Conversations draws you deeper into the life story of someone you may have heard about, but never met. Journey into their world, joining them on epic adventures...
Brigitte Muir's dream to climb the seven highest mountains on each of the seven continents took much longer and cost her more than she expected, but she also discovered more about herself than she could have imagined (R)Brigitte Muir fell in love with the outdoors and adventure as a teenager in Belgium.Initially she was exhilarated by going caving, deep in the earth, and then rock-climbing, until she made her way closer and closer to the heavens and became a mountaineer.In her thirties Brigitte became fixated on a big dream — to climb the seven highest mountains on each of the seven continents.To achieve what she set out to do, she pushed her mind and her body to their limits, and was even left for dead near the summit of Mount Everest.Brigitte lost loved ones along the way, but also found some unexpected truths about herself.This episode of Conversations explores epic adventures, explorers, expeditions, extreme conditions, the Himalayas, Nepal, the lives of Sherpas, grief, death, natural disasters, avalanches, nearth death experiences.
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51:18
David Whyte on writing poetry the world loves
For poet David Whyte, the power of poetry lies in its unmatched ability to meditate and focus on what's right in front of us -- whether it's a mountain, a loved one, or our own reflection. He explains how one line of poetry is enough to change your life.David grew up amongst the moors and fields of West Yorkshire, with an English father and an Irish mother who had a gift for lyricism and language.He started writing poems at just seven years old, but it wasn't until he was working as a guide in the Galapagos Islands that David truly understood what poetry was and what it could do for us.A near-death experience there prepared him for life as a poet by teaching him to pay attention to what lay right in front of him at any given time.Since then, David has written hundreds of poems loved by the world, recited as often at weddings and funerals as they are on less auspicious occasions.This episode of Conversations explores literature, language, prose, philosophy, epic stories, nature, marine biology, zoology, near death experiences, mortality, grief, love, origin stories, adventure, Charles Darwin, Ted Hughes, William Blake, Bronte sisters, Carl JungFurther informationDavid has written and published several collections of poems and essays. His latest is Consolations II, published by Canongate.David is currently in Australia on tour. He is speaking in Sydney on 22 February and in Melbourne on 25 February.
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52:12
Translating adolescence and speaking Teenage Girl
When Dannielle Miller became a teacher, she was given the classes no one else could handle. She was given a whistle on her first day, to call for help. She didn’t need it — in fact, she had something in common with some of her students.Dannielle Miller is the CEO of Enlighten Education and Director of Education for Women's Community Shelter.As a young teacher, fresh from university, Dannielle was given a class of vulnerable students no other teacher could handle in a Western Sydney school.Dannielle took to these students immediately, and found they responded to her with trust and affection.Dannielle shared a certain understanding with her students —as a child, she saw domestic abuse and gaslighting in her house.When she was very small, Dannielle was burned in a shocking attack.The care she received following her burn has stayed with Dannielle and has informed her resilience, which she now uses to shepherd teenage girls and boys through one of life's most challenging times.This episode of Conversations touches on epic life stories, origin stories, domestic violence, family violence, respectful relationships, teenage girls, teenage boys, teens, adolescence, burns, women's shelters.
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51:12
The Bark Petitions — how Yolngu tradition changed democracy
Historian, Professor Clare Wright tells the story of a formative moment — before the Mabo decision — in Australia’s democracy that you may not have heard of.Historian Clare Wright moved her family to Yirrkala in North-East Arnhem land in 2010. She became a part of the Yolngu community and kept in touch after the family returned to Melbourne.Little by little, Clare learned about an extraordinary moment in Australian history, when Yolngu people used their artwork and their language, Yolngu Matha to petition the Federal government over a planned bauxite mine on their traditional lands.The bark petitions were not sent in the traditional sense, pleading up to an authority, but rather asserted Yolngu custodianship of the land, and spoke as equal partners to the Australian government.This episode of Conversations touches on Indigenous stories, Yolngu, Yirrkala, Australian democracy, the Bark Petitions, Naku Dharuk, Yolngu Matha, mining, the Australian Government, Menzies, Kim Beazley Snr.
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51:30
Encore: the life of songwriter Jimmy Webb
Singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb on how growing up as the child of an Oklahoma preacher opened up a door to music, and inspired his songwriting (R)Jimmy Webb grew up poor in Oklahoma, where his mother encouraged him to play the piano, revealing a prodigious musical talent.After moving to Los Angeles, Jimmy wrote his first hit for the Fifth Dimension: Up, Up And Away.Shortly after, he met Glen Campbell, who had already recorded Jimmy's song By the Time I Get to Phoenix.Glen asked Jimmy to write a song especially for him - Wichita Lineman, which became another huge hit for Campbell.Jimmy's many other famous songs, including MacArthur Park, Adios, and The Highwayman, have been recorded by artists including Frank Sinatra, Isaac Hayes, Barbra Streisand, Art Garfunkel and Donna Summer.While he's best known as a songwriter, Jimmy is a renowned performer in his own right.This episode of Conversations explores music history, rock music, Americana, Hollywood, the recording industry, the Mid-west, middle America, religion, origin stories, personal stories, celebrity culture, country music, rock n roll, songwriting, yacht rock.
Conversations draws you deeper into the life story of someone you may have heard about, but never met. Journey into their world, joining them on epic adventures to unfamiliar places, back in time to wild moments of history, and into their deepest memories, to be moved by personal stories of resilience and redemption.
Hosted by Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski, Conversations is the ABC's most popular long-form interview program. Every day we explore the vast tapestry of human experience, weaving together narratives from history, science, art, and personal storytelling.
Whether it's an exploration of Australian and American politics, the intricacies of mental health, or the mysteries of ancestry and origin stories, our episodes offer a conversational approach that brings topics to life.
We uncover epic tales of war and peace, the complex dynamics of relationships and family, and the profound impact of grief and loss.
Follow Conversations for thought-provoking discussions, heartfelt stories, and a deeper understanding of the world around us.
Conversations explores the meaning of life, history, relationships, motherhood and fatherhood, love, religion and the origins of human life through a contemporary and conversational Australian lens.
From distinctive accounts of crime, mental health, ancestry, cults, grief, family and parenting, to discussions about science, books, art, music, war, spies and economics, Conversations traverses myriad topics.
Our interviews focus on pioneers of the natural world, wildlife, oceans, fungi, archaeology, palaeontology and megafauna.
Our guests speak about geopolitics, being a refugee and the experience of migration. They come from all walks of life — First Nations, Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples, CALD communities and ancestors of Australia's first fleeters. We explore Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, Buddhist, Sikh and Hindu faith traditions, among other beliefs, including atheism.
We look at social history as well — close encounters with the ancient world, the Stolen Generations, and adventurers on an explorative odyssey.
In a Conversations interview, you will hear personal stories of secrets, lies, adoption, and living with disability, neurodiversity or chronic illness.
We traverse a person's life story, full of human interest topics, including redemption, love at first sight, spirituality, poverty, having children, family dynamics and even hidden families.
We hear from individuals who have struggled with drug addiction, jail, family violence, political imprisonment, persecution, abuse, depression, anxiety and mental health issues.
Conversations also speak to the public figures of Australian and international society — leaders, artists, politicians, authors, sports stars, actors and musicians.
A writer, a builder, a neurologist, a Paralympian, an Olympian, an amputee, a historian, a comedian, a funeral director, a bird photographer, an ethicist, a doctor, a spy, a pilot, a choreographer, a firefighter, a bookseller, an astrophysicist, a martial artist, a principal, an oud virtuoso, an ecologist, a carer, a demographer, a chess master, a forensic archaeologist, a biologist, a chef, a surfer, a button shop owner, a costume and set designer, a boxer, a drummer, a conductor, a dog behaviourist, an AFL player, a longevity expert, a barber, a Matilda, and a psychologist have all appeared on our program.
Stories make us who we are. Join Conversations for an hour of diverting listening, to transport, touch and uplift you. Our guided storytelling will teach you something new, introduce you to someone extraordinary and take you away to a different place or time in history.
After almost 20 years of digging into the lives, stories and worlds of thousands of people, Conversations continues as the ABC's most popular podcast, providing Australians with a social history of our country and paying close attention to the small, personal details that make up a life.
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