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Simon Sebag Montefiore’s fascination with Russia began as a young war correspondent in the 1990s, but after a few near-death experiences he turned to writing weighty historical works instead. His latest book, The Romanovs, is an epic tale with more than a few modern parallels.
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Comedian Luke McGregor has been plagued with anxiety all his life, but he’s never looked back since discovering his talent for performing. In a new documentary series called Luke Warm Sex, his angst around the subject of sex is laid bare.
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Stephen Whittle is a trailblazer and a professor of law. Only the 13th female to male transsexual in Britain, he has battled discrimination and hate campaigns to win the legal right to be recognised as a husband and a father.
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When her book “Still Alice” was rejected by a slew of literary agents, Lisa Genova published it herself and sold copies from the boot of her car. Her persistence paid off, and the story – inspired by her own grandmother’s experience with Alzheimer’s – became an Academy Award-winning film.
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Tim Soutphommasane was born in France after his parents fled Laos following the communist takeover. Now Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner, he began questioning his cultural identity as a Sydney schoolboy - and still ponders what it means to be Australian.
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Maajid Nawaz was a radicalised youth who rejected Islamist extremism after a spell in an Egyptian jail. He now devotes his life to spreading an anti-extremist message, despite knowing his life is in danger.
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Adam Liaw was an Australian lawyer working in Tokyo when he took a leap of faith and joined the reality show Masterchef. Now a TV presenter and author, the 2010 winner has gone from strength to strength as a celebrity chef and attributes much of his knowledge about food to his grandmother.