“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” – Viktor E. Frankl “Comparison is the thief of joy.” – Theodore Roosevelt "Joy begins where comparison ends." – Lee BrowerBy Lee Brower

"You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you." --John Wooden "Things turn out for the people who make the best of the way things turn out." --John Wooden "The meaning of life is to give life meaning." -- Viktor FranklBy Lee Brower

Anna and Annie discuss the 2025 Women's Prize Shortlist. Our book of the week is MEMORIAL DAYS by Geraldine Brooks, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of HORSE. This is a moving and honest memoir of Brooks' time grieving her late husband Tony Horwitz and also a portrait of their marriage. Partly set on a remote island off the coast of Tasmania, it i…

"Respect isn't earned from self-sacrifice. It is learned through self-respect." Genuine respect - both from yourself and others - begins with honoring your own worth first. Respect yourself first; everything else is attracted to that strength. CHALLENGE: "What is one small choice I can make today -- when no one else is watching -- that strengthens …

A special episode! Anna is joined by Emily Hart and Margot Lloyd, founders of Pink Shorts Press. We discuss the exciting launch of this new publisher and the 2025 Stella Prize shortlist. Our book of the week is SEA GREEN by Barbara Hanrahan, re-issued by Pink Shorts Press this year with an introduction by Laura Elizabeth Woollett. This semi-autobio…

“The crowds on earth, they soon forget, the heroes of the past, they cheer like mad until you fall. And that’s how long you last.” "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." - Coach John Wooden The world praises performance. …

Anna and Annie discuss the 2025 Stella Prize longlist and some upcoming book-to-screen adaptations: THE LEOPARD, SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE, FOURTH WING and THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO. Our book of the week is SOMEBODY DOWN THERE LIKES ME by Robert Lukins. A dysfunctional family comes together in Connecticut when the parents announce they have l…

Anna and Annie discuss the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Shortlist for fiction, including WOO WOO by Ella Baxter and HIGHWAY 13 by Fiona McFarlane. Our book of the week is THE SEASON by Helen Garner. This is a memoir of a year Garner spent following her grandson's club football team. It explores masculinity, the sense of community at the loca…

Potential is the seed, motion is what makes it grow. "Just" helps us get into motion. It turns resistance into willingness. It brings you into the "NOW". It is how "Arrows Out" begins: Just notice. Just ask; Just give. What is "just" one thing you can do today that will create ripples of impact?" Just...!…

Geoff and Anna discuss THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD by Fyodor Dostoevsky translated by David McDuff. This is a fictionalised account of the four years Dostoevsky spent in a Siberian prison camp after he was arrested for taking part in a political conspiracy. Sold as a novel but with the feel of a documentary, it contains fascinating details and joins a co…

"You don’t become great in spite of failure. You become great through it." ... just ask Larry’s little brother.” “I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” - Michael Jordan “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened.” - Helen …

"WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU BRING ABOUT. WHAT YOU BROUGHT ABOUT, YOU THOUGHT ABOUT." “Acts of kindness create a ripple effect of neurochemical uplift—benefiting the giver, receiver, and even the silent witness.” RECEIVING kindness can: Increase oxytocin, which helps regulate serotonin and dopamine. Reduce cortisol (the stress hormone), which helps r…

Anna and Geoff discuss WHITE NIGHTS by Fyodor Dostoevsky translated by Ronald Meyer. A man meets a woman on the street in St Petersburg and falls in love in this short story. It has become a Tik Tok sensation in recent months and Penguin has commissioned a new audiobook to be read by Bridgerton’s Luke Thompson. Dostoevsky was in his romantic, mille…

"...everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." Even though he said it - he proved it wrong-- because he didn't believe it. "Struggles are stop signs -- they are stepping stones." - Lee Brower "Our response to struggle determines our future." This week's Em…

A special episode: Anna chats with Kate Slotover of the Book Club Review podcast. Our book of the week is THE UNSELECTED JOURNALS OF EMMA M. LION by Beth Brower. Recommended by our friend Shawn Mooney of Shawn Breathes Books, we enjoyed this novel set in Victorian London about a young woman returning to claim her inheritance. Light and witty, these…

Too many people live their lives hoping Einstein is in the room when the tough questions come. “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” — Socrates “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” — John F. Kennedy “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” — Mahatma Gandhi “Once you stop lea…

A special episode: Anna is joined by author and U-Go founder John Wood. We discuss our reactions to the 2025 Women’s Prize Longlist. Our book of the week is PATRIOT by Alexei Navalny translated by Arch Tait with Stephen Dalziel. This is Navalny’s autobiography detailing his rise to be a Russian opposition leader, but is also a prison diary followin…

Anna and Geoff react to the 2025 Booker International Longlist. Our book of the week is EUROTRASH by Christian Kracht translated by Daniel Bowles. A middle-aged man goes on a dubious road trip through Switzerland with his 80-year old mother, recently discharged from a mental institution. Blackly comic and written as autofiction, this was the Financ…

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” — Jim Rohn “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.” "We tend to become like those whom we admire." — Thomas S. MonsonBy Lee Brower

How do you measure your success? By chasing the next achievement? "If you are paddling only for yourself, don't be surprised when no one else wants to get in your boat." "You don't see rivers measuring themselves by the size of their banks. They measure themselves by the lives they nourish." "Your horizon should move as you move. That's how you kno…

A special episode: Anna chats with author Holly Gramazio about her debut novel THE HUSBANDS. When Lauren returns to her flat in London one night, she finds a husband called Michael: the only problem is, she isn’t married. It turns out that her attic is producing an endless supply of husbands. An instant New York Times best-seller, we loved this gen…

Anna and Geoff review OUR EVENINGS the new novel by Booker Prize-winning author Alan Hollinghurst. Dave Win is a Burmese-British actor reminiscing about his life, growing up as a gay man in the 1960s through to 2019. We loved the exact and beautiful prose but found it slow. The blurb also suggests a tension between Dave and bully Giles whereas the …

"Every man has a defining point in his character where success or failure begins. It is the moment he makes a firm choice and never looks back." - William George Jordan. Don't let your ESSENTIAL be at the mercy of the important. Knowing your 'ESSENTIAL' gives you the power to say "no" to even the very important.…

A special episode: Anna speaks with author Vaseem Khan about his new crime novel CITY OF DESTRUCTION. This is the fifth in the Malabar House series set in 1950s Bombay after Partition. Persis Wadia is India’s first female police detective and is sent to work in Malabar House. In CITY OF DESTRUCTION, a gunman attempts to assassinate the Defence Mini…

Desires dictate Priorities. Priorities structure our Choices. Choices determine the course of our lives. "The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule but to schedule your priorities." – Stephen R. Covey Step 1: Review your list of desires. Step 2: Choose ONE thing from each of these four quadrants. Select the one thing that, when accomplis…

Anna and Annie discuss the success of Rebecca Yarros’s new book ONYX STORM, the third in the Emperyean series. Annie gives her views about why they have been huge best-sellers and the popularity of romantasy. Our book of the week is DISAPPOINT ME by Nicola Dinan. This buzzy new novel by the author of BELLIES centres around Max, a 30 year-old trans …

We all have an “Obituary Moment” waiting for us. A moment when we suddenly see clearly the ripples of our choices. But do we have to wait for an accident, tragedy, or mistake to have it? What if we created our own Obituary Moment—right now? The 'What do I Really Want" exercise to expand your authentic desires and creativity. Use paper and a pen - s…

A special episode! Anna chats with USA Today best-selling author Kemper Donovan about his new novel LOOSE LIPS, the second in the Ghostwriter series after the best-selling THE BUSY BODY (see ep 265). Kemper hosts the All About Agatha podcast and his crime novels bring the Golden Age of murder mysteries into a contemporary setting. LOOSE LIPS finds …

“Clarity isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about knowing what we value and what we’re working toward." "Clarity of vision drives the courage to make bold choices." "When we’re clear about our priorities, decisions become simpler. Without clarity, even small choices can feel overwhelming."By Lee Brower

"Desires dictate our priorities; priorities shape our choices; choices determine our actions." - Dallin H. Oaks Would you agree that everything we do influences future generations? Many decisions are aspirational: "I want to be in good shape, spend more time with family, or grow my business." But choice happens in the NOW. The simple choice of hitt…

"The enemy of thriving is arriving." - Lee Brower "Vision without motion is frustration. Don't let the finish line rob you of the joy in the journey."By Lee Brower

"What does how I feel have to do with it? I was focused on what I did and how I could correct it." - Kobe Bryant Always make your future bigger than your past - Dan Sullivan Knowing what I know now, if I had the opportunity to re-live this moment, what could I do to make it even better? "Failures and victories alike are tools for shaping us. Let's …

"Do you want to be articulate and dangerous or vague and useless? - Jordan Petersen The ESSENTIAL tool for Th'rive in '25 is the VOCA Framework or mindset. Make it a daily practice! VUCA = Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous vs. VOCA = Visionary, Ownership, Creates, Action Articulation is no longer optional -- it is essential! It is the bridge …

The Christmas Day soccer game in No Man's Land. The Spirit of Christmas triumphed over conflict and fear, reminding us that light, hope, and love can unite even the most divided. "Christmas reminds us to think of one another. We appreciate our families more. We renew contacts with old friends. We rise above the barriers that separate us at other ti…

A special episode : Anna chats with author Anthony Nocera. We discuss Anthony’s brilliant essay WEDNESDAY BANG in the current issue of SPLINTER and his upcoming plays: Log Boy, My Hair is Thinning and Someone Like You. Anthony’s book recommendations: NOSTALGIA HAS RUINED MY LIFE by Zarah Butcher-McGunnigle THE GUEST by Emma Cline AN EXCITING AND VI…

“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goeth “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill “The past is behind; learn from it. The future is ahead; prepare for it. The present is here; live in it." – Thomas S. Monson…

Anna, Annie and Amanda reveal our favourite reads of 2024! Books discussed: MAGIC PILL by Johann Hari ALL THE BEAUTY IN THE WORLD by Patrick Bringley THE ALTERNATIVES by Caoilinn Hughes THIS STRANGE AND EVENTFUL HISTORY by Claire Messud RAPTURE by Emily Maguire WOO WOO by Ella Baxter THE GENTLEMAN FROM PERU by André Aciman JUICE by Tim Winton (Anni…

A special episode: we chat with Farrin Foster about new literary journal SPLINTER and emerging Australian authors. We talk about authors who are also musicians, autofiction and taking a book of poetry in your bag for waiting times. Farrin recommends the work of: Seamus Lonergan – KT Major Olivia De Zilva ROCK FLIGHT by Hasib Hourani Dom Guerrera Ra…

"Character is the quiet discipline to stay true to the worthwhile commitments we've made long after the initial emotion fades." - Lee Brower An inspired purpose gives us the resolve to make decisions once and stick to them. Challenge: This week, take one commitment you've made and bring it to life with small, consistent choices. Let your character …

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself: Does how I spend my time restrict or enlarge my capacity to live, learn, love, and serve in meaningful ways? Adversity? It’s either just left, it’s here, or it’s coming. Warren Buffet reminds us that those who make it happen in life focus on three simple habits: Go to bed smarter each day. Surround yourself wi…

Anna and Annie discuss the 2024 Booker Prize winner ORBITAL by Samantha Harvey. Our comfort reading recommendations are: ARGYLLE by Elly Conway WE SOLVE MURDERS by Richard Osman LOOSE LIPS by Kemper Donovan THE SPY COAST by Tess Gerritsen THE ROM COMMERS by Katherine Center THE WEDDING FORECAST by Nina Kenwood WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR IS IN THE LIB…

"When you create a tradition rooted in gratitude, you’re not just celebrating the present—you’re choosing to invest in the future." - Lee Brower "By choosing gratitude and making it part of your family’s story, you create ripples of love and connection that will endure for years to come." - Lee Brower "What you don't change, you choose." - Unknown…

"Choices determine destiny." — Lee Brower "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." — J.K. Rowling "Life is the sum of all your choices. So what are you doing today?" — Albert Camus My "I CHOOSE STATEMENT: "I choose to live with purpose, not by chance; to be inspired, not influenced; to serve others, not …

Anna and Annie discuss the 2024 Goldsmiths Prize winner, Parade by Rachel Cusk, and ghostwriters in crime writing. Our book of the week is JAMES by Percival Everett. This re-telling of Huckleberry Finn has been an instant New York Times best-seller, shortlisted for the Booker Prize and National Book award and described as 'genius' (The Atlantic). C…

The viral effect of one pilot’s behavior illustrates how a single person’s actions can set the tone for everyone else. This experience reminded me that true leaders stay transparent, express genuine gratitude, and model calm under pressure. In doing so, they create a ripple effect of grace and positivity, even in the most challenging circumstances.…

Anna and Annie discuss AI in publishing. Our book of the week is ALL FOURS by award-winning author and artist Miranda July. Described as July's 'peri-menopause novel', ALL FOURS tells the story of a woman who escapes married life and creates a space for herself. A finalist for the 2024 National Book Award and instant New York Times bestseller, it's…

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” — Martin Luther King Jr. In the context of agency, this reminds us of the responsibility we carry to act with courage, to speak and do good in the face of challenges, and to show untiring love. “We are not isolated beings. The power of one choice can ripple outward, touchin…

Anna and Annie discuss the 2024 Booker Prize Shortlist. Our book of the week is INTERMEZZO by award-winning author Sally Rooney. Intermezzo is a novel about two brothers who deal with grief, family and relationships. Intimate and poignant, it's been an instant New York Times bestseller, shortlisted for the An Post Irish Book Awards Book of the Year…

testBy Lee Brower

“The bee is more honored than other animals, not because she labors, but because she labors for others.” – St. John Chrysostom “No creature, not even bees, was made by God as unselfish as a human, yet bees teach us about giving more than we receive.” - Unknown “Like bees pollinating flowers, our small acts of kindness can spread life, gratitude, an…