Audiobooks narrated by Jessica Douglas-Henry

Over 500,000 years ago, a single gene mutated. It spread over time, becoming critical in the journey transforming our earliest ancestors into fully modern humans, capable of navigating the entire planet and beyond. Then just a few thousand years ago, humans gradually outsourced knowledge to writing, and we displaced art and music from the heart of learning. This is the extraordinary story of the discovery of a supergene that makes us uniquely human. Dr Lynne Kelly recounts how a widespread congenital disorder was the critical clue she and her collaborators needed to identify the gene that has long eluded researchers into human cognition. The knowledge gene supercharged our ability to learn and share knowledge with others, explaining the prodigious memories of Indigenous people the world over. The discovery of the knowledge gene unlocks many other puzzles too. It explains for the first time why humans are the only species to make art, offers new insights into the earliest music and storytelling, and into the cognitive strengths of neurodivergent people. The Knowledge Gene shows that we can all access the full power of our memories, without giving up any of the advantages of writing and technology. The implications for learning and creativity at any age are profound.

Lynne Kelly (Author), Jessica Douglas-Henry (Narrator)

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Koala: A Natural History and an Uncertain Future

Koalas regularly appeared in Australian biologist Danielle Clode's backyard, but it was only when a bushfire threatened that she truly paid them attention. In vivid, descriptive prose, Clode embarks on a delightful and surprising journey through evolutionary biology, natural history, and ecology to understand where these enigmatic animals came from and what their future may hold. She begins her search with the fossils of ancient giant koalas, delving into why the modern koala has become the lone survivor of a once-diverse family of uniquely Australian marsupials. Koala investigates the remarkable physiology of these charismatic creatures. Clode explores the complex relationship and unexpected connections between this endearing species and humans. She explains how koalas are simultaneously threatened with extinction in some areas due to disease, climate change, and increasing wildfires, while overpopulating forests in other parts of the country. Deeply researched and filled with wonder, Koala is both a tender and inquisitive paean to a species unlike any other and a call to ensure its survival.

Danielle Clode (Author), Jessica Douglas-Henry (Narrator)

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You Talk, We Die

‘They should do something,' I groaned. Then a frightening prospect — they might be me! What the hell could I do? In July 2016, inner-city resident Judy Ryan found a young man — one of ‘her regulars' — slumped and quiet at her gate. He had overdosed from heroin. Fortunately, that man lived. But Judy had reached breaking point. After four years in a ‘war zone', where children might encounter a body on the streets, enough was enough. Knowing little about what she was getting into, but fired with resolve, Judy launched a grassroots campaign against apathy and prejudice. While the residents fought for their neighbourhood and for the right of those suffering from addiction to be treated with the needed care and respect, they would see three coroners' reports, two elections, a private member's bill, the police finally acknowledging that arresting their way out of the problem didn't work, and more unnecessary deaths before the trial of a safe injecting facility was agreed to. A story of drugs, addiction, and a health crisis that touches people from all walks of life, You Talk, We Die is also a highly personal yet practical account of how an authentic local voice and an inclusive campaign can change the minds of business and political leaders to improve the lives of everyone in a community. ‘Anyone who cares about humanity should read this inspiring story.' JOHANN HARI

Judy Ryan (Author), Jessica Douglas-Henry (Narrator)

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Koala: A Life in Trees

An immersive, entertaining journey into the hidden life of the koala, revealing what life is really like up in the trees Despite their iconic status and celebrity, koalas remain something of a mystery. Often affectionate in captivity, they seek out human assistance when in need of water or care yet can also be fierce and belligerent. They are beloved worldwide and feature in popular children's stories, but are also plagued by sexually transmitted diseases and maligned for a lack of intelligence. Their diet consists solely of leaves that are full of toxins. In some states they are threatened with extinction, while in others they are dying from overpopulation. Fuelled by her biologist's background and deep curiosity, Danielle Clode delves into the world of koalas to discover what's behind the sweet face on thousands of postcards. From their megafaunal ancestors to the disastrous effects of colonisation, from remarkable conservation success in the 1920s to the devastating bushfires of 2019–2020, Clode tells the story of koalas and their complex relationship with humans. Sharing the latest scientific insights and myth-busting facts, all woven through Clode's award-winning storytelling, Koala takes readers up into the trees to reveal the truth about this extraordinary animal and what must be done to ensure its survival. ‘The tree-dwelling koala is one of Australia's most iconic species, yet it is threatened by habitat loss. Danielle Clode, a natural storyteller, has written an insightful book that deepens our understanding of this fascinating animal and highlights the urgency of its survival.' —PETER WOHLLEBEN, author of The Hidden Life of Trees

Danielle Clode (Author), Jessica Douglas-Henry (Narrator)

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The Winter Road: A Story of Legacy, Land and a Killing at Croppa Creek

An epic true story of greed, power and a desire for legacy from an acclaimed Australian storyteller. July 2014, a lonely road at twilight outside Croppa Creek, New South Wales: 80-year-old farmer Ian Turnbull takes out a .22 and shoots environmental officer Glen Turner in the back. On one side, a farmer hoping to secure his family's wealth on the richest agricultural soil in the country. On the other, his obsession: the government man trying to apply environmental laws. The brutal killing of Glen Turner splits open the story of our place on this land. Is our time on this soil a tale of tragedy or triumph – are we reaping what we've sown? Do we owe protection to the land, or does it owe us a living? And what happens when, in pursuit of a legacy, a man creates terrible consequences? Kate Holden brings her discerning eye to a gripping tale of law, land and inheritance. It is the story of Australia. Compellingly told, shattering in its reverberations, The Winter Road is a story for our times – a battle that is being fought the world over as we try to find a better way of managing the land and respecting the forces of nature that sustain us.' —Isabella Tree, author of Wilding ‘This book is a major contribution to the canon of Australian land and social history: a bedfellow with Francis Ratcliffe, W.E.H. Stanner, Tim Flannery, Bill Gammage and Bruce Pascoe … Its power is in exposing a hidden, suppurating sore in the psyche of our nation.' —Charles Massy, author of Call of the Reed Warbler ‘Holden brilliantly telescopes centuries of history and law into fatal conversations at a farm gate. As one man stalks another on a winter road, the whole psyche of modern Australian settlement comes under trial. An enthralling and disturbing tale told with deep insight and compassion.' —Tom Griffiths, author of The Art of Time Travel ‘This is a special book, and I cannot thank Holden enough for writing it.' —Anna Krien, author of Into the Woods and Night Games ‘Holden finds the epic thread in this crime.' —Chloe Hooper, author of The Tall Man and The Arsonist ‘An incredible writer.' —Books+Publishing

Kate Holden (Author), Jessica Douglas-Henry (Narrator)

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With My Little Eye

The very funny true story of three children recruited by their parents to work for ASIO in the 1950s. 'Hilarious, moving and brilliantly told' - Susan Johnson 'An intimate and compelling look at an ordinary family who happen to be ASIO agents.' - Kristina Olsson Growing up in the 1950s, the three Doherty children were trained by their parents to memorise car number plates, to spot unusual behaviour on the street, and most important of all, to avoid drawing attention to themselves. The children became unwitting foot soldiers in Australia's battle against Soviet infiltration in the Cold War. They attended political rallies, stood watch on houses owned by communist sympathisers, and infiltrated the UFO Society. In 1956 the Doherty family went on a beach holiday with Vladimir and Evdokia Petrov, the famous Soviet defectors, who were hiding from Soviet assassins. Dudley and Joan Doherty swore their children to secrecy, and for decades, they didn't even discuss among themselves the work they did for ASIO. With My Little Eye is a poignant and very funny account of a peculiar childhood in 1950s suburban Australia. Sandra Hogan is a journalist, writer, reviewer and business writing teacher.

Sandra Hogan (Author), Jessica Douglas-Henry (Narrator)

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The Rain Heron

Ren lives alone on the remote frontier of a country devastated by a coup. High on the forested slopes, she survives by hunting and trading - and forgetting. But when a young soldier comes to the mountains in search of a legendary creature, Ren is inexorably drawn into an impossible mission. As their lives entwine, unravel and erupt - as myth merges with reality - both Ren and the soldier are forced to confront what they regret, what they love, and what they fear. A vibrant homage to the natural world, bursting with beautiful landscapes and memorable characters, The Rain Heron is a beautifully told eco-fable about our fragile and dysfunctional relationships with the planet and with each other, the havoc we wreak and the price we pay. "The Rain Heron is genuinely and completely magnificent - a magical thing." ROBERT LUKINS

Robbie Arnott (Author), Jessica Douglas-Henry, Zoe Carides (Narrator)

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Barefoot in the Bindis

Scottish-born Robert Wales sailed into Sydney Harbour during WWII, but in 1953 he was choking in the city and doctors prescribed fresh country air. With no experience and only knowledge he'd picked up from a few books, he uproots his family and sets out to establish a sheep farm in the bush. When they arrive on a lonely hill in northern New South Wales, they have no electricity, no running water, no telephone and no choice but to make this their home. From Angela Wales, eldest of the five kids, comes this extraordinarily vivid and evocative account of the next ten years as they try to tame six thousand acres of bush and navigate the challenges of country life. Filled with drama and hilarity, joy and back-breaking toil, Barefoot in the Bindis portrays a childhood spent in the outback, and is a sensational picture of Australia's past.

Angela Wales (Author), Jessica Douglas-Henry (Narrator)

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Australian Farming Families

Author Deb Hunt sets out to discover what makes what makes our Australian farming families tick. Travelling to properties across the country - from a vast, dusty cattle run in outback Queensland to the wheat belt of Western Australia and dairy farms in Tasmania - and introducing us to eight different families who survive and thrive on the land, these stories provide a window into a way of life that defines the Australian spirit at its best.

Deb Hunt (Author), Jessica Douglas-Henry (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Jessica Douglas-Henry