Summer content guide: best books, podcasts, and TV shows to enjoy
Mackenzie Little
Doctor of Medicine '23
Olympic athlete, Junior Medical Officer and 2024 Nigel C Barker Medal for Sporting Achievement winner.
Soundtrack released by Republic Records and Verve Records.
Wicked: The Soundtrack by Wicked Movie Cast Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande
"I'm listening to the Wicked Movie Soundtrack at the moment. I love the emotion, range, and lyricism of musical theatre. For those only just being introduced to the genre, my other favourite musical soundtracks include Book of Mormon, The Greatest Showman, and Muriel's Wedding."
Eddie Woo
Bachelor of Education (Secondary)(Maths) '08
Professor of Practice at the Sydney School of Education, award-winning maths teacher, 2017 Outstanding Achievements of Young Alumni Award winner and Youtuber, known worldwide as 'Mister WooTube'.
Image credit: Yale University Press
Mathematics for Human Flourishing by Francis Su
"I first read this book many years ago and it grabbed me from the moment I read the title. These are not words that one would seldom expect to appear in the same sentence, yet this book makes a stunningly persuasive case for why the art and discipline of mathematics is something that is not only deeply human but also embodies qualities that are universally prized. To whet your appetite, here are some of the chapter titles: meaning, beauty, permanence, truth, and justice."
"This show takes world news and crystallises it into a form that somehow perfectly threads the needle between giving enough background detail to orient a beginner, while simultaneously respecting you as an intelligent listener who wants a sophisticated and nuanced analysis of what’s happening. Like many others over the past few years, I’ve become a student of US politics and the journalists on each episode have helped me feel lucid in a world that is increasingly confusing and unpredictable."
"I’ve been rewatching season one with my family and admiring the multilayered skill that went into making this show such a brilliant piece of storytelling. Well-rounded characters, fantastic writing, subtle direction, and stunning performances from the ensemble cast make this an outstanding experience without a lightsaber or Force-wielder in sight."
Samuel Goldberg
Bachelor of Arts (Honours) '21, Bachelor of Laws (Honours) '23
Solicitor, Rhodes Scholar and 2024 Convocation Medal for Undergraduate Leadership winner.
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Image credit: Saddle Creek Records
A-Sides and B-Sides by Adrianne Lenker and Buck Meek
"I've been listening to Adrianne Lenker and Buck Meek's A-Sides and B-Sides albums on repeat. The music is beautifully spare - lovely for listening to while working or, in my case, studying, particularly in the cold of the Northern Hemisphere winter. There's also a particularly nice video on YouTube of them performing some of the tracks back when the albums were released, at a 2014 concert in Portland, Maine. It's nice to see them play in an intimate space before their band, Big Thief, was formed."
Phoebe Saintilan-Stocks
Bachelor of Arts '15, Bachelor of Laws '16, Master of Peace and Conflict Studies '19)
Founder of Missing Perspectives and 2024 Outstanding Achievements of Young Alumni Award winner.
You're in Good Company Podcast by Equity
Mates Media
"I've been a long-time massive fan of this podcast - led by Maddy and Sophie, who are two friends & share a passion for all things investing and finance. Their goal is to break down investing in an accessible and engaging way - particularly for a young female audience, while also including some hard-hitting interviews, for example, Cathie Wood, CEO of Ark Invest."
"I absolutely inhaled this book over a weekend, and have been pestering friends and family to read. It's written with the classic Joe Aston wit and commentary, and is an engaging exploration of status, power, and privilege in Australia when it comes to Qantas and the country's corporate and political elite."
"Inherited is a beautiful new interview-driven podcast from the brilliant team over at Shameless media. It explores how family legacies, rituals and relics shape people's identities, values, and decisions. Each episode has been really moving and thought-provoking, and I can't wait to download and binge over the Christmas break."
"I must be living under a rock because I only somehow just came across this show. Bad Sisters is a dark comedic gem that perfectly blends suspense, wit, and the classic family drama. The plot twists, acting, and humour are amazing, and I can't wait for season two to drop shortly... perfect timing for the holidays."
Anastasia Volkova
Doctor of Philosophy '19
CEO and Co-founder of Regrow Ag and 2021 Outstanding Achievements of Young Alumni Award winner.
Image credit: Doubleday Books
Likeable Badass by Alison Fragale
"This book illuminates common beliefs as to how perceived behaviour of leaders is associated with assertiveness and warmth in leadership, helping both decode the expectations of others from the leaders, as well as provide the practical ways we can adjust our leadership routines to achieve more optimal authentic leadership styles. I frankly wish I found this book sooner or that it would've been published sooner. Would've spared me a couple of years on my leadership journey, that's for sure!"
Alex Solo
Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) '12, Bachelor of Laws '13
Co-founder of Sprintlaw, named one of Australia's Most Influential Lawyers by Australasian Lawyer 2022 and Alumni Council member.
Image credit: Penguin Books
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen
"A transformative guide to managing work and life in a way that feels both productive and sustainable. David Allen’s system provides a practical framework for capturing and organising tasks, freeing your mind from constant mental clutter. It’s an invaluable resource for navigating the complexities of modern life with clarity and focus - highly recommended for anyone looking to boost their efficiency and reduce their stress."
George Peppou
Bachelor of Science '12
CEO and Founder of Vow and 2024 Alumni Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship winner.
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The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong Podcast with Mark Chrisler
"A podcast of the countless examples through history of humanity being collectively and hilariously wrong. They do these wonderfully thorough deep dives into the most fascinating topics - my all-time favourite is the five-part series on the 'longitude problem' the challenge of how to measure where on earth you are east west and how it stumped the brightest minds for centuries until an improbably complex and small clock was invented."
"A series of semi-biographical essays ostensibly reviewing features of our human-defined age. My all time favourite is the one on Tetris, that starts with the history of the game, drives to the legal struggles of the creator as the Soviet Union collapsed before stumbling into the beautifully existential distraction Tetris offered the author. It's a masterclass in story telling, often sad, fascinating and hopeful all at once."
"Building something first in world is hard. I am constantly being told I am trying to do something impossible. Pessimist Archive documents all of the now mundane things that make up our world which were once thought to be impossible, or if they were possible, immoral. From the history of how planes could never work to the immortality of bicycles, it's a light hearted way to remind myself commentators can be hilariously wrong about the world."
Steven Bai
Bachelor of Design Computing '15
CEO and Co-Founder of Sencity Corporation and 2015 John C Harsanyi Medal winner.
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Image credit: Random House US
High Output Management by Andrew S. Grove
"This book became particularly relevant as I navigated challenges at work and learned to manage teams effectively. While it’s a practical guide for organising work and boosting productivity, my key takeaway is actually a reflection on work-life balance. Over the years, I’ve shifted my perspective from the very popular phrase "work-life balance" to “working with heart to balance”, that for me it's being fully present and mindful both at work and in personal life."
"Both are iconic sci-fi novels that I wish I had read earlier. They inspire insane but rational outside-the-box thinking and offer profound insights into humanity, technology, and innovation. These books challenged me to reflect on whether we are actively shaping reality or simply experiencing it as it’s projected through pre-existing patterns of knowledge and perception. For anyone building AI-enabled or technology-driven products, these thought-provoking reads are pretty good!"
Premesh Chandran
Master of International Studies '96
CEO and Co-Founder of Malaysiakini and Asia Mobiliti and 2020 Alumni Award for Professional Achievement winner.
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Image credit: Penguin Books
Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant
Originals addresses the challenge of improving the world from the perspective of becoming original: choosing to champion novel ideas and values that go against the grain, battle conformity, and buck outdated traditions.
Freakonomics co-author Stephen J. Dubner uncovers the hidden side of everything. Why is it safer to fly in an airplane than drive a car? How do we decide whom to marry? Why is the media so full of bad news? Also: things you never knew you wanted to know about wolves, bananas, pollution, search engines, and the quirks of human behaviour.
