"Between hope and despair" - Elizabeth Strout on US politics

Joining Brendan to discuss the Sunday papers this week are; Dan Mulhall, Former Irish Ambassador to the United States; Sinead O’Carroll, Editor of thejournal.ie; Gerard Howlin, Public Affairs Advisor and Irish Times columnist and Sinead McSweeney, Former Global VP Public Policy Twitter and current student.

The irrepressible Hector Ó hEochagáin picked music including Big Country, U2 and Sahara band, Tinariwen. And he spoke about his new book, The Irish Words You Should Know, which includes – among other nuggets - four separate words for ‘drunk’ as Gaeilge.

With autumn on the march, Galway businesswoman and walker, Lisa Regan, picks her favourite walks for what is now called ‘forest bathing’ in Ireland. Among others. she recommended the Galway Windmill Walk; the Blessington Greenway; and old favourite, The Wicklow Way. She also suggested using the app, AllTrails.

Henrietta McKervey, Writer and John Maguire, Film Critic with the Business Post join Brendan to talk about the big movie releases of the week and the best shows to catch on TV.

Hollywood actress Jane Seymour and her partner John Zambetti of The Malibooz are living and working in Ireland at present and joined Brendan to talk courtship, love and discovering Ireland

Clinical psychologist Dr Tony Bates on his six month silent retreat in a monastery and the benefits of injecting a bit of silence into our daily lives

Pulitzer Prize-winner Elizabeth Strout is a best-selling author. Her latest book - which brings two characters together – is Tell me Everything. This morning, she chatted to Brendan about growing up in a house without TV; getting rejections from publishers for decades, and the approaching US Presidential election.

Irish people are getting better at shopping around on big-ticket items like mortgages, but what about smaller monthly bills, like phone bills? Irish Times technology journalist, Ciara O’Brien, had tips for listeners on how to get the best deal on mobile phone accounts.

Chef Sunil Ghai of Pickle, Tiffin and Street by Sunil talks Brendan through the art of creating the perfect curry using simple spices.

It’s a move that will send a chill down the spines of many hybrid workers, Amazon boss, Andy Jassy, this week ordered his staff back to the office five days a week. Will it start a trend among other employers? Louise Campbell, head of Careers Network at UCD's Smurfit Business School, dropped in to discuss with Brendan