TGE's Current Read

About TGE's Current Read

Sam Herbst (co-host of The Great Equalizer) catches up with authors to chat about their books. TGE's Current Read offers word nerds, bibliophiles and literature buffs a glimpse into the mind of an author and showcases the latest books that the world's biggest publishing houses have on offer. Subscribe and join the conversation with TGE and authors from around the globe.

Publisher

TGE Media

Category

arts

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

9 Jul 2021

Latest episode

28 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

40 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Jul 2026

   Why Some Marriages End So Suddenly | Eve Simmons on Divorce, Starting Over & What She Did Next

   Sometimes the hardest chapter isn't the ending – it's what comes next.In this episode of Current Read, journalist and author Eve Simmons joins host Sam Herbst to discuss her powerful new book, What She Did Next.Part memoir and part investigative journalism, the book explores the emotional aftermath of an unexpected divorce, why so many women are blindsided by relationship breakdowns, and how we rebuild our identities when life doesn't follow the script we imagined.Drawing on her own experience alongside interviews with experts and women who've lived through similar heartbreak, Eve unpacks the changing landscape of modern love, marriage, grief, resilience and second chances.Whether you've experienced divorce yourself, supported someone through heartbreak, or are simply fascinated by the stories we tell ourselves about relationships, this conversation offers honesty, compassion and hope.In this episode, we discuss:• Why some marriages end without warning• Divorce, grief and rebuilding your identity• Modern relationships and changing expectations of love• The search for closure after heartbreak• Why storytelling can be part of healing• How What She Did Next became both a memoir and an investigation📚 About the book: What She Did Next by Eve SimmonsWhat happens when 'happily ever after' ends too soon?Eve Simmons had the life she thought she wanted: love, a home, a future, security. Then, overnight, it was gone. Her husband left with no explanation. No conversation. No closure.Thrown into a heartbreak she never saw coming, the award-winning journalist did what she does best: she investigated. What she discovered was startling - her story wasn't rare. A growing number of women are being blindsided by sudden, unexplained break-ups. Some are mourning long-term relationships and others marriages that had barely begun.In What She Did Next, Simmons blends gripping memoir with original reporting to uncover the hidden dynamics driving modern lovers apart, from emotional avoidance and burnout to shifting expectations of intimacy.This is a powerful, timely book of love, loss and the courage to begin again. If you enjoy thoughtful conversations about books, writing and the ideas shaping our world, subscribe to Current Read for new author interviews every week.#CurrentRead #EveSimmons #WhatSheDidNext #Divorce #ModernLove #Relationships #Heartbreak #BreakupRecovery #Marriage #StartingOver #Memoir #BookPodcast #AuthorInterview #BooksYouShouldRead #BookTube #WomenWriters #LiteraryPodcast #NonFiction #Healing #LifeAfterDivorce

2. 

   11 Jun 2026

   Because I Love You | Joy Watson on love, emotional abuse, and finding yourself again

   What happens when love slowly erodes your sense of self?In this episode of Current Read, host Sam Herbst sits down with writer, feminist researcher and editor Joy Watson to discuss her powerful and deeply emotive novel, Because I Love You.Through the intertwined stories of three women, Watson explores the subtle and often overlooked dynamics of emotional harm, manipulation, self-doubt and identity in intimate relationships. Rather than focusing on overt violence, the novel examines the quieter ways people can lose themselves in love — and what it takes to find their way back.In this conversation, Joy discusses the personal experiences that informed the novel, why she chose to weave her own reflections throughout the text, and the unique structure that blends fiction with intimate commentary. We also explore feminism, coercive control, emotional micro-aggressions, women's relationships with themselves, and why so many readers will see their own experiences reflected in the book's pages.This is an honest, nuanced and thought-provoking conversation about love, power, vulnerability and reclaiming your voice.🎙️ Subscribe for more author interviews, book recommendations and literary conversations from Current Read with Sam Herbst__#JoyWatson #BecauseILoveYou #CurrentRead #AuthorInterview #BookPodcast #LiteraryPodcast #EmotionalAbuse #RelationshipBooks #FeministBooks #WomenWriters #BookTube #Bookstagram #BookClubBooks #PsychologicalFiction #LiteraryFiction #SouthAfricanAuthors #ReadingCommunity #BooksAndAuthors #TheGreatEqualizer #PodcastRecommendation

3. 

   8 Jun 2026

   Alka Joshi on The Henna Artist, Six Days in Bombay & becoming a bestselling author at 62

   International bestselling author Alka Joshi joins Sam in-studio for a very special episode of Current Read. Best known for her breakout debut novel The Henna Artist (the first novel in The Jaipur Trilogy), Joshi’s historical fiction has transported millions of readers across the world to the pink city of Jaipur in the 1950s and to Shimla at the foothills of the Himalayas (not to mention 1950s Paris and Bombay.Joshi’s most recent novel, Six Days in Bombay, takes us further back to the 1930s, from Bombay to the tea houses of Istanbul, as well as several cities across a pre-WW II Europe including Prague, Paris, Florence and London.Joshi’s work has been translated into 29 languages and celebrated around the world for its vivid portrayal of women, identity, ambition and belonging.From a career in advertising to becoming one of the world's most beloved historical fiction authors, Alka Joshi's journey is as compelling as the stories she writes.In this episode of Current Read, the author shares the remarkable story behind her late-in-life literary debut, including how The Henna Artist began as a love letter to her mother and evolved into a love letter to India. The author chats at length about complex, resilient women at the heart of all her novels, delving into the unexpected evolution of The Jaipur Trilogy, and the inspiration behind Six Days in Bombay. She also gives us a sneak peek into her forthcoming novel, Daughters of the Pink City.Named among Forbes' prestigious 50 Over 50 in 2023, the author reflects on feminism, reinvention, creative success later in life, and what comes next in her writing journey.Whether you're a fan of historical fiction, book club favourites, women's stories, or simply love hearing how great books come to life, do not miss this conversation! And let us know what you think.📚 Books discussed:• The Henna Artist• Six Days in Bombay• The Secret Keeper of Jaipur• The Perfumist of Paris__🎙️ Subscribe for more author interviews, book recommendations and literary conversations from TGE's Current Read.__ #AlkaJoshi #TheHennaArtist #SixDaysInBombay #JaipurTrilogy #HistoricalFiction #BookPodcast #AuthorInterview #CurrentRead #BookTube #WomenWriters #LiteraryPodcast #HistoricalFictionBooks #BookClubBooks #ReadingCommunity #FictionLovers #IndianDiaspora #WomensFiction #WritersLife #BooksAndAuthors #CurrenRead

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

24,850

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Podcast Authority Score: 30 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

30

Social presence

0

YouTube

76

Engagement

0

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.