We recently created a new website that incorporates our author blog – go to randomhouse.com.au/blog for all the latest news and bulletins, essays, features, opinions from our bestselling authors.
Find out what’s being said, debated, and discussed in the world of books and ideas.
Day five of the festival is a big one with sessions including Gail Jones, Mike Carlton, Anita Heiss, Suelette Dreyfus, Frank Moorhouse, Matt Condon, Craig Cliff, James Fergusson, Lucinda Holdforth and Fatima Bhutto.
Session one with Gail Jones was all about Sydney – looking at three different ways it has been represented in literature by three very different authors. Gail’s latest book, FIVE BELLS, is set in Sydney’s Circular Quay and unravels the lives of four individuals over the course of one day. I read it a while back and it made me think about my city, and her harbour, in a whole new light. And there’s no more fitting place to talk about FIVE BELLS than at Sydney Writers’ Festival. The book is sublime and very moving – a must read for any Australian, and not just Sydneysiders.
Session two was chaired by Mike Carlton (such a radio voice!) talking to two journalists who have been fired from their high profile newspaper jobs and have subsequently written books about the experience. Mike, who writes for the Sydney Morning Herald as well as being an author, lead a very lively discussion on the ethical obligations of the media, and how the commercial objectives of any media organisation can interfere with this.
Tonight I am looking forward to the Town Hall event – Who’s Afraid of Wikileaks, which Suelette Dreyfus, author of UNDERGROUND, will speak at. It should be a fascinating insight into this phenomena and the man behind it – Julian Assange.
And we all wish Craig Cliff, author of THE MELTING MAN, good luck for the announcement of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize tomorrow evening at Sydney Theatre. We’re rooting for you Craig!
Alysha Farry is Head of Publicity at Random House Australia
It’s day four of the 2011 Sydney Writers’ Festival and today is the day that the main adults program begins. It’s a lovely day here in Sydney and the atmosphere down at the site is buzzing. The coffee queues are manageable (thank god!) and the view of Sydney Harbour is simply spectacular. It’s a big week of sharing, words, ideas, and of course, meeting your favourite authors and this morning kicked off with a session from the delightful Georgia Blain, talking about her contemporary new novel, TOO CLOSE TO HOME. There was also the inimitable Anita Heiss, in the Antipodes poetry panel, both a heartbreaking and highly hysterical session. The poems ranged from the frightening to the funny and the packed crowd let out thunderous applause for each. It was like a laughter therapy session. Things get a little more serious this afternoon, however, with sessions from Fatima Bhutto talking about Pakistan’s troubles, James Fergusson on the Taliban and Mike Carlton on HMAS Perth and the men who died fighting for her. Should be fascinating. Now the big problem – trying to figure out which ones to go to!
To see what’s on today, have a look at the Sydney Writers’ Festival website
Alysha Farry is Head of Publicity at Random House Australia
The Sydney Writers’ Festival opened with a bang last night with the Opening Address delivered by Fatima Bhutto, author of SONGS OF BLOOD AND SWORD. The beautiful and erudite Fatima had the sold out audience at the Sydney Theatre on the edge of their seats as she spoke about the corruption and injustices in her home country, Pakistan, as well as that of several other nation states. She is a very brave woman, and one who knows the dangers of speaking out, her family having been the target of political violence in the past, but she is a woman not content with sitting by and staying silent. Fatima delivered the address, entitled ‘Nation on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown”, with such passion and candour that it was difficult not to be moved, or perhaps even a little altered, by her words. It certainly made me think twice. Fatima will speak about her book and Pakistan at several events over the next week, including a solo session on Thursday at 2.30pm, chaired by Sandra Yates AO.
If you missed out on tickets or you simply want to relive the moment, Sydney Writers Festival have got the whole Address available for your listening pleasure.
Listen online here: http://www.swf.org.au
Marc McEvoy at the Sydney Morning Herald wrote an excellent piece about the address –
Voice of candour and passion for Pakistan
To book tickets to see Fatima’s other events at Sydney Writers’ Festival she will also be appearing at
Alysha Farry is Head of Publicity at Random House Australia
The Random Blog 