As one of Australia's leading journalists and television presenters, Jennifer Byrne knows a good story.
But the host of ABC TV's The Book Club is yet to tackle George R.R. Martin's series of epic fantasy novels A Song of Ice and Fire, which have been adapted into popular television show Game of Thrones.
"I am glued to the series," she says. "People said you'll love this – sex, violence, Dothraki men – and I do. I'm right up-to-date."
The only exception to Byrne's ardour for books is fantasy, but she may break the habit of a lifetime for Martin.
"But remember I'm the girl who couldn't bear Lord of the Rings so I'm pretty hard to crack on the fantasy front," she says.
"And I know this is a book that has brought joy and delight to many, but I just laughed and laughed. And I thought one more elfin dance and I'm going to slit my wrists."
The passions aroused by reading undoubtedly explain the success of The Book Club, which begins its 10th series on Tuesday as a weekly show for 12 weeks plus an hour-long special in December.
"My great desire was to take away any sense of superiority or snobbery about people's tastes and make it really accessible," Byrne says. "It has to feel cosy, it has to feel non-judgmental. You have to have a bit of an intellectual hop-and-a-jump but I just think we really, really try to talk about something we love and viewers love."
A weekly series is a big change from the previous monthly format, demanding an intense reading schedule for Byrne who reads two to three books a week, often simultaneously.
"We've gone from a slow walk to a massive rocket ride," she says.
She will be joined by regulars Marieke Hardy and The Age's literary editor Jason Steger plus guests including writer Ben Law, actor Virginia Gay and blogger Rosie Waterland.
They will be accompanied in the first episode by award-winning author Jeanette Winterson series and will discuss Australian author Dominic Smith's historical fiction The Last Painting of Sara de Vos and Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights.
The latter promises to be a bone of contention between Byrne (a Heathcliff fan) and Hardy, who is not a fan of the classic novel.
"Marieke's always punchy," Byrne says. "She's fabulous but she's the most arbitrary and unpredictable creature. I squabble with her all the time because she's so wrong."
Byrne and Steger are old friends who have been discussing books for decades and then "Marieke comes along and I have no idea we would disagree so violently. But it is fun".
She steers clear of commenting on the federal government's handling of the arts, including cuts to the Australia Council. But she is firmly opposed to parallel importing, which would allow books published overseas to be sold in Australia without the author's permission, and proposals to reduce authors' copyright in their own work including the right to income and control of its use.
Byrne is also a regular guest on Network Ten's The Project, whose co-host Waleed Aly won two Logie Awards earlier this month.
"Clearly Waleed has made a difference and raised the bar," she says.
But she says the show has found its niche in targeting a youthful, progressive audience who do not watch traditional news shows.
"I am always struck at every production meeting at how clear they are that 'This is not what our people want'," she says.
"I have rarely seen a show that has been as clear in its agenda and purpose."
Watch The Book Club 10pm Tuesday on ABC1 and online via ABC iview.
