The Goldster Magazine Show

TJ Halbertsma is the living equivalent of Superman – one moment Clark Kent; in a suit and tie, commuting to work in an office, in his own words, “just an ordinary guy”. Next, spinning through an imaginary revolving door and you find the same person achieving extraordinary feats. From climbing some of the most notoriously dangerous mountains such as the Eiger and Denali, to crossing the English Channel on a stand-up paddleboard, walking to both Poles and ‘escaping’ from Alcatrez. Success hasn’t always come easily and the author extols the virtues of grit, resilience and commitment. In his book,‘Many Worlds to Conquer’, this remarkable dutchman recounts some of these true life adventures and, in his humility as ‘an ordinary guy doing extraordinary things’, makes his stories all the more inspiring, thrilling – and, relatable. Join me, Rosie Stancer, in conversation with “TJ” on the Goldsters Book Club programme, Tuesday 28th January from 1-2pm.

George Mehok is an exciting mix between thriller author, software designer and angel investor for new companies working on the edge of our technological revolution. His debut novel, Going Dark, skillfully keeps us on the edge of our seats. He weaves today’s most challenging issues with threads back to 1791 and a secret military unit tasked with delivering a secret message to Thomas Jefferson that altered the trajectory of the War of Independence against Britain.

In Going Dark, that same secret unit, generations later, is tasked with an equally pivotal mission. George feeds into his story-telling real-life experiences working with banks, phone companies, the aerospace industry and more, injecting them with innovations that win George and his team awards.  The constant theme is how technology whether in the 2020s or 1790s has been pivotal in shaping out history, such that George will also be talking about powerful figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump. How did they get to be where they are today. 

To find out more about  what makes the world tick in the way it does,  if you have business idea seeking investment, or simply want to meet the author who could become the next great thriller writer of his generation, join George with Humphrey Hawksley and 1pm on Tuesday February 4^th on the Goldster Magazine Show. 

We may think of ‘globalism’ as a recent development, but its origins date back centuries,  when courageous seafarers pioneered routes across the oceans with the objectives of exploration, trade and profits. Improvements in ship design, compasses and mapping, enabled navigation across unprecedented distances. The embarkation points were the vibrant ports of the West – Venice, Amsterdam, Lisbon – and their destinations the exotic ports of the East – Malacca, Goa, Bombay – where they tracked down the elusive spices.

This development of maritime communication brought benefits apart from culinary delights: the spread of ideas on art, literature and science. But it was not beneficial for everyone concerned: colonial ambitions could be disastrous for local populations who were often exploited as labour. Author and journalist, Nick Nugent gives a fascinating insight into this period of the maritime spice trade with stories of how famous ports were developed, what damage was caused and what benefits came out of it that feed into our current system of global supply chains that cross continents to bring us our food, clothes and more.  

Join Nick Nugent in conversation with Humphrey Hawksley at 1pm on Tuesday February 11th on the Goldster Magazine Show and Podcast.

Why are women taken less seriously than men?  Can men imagine living in a world in which you were routinely patronised by women. Imagine having your views ignored or your expertise frequently challenged by women. Imagine trying to speak up in a meeting, only to be talked over by female colleagues. Imagine being trolled by women on social media for daring to express an opinion. Author and broadcaster, Mary Ann Seighart, best-selling book is The Authority Gap: Why Women Are Still Taken Less Seriously Than Men, and What We Can Do About it. Mary Ann spent 20 years as Assistant Editor and columnist at The Times and won a large following for her writing on politics, economics, feminism, parenthood and life in general. She has presented many programmes on BBC Radio 4, such as Start the Week, Profile, Analysis, Fallout and One to One.  She is a Visiting Professor at the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London and was Chair of the judges for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2022.  With Mary Ann, Goldster brings you a startling perspective on the unseen bias at work in women’s everyday lives, revealing the scale of the gap that still persists between men and women. The Authority Gap is a book that will make you angry and shake your head in disbelief. But it will also inspire you, because it contains the key to addressing these problems, mapping out the measures women can take, as individuals and society. Join Mary Ann Seighart in an enthralling conversation with Humphrey Hawksley at 1pm (UK time) on Tuesday March 4^th on the Goldster Magazine Show and Podcast. 

Reporting important and neglected stories has taken Heidi Kingstone to some of the most desperate places on the planet. She has covered disease and poverty from Mali to Sierra Leone; life in Darfur; and water wars between Palestine and Israel. In 2009, she was commissioned to write a four-part series on the ‘Worst Places in the World’. What propels someone to follow such a career that will bring them face to face with some of the most catastrophic personal tragedies? She wrote Dispatches from the Kabul Café from her experience of the war in Afghanistan as friends fell victim to ambush, kidnap and suicide bombing. A passionate advocate for women’s rights, Heidi witnessed women as heroes, as victims, as freeloaders, as rivals. Her latest book is bluntly titled Genocide: Personal Stories, Big Questions and in today’s constant talk of war the issue is becoming more and more relevant. Heidi gives us insight into genocides in Armenia, Cambodia, Rwanda, the Holocaust and others, piecing together stories from experts and survivors on this very uncomfortable subject that we are still grappling with today. Join Heidi Kingstone for a thoughtful conversation of stories and insight with Humphrey Hawksley on Tuesday March 18th at 1pm (UK time) on the Goldster Magazine Show and Podcast.