Wireless Books

Katrina loves Marian - Marian Keyes has a new novel out (Again, Rachel) and Beth was unhappy to learn that she couldn't take it with her. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

New Books - We are back in the studio and Christine has plenty of new books to talk about. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

Christine remembers her favourite books of 2021 and then reviews some of the latest books in the Athenaeum. Then we learn about the perils of dentistry in the West Coast 100 years ago. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

Home Science - The School of Home Science opened in 1911 with five students in a tin shed where the School of Mines used to be. We talk about how Home Science was considered a safe sphere for women and the fight the Chair had to keep academic standards high. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

New Years Day - Christine's Happy Songs Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

A Christmas Show - Christine and Beth host their traditional Christmas Show of Christmas carols but this year there is a difference - we concentrate on just two artists John Denver and the wonderful Karen Carpenter. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

Reacher is Back Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

It is an exciting week: celebrating 100 years of radio in New Zealand; a Heritage Festival in the weekend and the freeing of Britney Spears. We touch on all three events as well as the history of Merton Hodge a Dunedin trained Doctor who became a hugely successful international playwright in the 1930's. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

The young lady of Caversham - Christine found an old brochure with some limericks from Otago Punch 1866 and more information about early Otago writers. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

Before the meat market it was a library - The original Athenaeum building (down in the Exchange) was never really fit for purpose and the Athenaeum soon moved on leaving the building to become a bank before ending it's days as a meat market. Beth and Christine discuss the buildings sad fate and then talk about the new books. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

Back to the beginning - Christine was approached by a family who where wanting any information about their ancestor who family lore said was involved in the Athenaeum. She was able to find mentions of him in Jim Sullivan's history of the Athenaeum 'Reading Matters' and he had been on the Athenaeum's first Committee. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

The Wonderful Lansburys - Last time Christine started to tell the story of George Lansbury a British politician and his son Edgar Lansbury but she ran out of time and she promised to blow your socks off with more information about the Lansbury family in this show. I don't that Beth's socks were blown off but there is an unexpected addition to the Lansbury story. Plus Christine reviews the latest books in the Athenaeum library. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

At last, we are open - The Athenaeum reopened on Wednesday when we entered Level 2 just in time to record another episode of Wireless Books. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz

Dinah Mulock Craik - Dinah is a forgotten Victorian writer who at one time was only outsold by Charles Dickens. Her life story was full of amazing twists and turns and Christine gives us a short run through of some of them. Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin oar.org.nz