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

    Anna Stewart on being a captain of one of the biggest games of the year

    Anna Stewart on being a captain of one of the biggest games of the year

    For 31 years, there has been a rivalry – drawing on a divide so inherent and base – that it pits mate against mate.
    We’re not talking about State of Origin, we’re talking about the Reclink Community Cup.
    The football contest began in Melbourne, but is now held in cities across the country – with the Rockdogs, a team of not-so-athletic musicians, taking on the Megahertz, a band of various music media personalities. The winner claims the bragging rights.
    Today, 2024 co-captain of the Rockdogs Anna Stewart will read her story, ‘Reclink Community Cup’. 

    Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram
    Guest: Digital content assistant, musician and 2024 co-captain of the Rockdogs Anna Stewart.

    • 15 min
    Atticus Bastow on the mysteries of the universe at the bottom of an abandoned mine shaft

    Atticus Bastow on the mysteries of the universe at the bottom of an abandoned mine shaft

    Over 90 years ago, a swiss astrophysicist theorised there was an unseen, unobservable force that sits behind the universe we know.
    He called it ‘dark matter’, and today we’re not much closer to understanding it than he was.
    But that could be about to change, as a group of Australian researchers are part of our most promising effort yet to uncover the nature of this unseen force
    Today, Atticus Bastow will read his piece, ‘The search for dark matter’ from The Saturday Paper.

    Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram
    Guest: The 7am podcast’s technical producer, Atticus Bastow

    • 17 min
    Martin McKenzie-Murray on the ugly side of football fandom ahead of Euro 2024

    Martin McKenzie-Murray on the ugly side of football fandom ahead of Euro 2024

    The 2024 Euros are just weeks away – with some of the best footballers in the world competing in an event that draws in hundreds of millions of viewers.
    But the legacy of the last Euros is still an uncomfortable topic for many in England. Not only because they lost, but also the scenes of violence and hooliganism that led to a national debate and a new Netflix documentary.
    Today, journalist Martin McKenzie-Murray reads his piece from this weekend’s edition of The Saturday Paper.

    Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram
    Guest: Journalist, Martin McKenzie-Murray.

    • 20 min
    Angela Savage on the moment a child leaves the home

    Angela Savage on the moment a child leaves the home

    Today, writer Angela Savage with her piece from a recent edition of The Monthly.
    Parents often face the dilemma of helping their children become independent, while not wanting to let them go.
    Angela’s story, ‘Fledglings’, tells the story of what changes when that moment finally comes.

    Elizabeth Farrelly on the city of the future

    Elizabeth Farrelly on the city of the future

    Today, columnist Elizabeth Farrelly will read her piece about our modern cities and how they relate to the history of how humanity has imagined the perfect city.
    Farrelly is one of Australia’s foremost writers on urban development and the communities of our cities – having earned devoted readers at the Sydney Morning Herald and now at Schwartz Media, inThe Saturday Paper.

    Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram
    Guest: Columnist Elizabeth Farrelly

    • 21 min
    Sophie Cunningham on remembering Georgia Blain

    Sophie Cunningham on remembering Georgia Blain

    Today, author and editor Sophie Cunningham reads her piece from a recent edition of The Saturday Paper.
    Australian author Georgia Blain chronicled her battle with cancer in a monthly column for The Saturday Paper, sadly passing away in 2016.
    Blain is remembered in this piece by her friend of over two decades, Sophie Cunningham – championing her legacy as a writer of rare talent, with a clear-eyed gaze, and a capacity to talk about sadness without self-pity.

    Socials: Stay in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram
    Guest: Author and editor, Sophie Cunningham

    • 15 min

Customer Reviews

4.5 out of 5
31 Ratings

31 Ratings

a hop and a skip ,

Superb writing

The Most Hated Man episode was superb. I still think about it weeks after listening to it.

Siobhan in Sydney ,

White Hands on Aboriginal Art?

Interesting take by Quentin Sprague on this complex topic. To hear Aboriginal artists discuss cross-cultural relationships with whites in the art industry, listen to award-winning Heart of Artness podcast, which combines deep academic research with storytelling on this theme. Co-hosted by Margo Neale, Hd Indigenous Knowledges at National Museum of Australia (and me - disclosure), project led by art historian Ian McLean (colleague of Quentin).

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