Show Notes
There was sad news this week from Nashville, Tennessee, the home of the undisputed Queen of Country, Dolly Parton. Regular listeners will know that we were big Dolly fans, in fact we tried to get her to come on the show on July 4th, to mark America’s 250th birthday. We did that partly because in the disunited states of America, she was a unifying figure. We’ve been looking back on an extraordinary American life, in her words, and in her songs.
More from Saturday Extra - Separate stories podcast
Cassie McCullagh, from The Bookshelf on Radio National chats about her favourite book, we share listener texts and preview what's ahead on this weekend's Top 100 Australian Books Countdown.
Many of us develop a love of reading at school. Perhaps a special teacher or a favourite book made a lasting impression. But many of us also develop an aversion to reading in high school. Generations of Australians have studied the classics at school, Shakespeare, George Orwell, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mocking Bird. But how much space is given to Australian literature, and what impact does it have on young readers?
The US Congress is the institution that most directly represents the will of the people: 535 representatives divided into two houses. Despite the importance of Congress, there's been an increasing trend for presidents to bypass the body and issue executive orders to achieve political goals. US historian Gary Gerstle unpacks the shrinking role of Congress, political polarisation, and whether the centre-left is the Democrats' sweet spot.
Next month, the United States congressional midterms will decide which party controls the Senate and House of Representatives. Both are currently held by the Republicans. With rising grocery and petrol prices, the election comes as Donald Trump's approval rating reaches an all-time low. Will the poll reveal the future direction of both major political parties in the USA?
Ukraine has resumed strikes on Russian oil refineries, accusing Washington of a dangerous betrayal after the US withdrew support critical to Ukraine's defences against Moscow. The move comes as President Donald Trump strikes a diesel deal with Moscow, infuriating European leaders and exposing a growing rift over how best to bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.