Dark Skies, a quest and nature writing in Inga Simpson’s The Thinning

The Dressmaker’s backstory, a universe of stars to expand our ideas about nature writing, and fragments and tricks galore: Kate and Cassie read Inga Simpson’s The Thinning, Brian Castro’s Chinese Postman and Rosalie Ham’s Molly with guests Ella Jeffery and Amanda Hampson BOOKS Inga Simpson, The Thinning, Hachette Brian Castro, Chinese Postman, Giramondo Rosalie Ham, Molly, Picador GUESTS Dr Ella Jeffery, poet and lecturer in Creative Writing at Griffith University, Qld; ABC Radio National ‘Top 5 Arts’ candidate; currently examining insecure housing as a theme in 21st-century literature Amanda Hampson, novelist whose latest series feature tea ladies in 1960s Sydney . . . solving crime. The first, The Tea Ladies, won the 2024 Danger Award for Best Crime Novel. The second is The Cryptic Clue; and the third – The Deadly Dispute – will be published in April 2025. There will be five in the series. Other books mentioned: Patricia Wrightson, The Nargun and the Stars John Marsden, Tomorrow when the War Began James Bradley, Deep Water: The World in the Ocean Richard Powers, Playground Robert C. O’Brien, Z for Zachariah Cormac McCarthy, The Road  Miles Franklin, My Brilliant Career A B Facey, A Fortunate Life Marcus Clarke, For the Term of His Natural Life Ruth Park, works  Helen Garner, Works John Birmingham, He Died with a Felafel in his Hand Andrew McGahan, works Bernadette Brennan, Brain Castro’s Fiction: The Seductive Play of Language CREDITS Presenter: Kate Evans, Cassie McCullagh Producer: Kate Evans, Sarah Corbett Sound engineer: Harvey O'Sullivan, Peter Climpson, Emrys Cronin Executive producer, Rhiannon Brown