Bob McTavish pioneered surf culture and changed the way people surfed, makes people happy everyday with his inventions and lives on the east coast of Australia.   i was lucky to sit with him last year to discuss life in the 60s, and his life as a writer, surfboard shaper and family man.

In this Episode I chat with Warren Ward about Eating Disorders. If this topic is triggering or not going to be helpful for you, please consider another episode.    Warren Ward is a psychiatrist who writes about philosophy, culture, travel and the history of ideas. Warren is an Associate Professor at The University of Queensland and has held the position of Director, Queensland Eating Disorders Service (QuEDS) since 2005. He is Chair of the Queensland Health Eating Disorder Advisory Group and co-author of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatry (RANZCP) Clinical Practice Guidelines for Eating Disorders. In 2017 he received the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Eating Disorders (ANZAED) Distinguished Achievement Award.    Books discussed: Master And Emissary by Iain McGilchrest Crime And Punishment & The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky George Saunders books (Civil War Land In Bad Decline I WOULD RECCOMEND THIS IT IS SO SO SO SO GOOD) Lovers of Philosophy and Renourish by WARREN WARD   Support for me/the show: www.patreon.com/aneedtoread Contact: aneedtoread.podcast (at) gmail . com

Ronan Mccrea is a professor of European and Constitutional Law at UCL. In this podcast we discuss the gay rights movement, it's history, future, and threats.    Ronan's book 'The End Of The Gay Rights Movement' is out now.    Got a burning desire to write to me? aneedtoread.podcast at gmail .com Support: www.patreon.com/aneedtoread   THANK YOU XXXX

Natalie Kyriacou is an environmentalist and author from Australia. Her book, Nature’s Last Dance, looks to inspire awe and wonder in its readers with an entertaining selection of stories from nature, stories of citizen scientists, fish with STD’s, rogue Emus and so much more.   To support A Need To Read please head to www.patreon.com/aneedtoread or www.buymeacoffee.com/aneedtoread   To chat: [email protected]

support - www.buymeacoffee.com/aneedtoread - www.betterhelp.com/aneedtoread for 10% off your first month of therapy online - https://get.descript.com/i51fa3crfprh I use descript to edit this episodes and it couldn’t be easier. It turns any audio in to studio quality

Katie spent 6 months in one of the world’s most forgotten countries — the Central African Republic. In this episode, we sit down in person to chat about her experiences there working as a medical doctor with Doctors Without Borders.   This is a story of people who have been ignored for too long — of grief, resilience, and what it means to show up in the darkest places.   Her book, Field Notes from Death’s Door, is available wherever you get your books. It’s excellent, and I genuinely recommend you give it a read if you can. Today’s paid partner is BetterHelp, to get 10% off your first month of online therapy with a credentialed therapist head to www.betterhelp.com/aneedtoread         A Need To Read is partnered with The Breath Space, a online Breath-work education and practise portal that I have been using for the last couple of months, alongside my course to become a breath-work facilitator. To check out how breathwork can help you, follow the link and use the code ED for 50% off your first 2 months.  https://courses.thebreathspace.co.uk/your-breath-space-online-membership    You can also support my work by heading to www.buymeacoffee.com/aneedtoread    Any feedback is welcome: [email protected]

Today’s paid partner is BetterHelp, to get 10% off your first month of online therapy with a credentialed therapist head to www.betterhelp.com/aneedtoread   In this episode, I sit down with Ellie Middleton — author of Unmasked and How To Be You — to talk about the messy, powerful journey of self-discovery through a late diagnosis of autism and ADHD. From anxiety misdiagnoses and burnout cycles to the pressures of “being normal” and the power of simply understanding yourself, Ellie opens up about it all. We also dive into reading habits, writing under pressure, self-compassion, and learning to be a big brave girl (in the surf).   What We Talk About The cycle of burnout and the misdiagnosis of anxiety and depression Ellie’s late diagnosis journey and the “lightbulb” moment in therapy Masking and why “being normal” is so damn exhausting Reading as a neurodivergent person — fiction, nonfiction, and dropping the book snobbery Writing two books in under two years (and nearly breaking herself doing it) Neurodivergent time vs. linear time — and why “spinning out in space” matters The power of somatic work, surfing, and getting comfortable looking silly Gendered differences in how autism and ADHD are recognised Internalised ableism and the fear of being your unmasked self Self-compassion as a daily practice, not a one-time fix   Links & Resources: Follow Ellie: @elliemidds on Instagram / TikTok / LinkedIn Follow the podcast on Instagram: @aneedtoread   A Need To Read is partnered with The Breath Space, a online Breath-work education and practise portal that I have been using for the last couple of months, alongside my course to become a breath-work facilitator. To check out how breathwork can help you, follow the link and use the code ED for 50% off your first 2 months.  https://courses.thebreathspace.co.uk/your-breath-space-online-membership    You can also support my work by heading to www.buymeacoffee.com/aneedtoread    Any feedback is welcome: [email protected]

Boys read less than girls. That’s what the stats say, and today, writer, Lucas Oakley joins me to chat about why this is and gives some direction for guys looking to get into reading.   Today’s paid partner is betterhelp, for 10% off your first month head to www.betterhelp.com/aneedtoread   books discussed Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead Mothers by Chris Power All that man is by David Soles Men without women by Murakami Reservoir Bitches by Dahlia De La Cerda The Bee Sting by Paul Murray Four Three Two One by Paul Auster A Little Life by Hanya Yangahara Skippy Dies by Paul Murray   For info on his new book and book club for boys follow Lucas on Instagram:  @LucasOakeley   buy me a coffee if you like, www.buymeacoffee.com/aneedtoread   Feedback/comments welcome: [email protected]

Today’s paid partner is BetterHelp, to get 10% off your first month of online therapy with a credentialed therapist head to www.betterhelp.com/aneedtoread - Today's conversation is with Joanna Moncreiff, the author of 'Chemically Imbalanced: the making and unmaking of the serotonin myth'. We discuss the history of the link between depression and serotonin, side effects of taking SSRI's and the emerging mental health treatment methods that we should be wary of.    For help understanding how you can come off Anti Depressants, follow this link  -    A Need To Read is partnered with The Breath Space, a online Breath-work education and practise portal that I have been using for the last couple of months, alongside my course to become a breath-work facilitator. To check out how breathwork can help you, follow the link and use the code ED for 50% off your first 2 months.  https://courses.thebreathspace.co.uk/your-breath-space-online-membership    You can also support my work by heading to www.buymeacoffee.com/aneedtoread    Any feedback is welcome: [email protected]

Matt Smith is a former professional surfer and sailor, now he spends his time on the west coast of Ireland as CEO of the charity HOMETREE (https://www.hometree.ie/about).   You can find him on Instagram @thehonestcaptain where he talks about his projectsshow support  www.betterhelp.com/aneedtoread www.buymeacoffee.com//aneedtoread