Trent Dalton's own story in five songs episode artwork

EPISODE · Nov 20, 2025 · 54 MIN

Trent Dalton's own story in five songs

from Take 5 · host Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Trent Dalton is a master storyteller. His debut novel Boy Swallows Universe is an international bestseller, it was turned into a Netflix series and recently voted as Australia’s #1 read of the last quarter century, in Radio National's Top 100 books.A Walkley Award winning journalist, Trent followed this stunning debut with several other works of fiction, and a collection of Love Stories from the streets of Brisbane. And now he has a new novel, Gravity Let Me Go, for us to sink our teeth into.You’re about to hear an incredible conversation; some big yarns and the music that has shaped Trent Dalton’s whole life story. If you know him, you know he’s a massive music fan, and I’ve been wanting to have him Take 5 for yonks. I soon found out the feeling was mutual.Trent Dalton's song choices:Vera Lynn - '(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs Of Dover'Melanie - 'Ruby Tuesday'Pearl Jam - 'Alive'Powderfinger - 'These Days'Taylor Swift - 'Out Of The Woods'00:00 Introduction and Opening Anecdote00:19 Meet Trent Dalton: A Master Storyteller01:40 The Power of Music in Writing03:00 SONG 1: Vera Lynn - '(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs Of Dover'03:26 Family War Story and the Ultimate Sacrifice08:48 Love Stories and Personal Reflections14:29 SONG 2: Melanie - 'Ruby Tuesday'14:46 A Tale of Two Parents24:05 Pearl Jam: A Lifelong Influence27:22 Reflecting on Pearl Jam's Influence28:28 A Memorable Graduation Night29:58 Meeting Eddie Vedder31:37 SONG 3: Pearl Jam - 'Alive'34:58 The Impact of Boy Swallows Universe37:24 The Love Story with Fiona39:32 Powderfinger and Bernard Fanning42:33 SONG 4: Powderfinger - 'These Days'45:26 Writing About Long-Term Relationships48:44 SONG 5: Taylor Swift - 'Out Of The Woods'52:27 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Trent Dalton is a master storyteller. His debut novel Boy Swallows Universe is an international bestseller, it was turned into a Netflix series and recently voted as Australia’s #1 read of the last quarter century, in Radio National's Top 100 books. A Walkley Award winning journalist, Trent followed this stunning debut with several other works of fiction, and a collection of Love Stories from the streets of Brisbane. And now he has a new novel, Gravity Let Me Go, for us to sink our teeth into. You’re about to hear an incredible conversation; some big yarns and the music that has shaped Trent Dalton’s whole life story. If you know him, you know he’s a massive music fan, and I’ve been wanting to have him Take 5 for yonks. I soon found out the feeling was mutual. Trent Dalton's song choices: Vera Lynn - '(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs Of Dover' Melanie - 'Ruby Tuesday' Pearl Jam - 'Alive' Powderfinger - 'These Days' Taylor Swift - 'Out Of The Woods' 00:00 Introduction and Opening Anecdote 00:19 Meet Trent Dalton: A Master Storyteller 01:40 The Power of Music in Writing 03:00 SONG 1: Vera Lynn - '(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs Of Dover' 03:26 Family War Story and the Ultimate Sacrifice 08:48 Love Stories and Personal Reflections 14:29 SONG 2: Melanie - 'Ruby Tuesday' 14:46 A Tale of Two Parents 24:05 Pearl Jam: A Lifelong Influence 27:22 Reflecting on Pearl Jam's Influence 28:28 A Memorable Graduation Night 29:58 Meeting Eddie Vedder 31:37 SONG 3: Pearl Jam - 'Alive' 34:58 The Impact of Boy Swallows Universe 37:24 The Love Story with Fiona 39:32 Powderfinger and Bernard Fanning 42:33 SONG 4: Powderfinger - 'These Days' 45:26 Writing About Long-Term Relationships 48:44 SONG 5: Taylor Swift - 'Out Of The Woods' 52:27 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

NOW PLAYING

Trent Dalton's own story in five songs

0:00 54:49

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

The Course Mentors Podcast The Course Mentors Hey there, future course creator!Ever feel like turning your know-how into an online course is like trying to solve a Rubik's cube blindfolded? Well, grab your headphones because "The Course Mentors Podcast" is here to be your secret weapon!Meet Aimee and Odette (that's us!), your new best friends in the course creation world. We've been in the trenches for over a decade, and for the last five years, we've been rocking the online course space. Now we're here to spill all our secrets in bite-sized, 15-20 minute episodes that'll fit perfectly in your coffee breaks.No fluff, no filler - just real, actionable advice that'll take you from "um, what's a landing page?" to "holy moly, I just hit six figures!". We're talking everything from crafting your course to marketing it like a pro and building a business that'll have you pinching yourself.Whether you're dreaming of ditching the 9-to-5 grind, adding a sweet extra income str 2 Old Ladies Walking Rozee 2 Old Ladies Walking features the journeys, insights, and light conversation between Liz and Rosie, two women of a certain age who live in the Hudson Valley of New York. From pelvic floor challenges and life with young adult children to food, bird calls, fear of “mad lamb” disease, and myriad topics in between, we cover it all while walking on the scenic trails of the northeast, or wherever our travels take us. Join us and have a listen! The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien Audiobook Raghvendra Singh The journey through Middle-earth begins here with J.R.R. Tolkien's classic prelude to his Lord of the Rings trilogy.“A glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and seasoned with a quiet humor that is irresistible... All those, young or old, who love a fine adventurous tale, beautifully told, will take The Hobbit to their hearts.”—The New York Times Book Review"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." So begins one of the most beloved and delightful tales in the English language—Tolkien's prelude to The Lord of the Rings. Set in the imaginary world of Middle-earth, at once a classic myth and a modern fairy tale, The Hobbit is one of literature's most enduring and well-loved novels.Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away Take Me Off Your List Pitchfire Ryan O'Hara, CEO and founder of Pitchfire dives into the wild world of B2B marketing, demand generation, sales, and all things go-to-market with the help of some friends. Sponsored by Pitchfire. Sign up for free: https://www.pitchfire.com

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Take 5?

This episode is 54 minutes long.

When was this Take 5 episode published?

This episode was published on November 20, 2025.

What is this episode about?

Trent Dalton is a master storyteller. His debut novel Boy Swallows Universe is an international bestseller, it was turned into a Netflix series and recently voted as Australia’s #1 read of the last quarter century, in Radio National's Top 100...

Can I download this Take 5 episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!