In conversation with Karen Viggers Karen Viggers is no stranger to this blog (my posts), and I have read Robbie Arnott's previous novel, Limberlost (my review). One of several "Your favourites" sessions with loved authors, this one was described as Robbie Arnott’s fiction is steeped in the wild: women return from the dead as walking … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2024: 4, Your favourites: Robbie Arnott
Canberra Writers Festival
Canberra Writers Festival 2024: 3, Get thee to the nunnery
Emily Maguire and Charlotte Wood with Kate Mildenhall I chose this session primarily because of Charlotte Wood, given I’d seen Emily Maguire the day before, but her presence was plus, as was having author Kate Mildenhall conduct the conversation. Here is the session's description in the program: Emily Maguire and Charlotte Wood have both written … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2024: 3, Get thee to the nunnery
Canberra Writers Festival 2024: 2, History repeating
Another preamble What I didn't say in my first post on this year's festival is that the venue where I attended the sessions today is a favourite of mine - and not only because it's where I spent most of my working career. This year, some strands of the festival are being held at the … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2024: 2, History repeating
Canberra Writers Festival 2024: 1, The most interesting man in OzLit
A preamble The Canberra Writers Festival is back in 2024, with last year's wonderful Artistic Director, the writer and critic Beejay Silcox. The Festival's theme continues to be "Power Politics Passion", although that tagline is not quite so visible on the website. This is good - to my mind at least. Last year, under Beejay … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2024: 1, The most interesting man in OzLit
Canberra Writers Festival 2023: 4, Into the Wild
How good was it that my two sessions today involved books my reading group has done this year, Debra Dank's We come with this place, and, in this session, Robbie Arnott's Limberlost. The session, subtitled "Robbie Arnott in conversation with Astrid Edwards", sounded broader in ambit: Robbie Arnott’s fiction is steeped in the wild: women … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2023: 4, Into the Wild
Canberra Writers Festival 2023: 3, A Jewel of a Book
Which book you are presumably wondering? The session's subtitle will give you a hint: Debra Dank in Conversation with Evelyn Araluen. The book, then, is Debra Dank's We come with this place, which won a record four prizes in this year's NSW Premier's Literary Awards (as I described in my post). The session description commenced … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2023: 3, A Jewel of a Book
Canberra Writers Festival 2023: 2, Celebrating the classics
When I saw the line-up for this session - Debra Dank, Evelyn Araluen, Ellen Van Neerven and Yasmin Smith - I was in. I have read and admired writing by three of these writers and was keen to attend that rare thing, an all First Nations panel. Its topic was described as follows: A new … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2023: 2, Celebrating the classics
Canberra Writers Festival 2023: 1, Canberra’s Biggest Book Club
A preamble The Canberra Writers Festival is back in 2023, with a new Artistic Director, the writer and critic Beejay Silcox. The Festival's theme continues to be "Power Politics Passion", which, for this year's Festival organisers, begs big questions: What do we value? Whose stories are heard? How do we reckon with the past and … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2023: 1, Canberra’s Biggest Book Club
Canberra Writers Festival 2022: (My) Session 3, Germaine Greer in conversation with Rick Morton
My third choice of sessions was also somewhat sentimental, because, with Germaine Greer now in her 80s, I wasn't sure how many more opportunities I'd get to see her in the flesh. But, I was disappointed because, the night before the event, the following email was sent out: Sadly, Ms Greer has had a fall … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2022: (My) Session 3, Germaine Greer in conversation with Rick Morton
Canberra Writers Festival 2022: (My) Session 2, Her last words: The inspiring life and legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
My second choice of sessions was, partly, sentimental, because Ruth Bader Ginsburg is such an inspiration for feminists like me and I also wanted to see ABC journalist Fran Kelly strut her stuff in person. I wasn't disappointed. The session was subtitled, Amanda Tyler In Conversation With Fran Kelly, and was framed as follows: Justice … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2022: (My) Session 2, Her last words: The inspiring life and legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
