Better off Read

Pip Adam
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Books
  • Updated Monthly

My name is pip adam and in this podcast I speak with writers, musicians and artists about an ‘object’ as a way into talking about their work – what it is, how it works and what inspires it. Each year I choose a topic for our series. In 2021 it was elements of literary craft, in 2020 it was music, in our 2022 series Beyond a Joke the object I ask guests to offer is something that has made them laugh. One of the things I’m really interested in is what we can learn from talking to each other about our own practice and the things we make. Read more about me at my website

  1. Oct 19

    Ep 166: Jon Toogood and pip adam talk about Home Again

    On the 5th of September this year, i was lucky enough to be in an event at Word Festival called I Wish I Wrote That with an incredibly talented line-up of writers including Jon Toogood. Jon had an event before ours and i watched him perform 'Home Again' on acoustic guitar from the Green Room. Even backstage and through a screen i found myself moved to tears - it's an incredible piece of songwriting that just seems to hit me more and more profoundly. About five minutes into Jon's book signing i needed to go to the foyer and it was wild. One thing became really clear - people love Jon and Jon's book and Shihad. During our event, Jon read a really beautiful piece about Aldous Harding's song 'Treasure'. One of the really great things about Jon's memoir Home Again is the way he writes about music, not just the music he makes but the music he loves. Home Again My life and times in a band called Shihad by Job Toogood is out now with Hachette. i wanted to say a big thanks to Tania Mackenzie-Cooke from Hachette for all the fun and cool chats we've had at festivals and for her help with this podcast. Home Again is a very good book. i loved it. The audio book is also great. When i was young i never fully 'got' Shihad until i saw them at Mt Smart Stadium on the Big Day Out. i remember my friends and i (sort of more used to bands like Bailter Space) turning to each other and saying, 'Oh, you have to listen to them really loud. They're a stadium band.' From then on i was hooked. The Adults Haja, 2014–2018 In 2014 Toogood married Dana Salih in Khartoum, the capital of her home country, Sudan. The traditional three-day ceremony included a dance performed by the bride on the final day. Other than the groom, only women are involved as spectators, drummers (the only instruments played) and singers. Women also write all the music and lyrics. The style is called Aghani al-banat, 'girl's music', and is usually only performed live. Haja combined iPhone recordings made in Sudan in 2015 (the more formal recording sessions didn't yield anything usable) with basslines played by Toogood and vocal contributions from New Zealand hip hop artists including Chelsea Jade, Raiza Biza and Aaradhna. In keeping with the spirit of Aghani al-banat, Toogood invited mostly female collaborators. He originally didn't plan to sing any vocals of his own, but negotiations with Warner Music led to him being heard on two songs. You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee Music in Better off Read was made by Brent McIntyre. An RSS code is available here so you can listen on the podcasting app you like most.

  2. Oct 9

    Ep 165: Helen Lehndorf and pip adam talk about The Bruise Palette

    Helen and i have been friends for a long time. Over the years her work has been incredibly inspiring to me. When i say 'Helen's work' i mean her writing, her activism, her visual art, her journaling, her essays, her thinking, her teaching, her friendship, her family-ship, her gardening and all the other amazing things she does. i also admire the way it is quite hard to separate these 'works' out from each other. If there is such a thing as an artist's life i think Helen is a really great example of that. When we met a few weeks ago, Helen brought along her journal as the object to act as a starting place for this conversation. In May, Helen published The Bruise Palette with Firestarter Press an amazing publisher who recently also produced a stunning group of books called The Pocketbook Series. The Bruise Palette is an incredible collection of poetry. Helen's poems in The Bruise Palette are visceral and weighty and at the same time limber and fleet. This is an amazing book. This podcast was recorded at Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui The Pakawhakaritorito Trust Helen says: A cause I would love to signal boost is The Pakawhakaritorito Trust who do incredible work 'to elevate Indigenous seed, soil and food sovereignty through education, research and practices which decolonise our current food system.' The Pakawhakaritorito Trust website: https://www.papawhakaritorito.com Dr Jessica Hutchings (who leads the trust) was also a key part of co-designing the Hua Parakore Māori Organics framework so that Māori growers can certify their organics under a framework which is informed by te ao Māori. What is Hua Parakore? https://www.tewakakaiora.co.nz/whatishuaparakore I have huge admiration for their work. Last year, the farm the trust is based at suffered a large fire and they lost their home, workspaces and indigenous seed library so donations at this time will help them recover.  You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee Music in Better off Read was made by Brent McIntyre.

  3. Sep 12

    Ep 164: Terri Te Tau and pip adam talk about The Valley of Unlikely Acquaintances

    September is such an exciting month because it sees the launch of The Valley of Unlikely Acquaintances an amazing novel written by Terri Te Tau and published by Spoor Books The Valley of Unlikely Acquaintances is a wildly good book. It's a stunning work of science fiction that speaks really clearly to our current moment. Spoor Books describe it as, 'A remarkable debut that follows one close-knit Māori community and the Wairarapa forest they are fighting to restore.' i found it so compelling and beautiful. My copy arrived in the post a couple of days ago and as well as this being an amazing work of fiction it is also a really beautiful object - like all the other Spoor Books i have. i can't recommend this book highly enough! This podcast was recorded at Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre is a not-for-profit charity managing an unfenced breeding sanctuary for native wildlife. 'Our 942-hectare forest is home to wild birds. Inside our aviaries we hatch kiwi, kākā and kākāriki for release across Aotearoa New Zealand. We are located on the border of the beautiful Tararua and Wairarapa regions, on the north island of Aotearoa New Zealand.' You can support Pūkaha by becoming a member, donating or volunteering. For more information visit the Pūkaha website You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee Music in Better off Read was made by Brent McIntyre. Better off Read website it here: https://better-read.com/

  4. Aug 26

    Ep 163: Molly Crighton and pip adam talk about The Body and the Blood

    i loved talking to Molly Crighton over Zoom earlier this month about her new novel The Body and the Blood out with Hachette New Zealand i first met Molly's work through her poetry and short stories and was thrilled to read this amazing new work. i had the most enjoyable time reading The Body and the Blood. It's an incredible work of crime fiction. The story begins with the murder of the organist at St Paul's Cathedral being explained away by police as an accident, but is there something more sinister at play? Ivo and Halia form an unlikely team to try and get to the bottom of what actually happened at the historic and labyrinthine cathedral which is so well-known in Ōtepoti. This book delivers in so many ways, it' thrilling, compelling, beautifully written and queer as a Ripley novel. i love it and can't wait to read more crime from Molly. This podcast was recorded over Zoom. Action: Librarians and Archivists with Palestine (LAP) Molly identified Librarians and Archivists with Palestine as a group she'd like to highlight. Molly says, 'They do work keeping records of the destruction of libraries, archives, and museums in Palestine, and people can submit any evidence of censorship about Palestinian topics in their own libraries/archives.' You can read more at Librarians and Archivists with Palestine website: https://librarianswithpalestine.org/ Rachael Gloag & Marcus Fitchett Memorial Medical Education Trust Molly also mentioned this organisation, saying, 'Tony Fitchett is a friend of mine whom I credit in the acknowledgements, and he was my first real reader for the book. He and his wife Bron are incredible people who are real beacons of wisdom, generosity, and kindness. Their son Marcus Fitchett, and their son's partner Rachael Gloag, were killed in a car crash in 1996 when Marcus was only 26, and in memory of them Tony and Bron established the Rachael Gloag & Marcus Fitchett Memorial Medical Education Trust. Tony also wrote a book of poems, 'As Well as Joy', in memory of Marcus and Rachael. The trust helps "medical students who are experiencing real financial difficulties and also students who are coming to the Medical School after training in other health professions or after a prolonged period of study".' There is a little more information about it, as well as how to donate, here: https://hail.to/diocese-of-dunedin/article/OykAQWJ You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee Music in Better off Read was made by Brent McIntyre.

  5. Aug 19

    Ep 162: Tīhema Baker and pip adam talk about One Day A Taniwha

    i'm really grateful to Tīhema Baker for speaking with me about his new novel One Day a Taniwha (Hachette) i was a massive fan of Tīhema's last novel Turncoat and i've enjoyed hearing Tīhema talk over the last few years. i was lucky enough to read Tīhema's book last year and i loved it. i reread it for this podcast and i still love it. Maybe even more. It's an incredibly compelling story set in several planes of experience - centrally the waking and sleeping lives. It's an incredibly intelligent and beautiful novel. Through this deft craft i think it makes possible new ways of thinking about fatherhood, work, mental health and how these are effected by colonisation and colonialism. In our discussion i touch on how fresh and cutting edge Tīhema's depiction of fatherhood is. i just can't recommend it enough. This podcast was recorded over Zoom. Action: Mana Whenua Health Providers Rather than highlighting a particular organisation, in discussion with Tīhema, we wanted to do a more generic shout-out to Mana Whenua Health Services around the motu who are doing an amazing job of providing services and advocacy for their communities during a time when there is a need to fill the gap left by cuts to public health funding. There was a false narrative that gained legs during the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora that Māori were creating a separate health system. In reality, these Mana Whenua Health Services provide for their entire communities which include services to Māori, Pākeha, Pasifika and all people. So we wanted to say a massive thank you to these organisations and the many people who work and support them. You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee Music in Better off Read was made by Brent McIntyre.

  6. Aug 11

    kluge: four covers four events

    My new novel kluge is released in Aotearoa this week. Read about kluge Thanks to the amazing work of Te Herenga Waka University Press and Todd Atticus it has a beautiful cover which comes in four colours. To celebrate this, i'm doing four events over the next few weeks. One for each of the four covers. Info on all events kluge launch Friday 14 August, 6.00pm. Aro Community Centre Hall, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Join us to launch kluge, a new novel from pip adam! The event will include readings from Kerry Donovan Brown, Always Becominging and Brannavan Gnanalingam. pip adam and Frances Libeau in conversation Tuesday 25 August, 6.00pm. Time Out, Mt Eden, Tāmaki Makaurau ***rsvp to books@timeout.co.nz*** The work of interdisciplinary artist and writer Frances Libeau is a touchstone and inspiration for pip adam’s new novel kluge - a story about the end days of a tech company and its all-powerful owner, told in the style of a stand-up comedy special. In this new novel pip ‘kluges’ together the bi-products of our surveillance society. Frances’ work often explores the hauntological potentialities of found materials. Come and hear Frances and pip in conversation about their work and practice to celebrate the release of kluge. More information and RSVP i can't write without reading Thursday 27 August, 5.30pm. Lamplight Books, Parnell, Tāmaki Makaurau Hear pip adam talk about the books that feed kluge, her new novel. pip will help us build a list of quality reading reckons. This is your chance to meet one of Aotearoa's most acclaimed writers and talk books! Think of it as a live, human recommendation algorithm: tell pip what you love, and discover what she thinks you should read next. pip will also read from her brand new novel. kluge me Sunday 30 August, 3.00pm. The Open Book, Ponsonby, Tāmaki Makaurau pip adam presents readings from some of her favourite writers in a special event for kluge. Come and hear Laura Vincent, Cello Forrester, Rebecca K Reilly and Elliot McKenzie read at The Open Book. You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee Music in Better off Read was made by Brent McIntyre.

  7. Jun 17

    Ep 161: Asher Emanuel and pip adam talk about The Valley

    i'm really grateful to Asher for taking the time out of a really busy month to chat with me about writing The Valley: Crime and Punishment in a New Zealand City published by Bridget Williams Books (BWB) There are quite a few places to see Asher talk about the content of The Valley. Most recently Asher appeared on Q & A with Jack Tame In this conversation i was keen to talk to Asher about how he wrote the book. i was particularly interested in the journalism as a form. As someone who has spent a bit of time with people who live in prisons, i am always a bit anxious about a work of journalism that investigates justice and specific people in the justice systems. i started The Valley by reading the 'About the Research' section at the back of the book and felt a degree of hope. i think this is why i wanted to talk to Asher about process. Asher has made decisions around narrative, voice, citation and other elements of writing that mean this book is a compelling work of long-form journalism and one that de-centers the author and lets the people of the work speak for themselves. Obviously, as Asher says, the idea of complete objectivity is a myth. However this book does a great job of resisting dominant journalistic and literary solutions in a way that produces something unlike a lot of other 'true crime' i've read. i've found it hard to work out how to talk about this book. At first i thought it was a work that offered the reader an opportunity for compassion. But i think now, what it offers through it's literary choices is something far more profound - information. i think in the absence of editorializing the book gives us a clear picture of the way things are, making it very hard to say every again, 'I didn't know.' We can disagree on the causes and solutions but The Valley makes it very hard to disagree on what is happening in our neighborhoods, on our streets, in our courts and prisons. i also just want to say thanks so much to Te Matapihi Ki Te Ao Nui | Central Library where i've recorded the last three episodes. i can't say loudly enough how great it is to have you back and how wonderful it is to be able to record in one of your awesome meeting room spaces! Action: Citizens Advice Bureau | Ngā Pou Whakawhirinaki o Aotearoa and Community Law i wanted to highlight the work of two organisations that support people in finding information and advice. Asher suggested these two. Citizens Advice Bureau | Ngā Pou Whakawhirinaki o Aotearoa say: We are a nationwide, but locally based, community organisation. We help people to know and understand their rights and obligations, and how to use this information to get the best outcomes. We provide people with the confidence and support they need to take action. We use insights from our clients’ experiences to work for positive social change. Citizens Advice Bureau | Ngā Pou Whakawhirinaki o Aotearoa website Citizens Advice Bureau Petitions Wellington Council To Restore CAB Funding Community Law says: Legal problems can be serious and frightening, and for many people lawyers are completely unaffordable. But everyone has the right to high-quality legal help – that’s where Community Law comes in. Community Law New Zealand website Community Law Wellington and Hutt Valley says: We provide initial legal advice only at our drop-in sessions and community outreach clinics. If you require ongoing legal assistance with your legal issue we will help you find an appropriate lawyer. Community Law Wellington website You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee Music in Better off Read was made by Brent McIntyre.

  8. May 27

    Ep 160: Joseph Trinidad and pip adam talk about Lucky Creatures

    It was so great to catch up and chat with Joseph Trinidad about his new book Lucky Creatures (Te Herenga Waka University Press, 2026) Reading Joseph's work makes me so excited about reading and speaking with Joe about his practice has made me excited about writing. Thank you Joseph. Joseph's book of essays is one of the best reading experiences i've had this year. It's an incredibly beautifully crafted work which demonstrates Joseph's immense narrative talent. The book as a whole is so satisfying in its journey - one of those the whole being greater than the sum of its parts works. And then, as well, on a sentence-level the essays in Lucky Creatures evoke strong emotions through perfectly rendered sensory details. Lucky Creatures is also a work that stretches the genre of non-fiction and maybe even helps us question the dominance of realism as a form in non-fiction and the essay. i just can't recommend it strongly enough. In our conversation i make particular mention of Joseph's essay 'No eggs in the Nest' which is about having children. i mentioned (with the help of Joseph) Ocean Vuong's book Time is a Mother. What i love about Vuong's book and maybe also Joe's essay is the way both ungender the activity or role of 'mother'. It prompted me to re-read this amazing conversation: On Death, Music and Motherhood: Björk & Ocean Vuong in Conversation that you can read in AnOther magazine. In this conversation Vuong says to Björk: 'What I realised with your music – and this album [Fossora] especially – is that we all have a mother, but we also have people, friends, family who mother us. Mothering is also an act without gender as well as a biological reality – it’s both.' i've put together a sample of some of the writers and writing Joe talks about in this conversation: * Maxine Hong Kingston * Chris Tse * Lana Lopesi * Rose Lu * Ashleigh Young * Wellington Film Society * Carly Rae Jepsen * Chris Price * SZA * Chris Schultz * Kieran McLean * Jess McAllen * Flora Feltham * The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets by Svetlana Alexandrovna Alexievich 'Grist for the mill: the slow death of New Zealand’s industry towns' by Anna Rankin i also just want to say thanks so much to Te Matapihi Ki Te Ao Nui | Central Library. i can't say loudly enough how great it is to have you back and how wonderful it is to be able to record in one of your awesome meeting room spaces! Action: songs of solidarity (sos) Joseph recommended we highlight the work of songs of solidarity (sos) It's a great idea to stay in touch with songs of solidarity through their website or Instagram account. Last week songs of solidarity hosted a kōrero with Joseph and, friend and fellow writer, Shariff Burke about Lucky Creatures, writing, friendship, and everything in between. songs of solidarity say: “we imagine songs of solidarity (SOS) as the space for resistance, resilience, imagination, and coalition building. it is the collaborative space for dreamers – poets, writers, artists, activists, community healers, organisers, and children – who believe in learning/unlearning and collective transformation toward an alternative world – for all.” You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee Music in Better off Read was made by Brent McIntyre.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

My name is pip adam and in this podcast I speak with writers, musicians and artists about an ‘object’ as a way into talking about their work – what it is, how it works and what inspires it. Each year I choose a topic for our series. In 2021 it was elements of literary craft, in 2020 it was music, in our 2022 series Beyond a Joke the object I ask guests to offer is something that has made them laugh. One of the things I’m really interested in is what we can learn from talking to each other about our own practice and the things we make. Read more about me at my website

Information

  • Creator
    Pip Adam
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Better off Read

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