With the hysteria that is the US election to roll on until Wednesday, it's probably time to take a little break from America.
Jimmy D fashion brand founder James Dobson talks about being fearless, pushing boundaries - and how not to be consumed by it all. Photo: RNZ / Sonia Sly
This weekend, kick your feet up and listen to stories a little more sane and closer to home.
Here are our RNZ podcast picks for this week:
Tea anyone?
Thousands of kilometres away from Syria's long and bloody civil war, the first Syrian refugees are beginning to settle into their new lives in New Zealand. On this week's Voices, we meet Yahya and his family, who have nestled into Wellington's Island Bay to reconnect with the simple pleasures of life - tea and cookies.
There's more to life than fashion
Get a glimpse of New Zealand's high-speed fashion world as Sonia Sly catches up with creative firestarter and founder of Jimmy D, James Dobson, on My Heels Are Killing Me. He talks to her about being fearless, pushing boundaries, and how not to be consumed by it all.
Written in stone - the first Māori gardens
This week on Our Changing World, we meet an archaeologist who dedicated his career to fighting for one of New Zealand's oldest historical sites, one he says has been abandoned by Auckland Council. Threatened by housing developments and hidden behind the bustle of Auckland Airport, the country's very first garden, the Otuataua stone fields, still stands the test of time. Set up by Polynesian arrivals in the 15th Century, it would be caught in the midst of colonial war hundreds of years later, and today is on the brink of disappearing completely.
The NEW Torchlight List - A final countdown
It's been a rough journey and a lot of hearts were broken, but Professor Jim Flynn has led us (through the vessel that is Wallace Chapman) along his brazen list of the 400 best modern reads on The NEW Torchlight List. We've also heard from listeners around the country about the 100 modern authors who made them cry and laugh and dream. This week Professor Flynn boils it all down to the definitive list, the ultimate guide for bookworms everywhere, that nearly killed his love of reading. Only nearly, though.
Arthur Worthington - scoundrel, sect-leader and serial acquirer of rich wives - features in this week's episode of Black Sheep. Photo: Canterbury Museum
Faith Fraud: the story of Arthur Worthington
And in case you haven't had enough of American antics and a devilish mix of lies, sex and religion, here's a macabre tale from the latest episode of Black Sheep.
In it William Ray dives into the history of conman turned mystic Arthur Worthington, who travelled the USA and New Zealand marrying rich women and stealing their money before running away and setting up his own religious sect, the Temple of Truth.
But if you do want to go all in on all things presidential, make sure to tune in to our full coverage of the US election next week and find out who will be America's Next Top Model, or something like that.
