Conversations

Deniz Tek has squeezed more than most into his life. From pioneering punk rock in Australia, to performing improvised neurosurgery aboard a naval ship, to retirement growing Macadamias in Hawaii.Deniz is a founding member of Radio Birdman, Australia’s seminal punk rock band.He was also an emergency doctor in Australia and the United States.But that wasn’t enough for Deniz.He decided to join the U.S Marines as a flight surgeon – a type of pilot who can perform improvised neurosurgery aboard a naval ship.Deniz is also a husband, a father, an adopted member of the Crow Tribe, and most recently, a macadamia farmer.Despite his big story, Deniz has of course made mistakes along the way, in his headstrong and unexpected trajectory through life.Further informationFull Throttle is published by Pan Macmillan.This interview was made on Turrbal and Jaggera country.It was produced by Meggie Morris. The Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It covers punk rock, neurosurgery, US Navy, Veteran, First Nations Americans, Crow Tribe, macadamia farmer, advocate, Turkey, Ataturk, Michigan, music, band, The Rationals, rock n roll, UNSW, international students, gigs, Lou Reed, Montana, White Swan

As the first brown immigrant and the first Muslim to enter the very white world of Australian cricket, Usman Khawaja overcame many setbacks while forging his extraordinary career in the sport.Born in Pakistan, Usman moved to Sydney with his family at four and fell in love with cricket watching his older brothers play.In 2011, Usman debuted for the Australian cricket team in the fifth Ashes Test at the SCG, becoming the first Muslim to wear the Baggy Green.But his journey has been as much about finding a way to be fully himself in Australian cricket as it has been about winning.Usman retired from Test cricket in January, his memoir is called SabrFurther informationSabr is published by PenguinThis episode of Conversations explores cricket, Australian cricket team, Test cricket, Pakistan, Muslims, migration, arthritis, family, mothers, marriage, kids, sport, elite sport, Australian sporting culture, sandpaper gate, cheating, intergrity, human rights, injury, retirement.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Growing up with brilliant writer as a father, Adam Courtenay slowly became aware of many gaps and untruths in his dad's life story. So he decided to set the record straight, once and for all.When Adam was growing up, he saw his Dad as a hero.Bryce worked in advertising so he knew all the latest, coolest trends, and at bedtime, Bryce told Adam and his brothers amazing stories about his life in South Africa and the Courtenay family’s noble origins.When Bryce went from adman to wildly successful writer with his debut novel, The Power of One, Adam couldn’t have been prouder.As Adam grew older, he became aware of the gaps in the stories his father told so well, and realised just how many lies Bryce had told his family and the nation.At first, Adam tried to ignore the fables and fibs - he wanted badly to believe them because they made Bryce's storytelling so powerful.But when Adam became a writer himself, an author of historical books and a journalist, he needed to champion the truth above all else.Further informationMy Father Bryce is published by Hachette.

Instructions on how to forge a path through a darkening world, according to former neuroscientist and psychoanalyst, Dr Sharon Blackie.Sharon grew up in what she calls the edge lands — on a council estate, near marshes full of migrating birds, next to the chemical factories of North-Eastern England.She was given fairy stories to read that mirrored her own experience in a way — Sharon knew the world was not always a safe place and that little children should be careful. After her violent father left the family, Sharon’s mum turned to alcohol to cope. Through her mother’s recovery, Sharon was introduced to a local recovery centre called The Room where people could get help for their addiction, and there Sharon found a fascinating group of people who promoted her interest in psychology, and a place to belong.After university, Sharon had a fine life on paper — a husband, a well-paid corporate job and a mortgage, but she wasn’t happy and she heard The Call to start a dangerous and unlikely project.Sharon was living in America in 1999 when John F Kennedy Jnr died in a plane crash.She decided she needed to face her longstanding fear of flying and took up lessons to become a pilot, to look death in the face.Sharon says if we heed the messages in fairy stories they can serve us well in life — be courageous, be kind and always share what you have with friends who may help you in the future.Further informationRipening: Why Women Need Fairy Tales Now is published by September.Read Sharon's newsletter The Art of Enchantment.This episode was made on Turrbul and Jagera country. It was produced by Alice Moldovan. The Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.This episode focuses on ecofeminism, mythology, fairytales, tatterhood, snow white, rose red, danger, intrigue, sharing, post-hero, women, nature, The Call, facing fear.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Lisa Peberdy has been delivering babies for over 40 years, in hospitals and homes, in cities and remote locations and she still cries with joy at every birth.During Lisa's  first career as a nurse, she was physically repelled by the notion of childbirth.When she re-trained to become a midwife, delivering a baby unassisted was a great challenge.When Lisa finally did it, she was hooked; and she says she still cries with joy at every birth for which she's present.Lisa's delivered babies in hospitals and homes, in cities and remote locations, all over Australia.In recent years her work has been with cord blood banks, collecting valuable stem cells from the umbilical cord and placenta.These cells may potentially be used later in that person's life to create and regenerate organs, blood, and tissues; and assist their immune system.First broadcast in 2016Further informationLisa's story features in Paula Heelan's book, Australian Midwives, published by HarlequinEarlier this year Lisa published her memoir The Accidental Midwife This episode of Conversations explores childbirth, delivering babies, midwives, mothers, still birth, adoption, remote Australia, PNG, Timor Leste, hospitals, doctors, fathers, babies, placenta, pregnancy, nursing.