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MELBOURNE WRITERSFESTIVAL3–12 SEP .AUTELL ME HOW IT ENDSWe respectfully acknowledge that Melbourne Writers Festival takes place on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.Melbourne Writers Festival thanks its generous donors, partners and supporters.ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S MESSAGEMichaela McGuireWhat happens when the entire world is consumed by the same story? The pandemic feels like the first truly global event: everyone is being clobbered by the same problem, at the same time, while we’re all online, all the time. To open a book is, in this world, a radical act: of learning, of privacy, of self-care, of rebellion, of hope. As readers and writers, the written word is our chosen art form because of its unparalleled power to provide comfort, answers to impossible questions, connection with other minds and viewpoints. To change who we are, and in doing so, change the world. In periods of uncertainty, when we feel powerless and buffeted by forces outside of our control, we turn to storytellers to help make sense of the world. Here, at Melbourne Writers Festival, we invite you to celebrate our chosen panacea for the time in which we live. We’ve gathered the finest minds in the country and have issued them a simple challenge: Tell Me How It Ends. This Festival program stubbornly resists the neat ending. Instead, we’ll contest and interrogate the pre-existing conditions that have been exacerbated by the pandemic and dragged into the harsh light of day. Together, we’ll tackle the tensions of racism, classism, sexism, colonialism and nationalism and imagine a new way forward. This Festival defies the deep desire to impose a narrative structure on chaos. There are no foregone conclusions here—but infinite possibilities.To find out how the story ends, we need to understand how it began. On Opening Night, an all-star line-up considers this country’s foundational myths. How have our brutal beginnings endured to this day, and how do we reckon with our history of dispossession? When did we start to see ourselves as a bunch of battlers, larrikins and top blokes in the land of the fair go? And what fibs, both big and small, help our leaders stay in power?This program also recognises that the invasion of this country represented the end for so many members of the world’s longest continuing cultures. For the first time, this year’s festival has been enriched by self-determined programming from two of this country’s most powerful First Nations voices, Bridget Caldwell-Bright and Marcia Langton. In Marcia’s own words, ‘we have invited writers to tell us their deepest thoughts about the predicament of being simultaneously Indigenous people and global citizens in our Brave New World, being an Indigenous person in the midst of so many challenges to our existence and our right to be Indigenous, to be writers and thinkers, the truth telling that is demanded of us and the insights that Indigenous history, cultures, languages and ways of thinking and being off er to the world.’For Melbourne Writers Festival’s 35th year, our program features a cast of astonishing writers who are shaping the future of literature in this country and beyond. Helen Garner makes a long-awaited return to the Festival stage to speak with writer and critic Beejay Silcox about the role that doubt plays in her life and work, the literary power of ambiguity, and the art of unknowing. Author Bruce Pascoe (Dark Emu) and historian Tom Griffiths (The Art of Time Travel) transcend the culture wars to consider the productive conversation emerging around First Nations histories, in conversation with Sally Warhaft. Two of our most beloved and celebrated authors and journalists Julia Baird and Trent Dalton discuss the importance of wonder and where they find it in their lives. Twice Miles Franklin–shortlisted author Tony Birch emerged from lockdown with two new books that showcase his unsurpassed versatility in both poetry and prose: Whisper Songs and Dark as Last Night. John Safran launches his signature style of gonzo journalism on Big Tobacco in his impressively subtitled new book Puff Piece: How Philip Morris set vaping alight (and burned down the English language). Noongar author Claire G Coleman and polymath writer Alison Croggon discuss the ongoing legacy of Australia’s colonial past. Gunai/ Kurnai writer Veronica Heritage-Gorrie and activist and thinker Randa Abdel-Fattah examine how modernday racism is bound to colonisation. Memoirists Lech Blaine and Rick Morton confront the shortcoming of male stoicism in the face of grief and trauma. Award-winning Wiradyuri writer Anita Heiss talks to Paul Barclay about Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray (River of Dreams), her epic new historical novel. Australian screen legend Bryan Brown chats about turning his hand to crime writing in his debut book, Sweet Jimmy. John Doyle sits down with Sam Pang to discuss Blessed: The Breakout Year of Rampaging Roy Slaven, his warm and witty homage to his larger-than-life alter ego.From parliament to the Supreme Court, Australia’s highest halls of power have been rocked by failures in protecting victim-survivors of sexual assault. Journalists, lawyers, activists and writers argue for structural change, using their own experiences and expertise to imagine a new ending to this all too-common story. Lawyer Michael Bradley, barrister Rachel Doyle SC, writer Bri Lee and Wiradjuri and Wailwan lawyer Teela Reid discuss the disorder in our courts. Amani Haydar, Jess Hill, Celeste Liddle and Tanya Plibersek join Sophie Black to discuss how policymakers, the law and the media can work together to end the scourge of family violence. 2021 Australian of the Year Grace Tame has spent the last ten years turning her traumatic experience into advocacy for survivors of child sexual assault. In a Festival highlight, she takes to the stage of the Athenaeum Theatre for a powerful keynote address.Some of our brightest political commentators tackle the biggest stories of our lives. Human rights lawyer Julian Burnside, former Greens senator Scott Ludlam and Julian Assange’s lawyer Jen Robinson discuss WikiLeaks, free speech and covert power. Editor of The Age Gay Alcorn brings commentators from across the political divide to debate the newest battleground of free speech: cancel culture. She is joined by Louise Adler, Waleed Aly, James Button, Parnell Palme McGuinness and Nyadol Nyuon. A panel of political writers and editors—Annika Smethurst, Lech Blaine and Nick Feik—discuss the larrikin figure in our politics with Jan Fran while Norman Swan, Osman Faruqi and Jamila Rizvi debate public safety, politics and the pandemic with Raf Epstein.We’re bringing the best of the Festival to Bunjil Place with a new series of events featuring investigative reporter Louise Milligan, former Manus detainee and award-winning author Behrouz Boochani and bestselling children’s book author Morris Gleitzman. Supplementing the voices of more than 250 Australian writers is a carefully considered cohort of international authors, who’ll be appearing via live-cross at The Capitol. Acclaimed author Maggie Nelson (The Argonauts) talks about her new book On Freedom, an exploration of freedom in the spheres of art, sex, drugs, and climate, with on-stage interviewer Rebecca Harkins-Cross. Regarded as one of America’s great writers and thinkers, and literature’s spiritual leader, Marilynne Robinson joins Michael Williams to discuss her prolific career and Gilead series. In his only Victorian event, Douglas Stuart will reveal how he shaped the world of his Booker Prize–winning novel Shuggie Bain and the book’s runaway popularity in conversation with Anton Enus.MWF Digital is back, and we’re proud to bring our audience a lovingly curated selection of the world’s most essential literary voices. These ten events featuring luminaries Rachel Cusk, Jhumpa Lahiri, Emma Dabiri, Rumaan Alam, Akala, Natasha Brown, Brandon Taylor, AC Grayling, Viet Thanh Nguyen and Sigrid Nunez are available to watch at your convenience on a pay-what-you-can basis. For the little readers in your life, we’ve gathered some of the country’s most popular and entertaining children’s authors for MWF Families, an action-packed day of storytelling, live mysteries and illustrator battles. The program features Australian Children’s Laureate Ursula Dubosarsky, poet and illustrator Maxine Beneba Clarke, bestselling and much-loved author Morris Gleitzman, 2020 NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year Kirli Saunders, and many more. The MWF Teens program boasts a selection of Australia’s exceptional YA talent, with topics spanning origin stories, urban fantasies and secret identities being discussed by authors including Garth Nix, Will Kostakis, Leanne Hall, Amie Kaufman, Sophie Gonzales and Gary Lonesborough. Capping off the day is the popular fan-fiction showcase, where YA writers let their imaginations run wild by dropping their favourite characters from pop culture into dystopian scenarios to see if they survive.Closing the curtain not with a whimper but a resounding bang, an all-Victorian legendary line-up comes together to celebrate the heritage and future of our City of Literature. Join Evelyn Araluen, Maxine Beneba Clarke, Patricia Cornelius, Nayuka Gorrie, Chloe Hooper, Shaun Tan and Maria Tumarkin for an unmissable Closing Night. Although this festival may have a different ending to the one we boldly and hopefully planned, we’re so proud to share the staggering talent of the authors who have published books in the most unenviable of circumstances. This festival is a longoverdue celebration of these writers and their vital work. We hope you’ll join us.FRIDAY 3 & SATURDAY 4 SEPTEMBEROpening Night: Where Do I Begin?3 Sep, 6.30–8pmAthenaeum TheatreTo find out how the story ends, we need to understand how it began. How have our brutal beginnings endured to this day, and how do we reckon with our history of dispossession? When did we start to see ourselves as a bunch of battlers, larrikins and top blokes in the land of the fair go? And what fibs, both big and small, help our leaders stay in power? An all-star line-up opens the Festival with readings on Australia’s foundational myths. The Age presents its Book of the Year award for the first time since 2012.This event is Auslan interpreted$35/$30Murder, Jane Wrote4 Sep, 10–11amState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterJane Harper (The Survivors) talks about her bestselling crime mysteries, how remote Australian landscapes inform her stories, and seeing her debut novel on the big screen, in conversation with Angela Savage.$25/$20The Ripple Effect4 Sep, 10–11amState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow Theatrette Miles Franklin–winning writer Sofie Laguna (Infinite Splendours) and Walkley Award–winning journalist Erina Reddan (The Serpent’s Skin) discuss how they have depicted the legacy of childhood trauma in their new novels, with Ellen Cregan.$15/$10Living Memories4 Sep, 10–11amState Library Victoria, Create Quarter Writers Kavita Bedford (Friends & Dark Shapes) and Anwen Crawford (No Document) reflect on their genre-bending books that unfurl stories of grief and loss, with Rebecca Harkins-Cross.Free, no bookings requiredDear Son4 Sep, 10–11amThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceDear Son editor Thomas Mayor and contributors Jack Latimore and Stan Grant speak to Shelley Ware about their contributions to the collection of letters written to sons, fathers, and nephews in celebration of First Nations manhood.$25/$20Now and Then: CelebratingTen Years of Stella4 Sep, 12–1pmState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatretteJoin Stella Prize co-founder Chris Gordon in conversation with Carrie Tiffany, Emily Bitto and Claire G Coleman as they discuss the Prize’s impact, enduring legacy and what might be achieved next. In partnership with the Stella Prize$15/$10Let Me Be Brief: Paige Clark and Chloe Wilson4 Sep, 12–1pmState Library Victoria, Create Quarter Acclaimed writers Paige Clark (She Is Haunted) and Chloe Wilson (Hold Your Fire) chat about their short story collections, both bound by fantastical and unsettling elements, in conversation with Veronica Sullivan.Free, no bookings requiredDouglas Stuart: Shuggie Bain4 Sep, 11am–12pmThe CapitolCrossing live from New York, Douglas Stuart reveals how he shaped the world of his Booker Prize–winning novel Shuggie Bain, the book’s runaway popularity, and why the story still rings true after years of austerity in the UK, in conversation with on-stage interviewer Anton Enus.Supported by ARA$35/$30Apocalypse Now? Not Just Yet4 Sep, 12–1pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceSchool Strikes 4 Climate organiser Jean Hinchliffe (Lead the Way) and former Greens senator Scott Ludlam (Full Circle) examine how small-scale activism coalesces into a greater climate change movement, with Linh Do.In partnership with 3RRR 102.7FM$25/$20Lisa Millar: Daring to Fly4 Sep, 1–2pmThe CapitolFormer foreign correspondent and ABC News Breakfast host Lisa Millar talks about Daring to Fly, her account of conquering trauma and fear, with her friend ABC 7.30’s Leigh Sales.This event is Auslan interpreted$35/$30Tony Birch: Immaculate Collections4 Sep, 2–3pmState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterMiles Franklin–shortlisted author Tony Birch chats with Jeanine Leane about his new collections of prose and poetry that cement his reputation as one of Australia’s finest storytellers.$25/$20The Ties That Bind4 Sep, 2–3pmState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatretteAcclaimed novelists Laura Elizabeth Woollett (The Newcomer) and Mark Brandi (The Others) shed light on shaping crime novels that depict the relationship between a parent and child, with Elizabeth McCarthy.$15/$10PEN 100: Freedom to Write4 Sep, 2–3pmState Library Victoria, Create Quarter Celebrating the centenary of PEN International, Torres Strait Islander writer Thomas Mayor reflects on First Nations writing as an act of self-determination, on stage with Declan Fry.In partnership with PEN MelbourneFree, no bookings requiredTampa: 20 Years On4 Sep, 2–3pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceFulbright scholar and refugee Abbas Nazari (After the Tampa) discusses the legacy of the 2001 Tampa affair, the life he has since built in New Zealand and the power of hope, with Michael Green.$25/$20Bryan Brown: Sweet Jimmy4 Sep, 2–3pmAthenaeum TheatreAustralian screen legend Bryan Brown (Breaker Morant, Two Hands) chats about turning his hand to crime writing in his debut book, Sweet Jimmy.$35/$30SATURDAY 4 & SUNDAY 5 SEPTEMBERThe Lies of the Land: Australia, Assange and WikiLeaks4 Sep, 4–5pmState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterHuman rights lawyer Julian Burnside, former Greens senator Scott Ludlam, and Julian Assange’s lawyer Jen Robinson discuss WikiLeaks, free speech and covert power.$25/$20Australia and the End of Empire4 Sep, 4–5pmState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatretteVeronica Heritage-Gorrie (Black and Blue) and Randa Abdel-Fattah (Coming of Age in the War on Terror) examine how modern-day racism is bound to colonisation.$15/$10A New Body Politic4 Sep, 4–5pm State Library Victoria, Create QuarterSam van Zweden (Eating with My Mouth Open) and Sarah Walker (The First Time I Thought I Was Dying) talk about reconnecting with our unruly minds and bodies, with Eloise Grills.Free, no bookings requiredUncertain Terms4 Sep, 4–5pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceABC reporter Sarah Dingle (Brave New Humans) and author Erin Stewart (The Missing Among Us) talk about how we cope in the face of life-changing uncertainty, with Justine Hyde.$25/$20Dark Emu and The Art of Time Travel4 Sep, 4–5pmAthenaeum Theatre Author Bruce Pascoe (Dark Emu) and historian Tom Griffiths (The Artof Time Travel) transcend the culture wars to consider the productive conversation emerging around First Nations histories, in conversation with Sally Warhaft.Fortress Australia4 Sep, 6–7pmState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterCan we stay safe from COVID without turning our back on the world? Norman Swan, Osman Faruqi and Jamila Rizvi debate public safety and politics with ABC Radio Melbourne’s Raf Epstein.$25/$20ABC Radio Melbourne: Homespun4 Sep, 6–7pmState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatretteABC Radio Melbourne listeners step into the limelight to share true stories on stage with hosts Virginia Trioli and David Astle and a special guest storyteller. In partnership with ABC Radio Melbourne$15/$10John Safran: Puff Piece4 Sep, 8–9pmAthenaeum TheatreInimitable author and filmmaker John Safran discusses his wild, hilarious and thought-provoking exposé of Big Tobacco, Puff Piece, on stage with Mahmood Fazal.This event is Auslan interpreted$35/$30Jessie Stephens: Heartsick5 Sep, 10–11amState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterHeartsick author and podcaster Jessie Stephens talks about how heartbreak makes and breaks us, in conversation with ABC 7.30’s Leigh Sales.$25/$20Young and Muslim in Australia5 Sep, 10–11amThe Wheeler Centre, Performance Space Prize-winning authors Randa Abdel-Fattah (Coming of Age in the War on Terror) and Michael Mohammed Ahmad (The Other Half of You) talk with Tasneem Chopra about the lives of young Australian Muslims.$25/$20Facing the Legacy of Colonialism5 Sep, 12–1pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceNoongar author Claire G Coleman and polymath writer Alison Croggon share the stage for a panel discussion about the ongoing legacy of Australia’s colonial past, with Roj Amedi.$25/$20Norman Swan Knows What’s Good For You5 Sep, 2–3pmState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterBeloved broadcaster and physician Norman Swan clears up medical myths and misconceptions about health while discussing his book So You Think You Know What’s Good for You?$25/$20Marcia Langton: Welcome to Country5 Sep, 4–5pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceInfluential Aboriginal scholar and author Marcia Langton shares insight into the forthcoming updated edition of her landmark travel guide to First Nations Australia, Welcome to Country, on stage with Barry Judd.$25/$20Jennifer Down: Bodies of Light5 Sep, 2–3pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpacePrize-winning writer Jennifer Down provides an early look at her forthcoming novel, Bodies of Light, a sublimely crafted masterwork of tragedy and heartbreak, in conversation with Carrie Tiffany.$25/$20The Cancel Culture Wars5 Sep, 4–5pmState Library Victoria, Conversation Quarter Commentators from across the political divide debate the newest battleground of free speech: cancel culture. Featuring Louise Adler, Waleed Aly, James Button, Parnell Palme McGuinness and Nyadol Nyuon on stage with The Age editor Gay Alcorn.In partnership with The Age$25/$20MWF FAMILIESFor the little readers in your life, MWF Families is a fun-filled day starring some of the country’s most popular and entertaining children’s authors. Join us for illustrator battles, live mysteries, storytelling and more.Bedtime Stories Live!5 Sep, 10–10.45amState Library Victoria, Create QuarterThe bestselling author of the Nanny Piggins, Friday Barnes and Girl Detective series RA Spratt records a special episode of her Bedtime Stories podcast in front of a live audience. Giggles guaranteed. Ages 8+Free, no bookings requiredReal Pigeons Live Mystery5 Sep, 10.45–11.30amState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatretteHelp the creators of the hilarious Real Pigeons series, writer Andrew McDonald and illustrator Ben Wood, solve a crime with their feathery gang of superpowered sleuths. Ages 6+$10Story Box Library4 Sep, 8am to 30 Sep, midnight OnlineJoin an all-star cast of some of Australia’s favourite authors and musicians—Paul Dempsey, Emma, Donovan, Kate Miller-Heidke, Alice Pung and Jamila Rizvi—as they read a series of stories designed to get kids excited about reading and inspire their imaginations. Ages 5–8In partnership with Story Box LibraryFree, registration requiredStorytime with Maxine Beneba Clarke5 Sep, 11.30am–12pmState Library Victoria, Create QuarterPrize-winning writer Maxine Beneba Clarke reads from her gorgeously illustrated children’s books, sharing her richly lyrical prose and inspiring messages for kids. Ages 4+Free, no bookings requiredMorris Gleitzman in Conversation5 Sep, 12–1pmState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterLiterary legend Morris Gleitzman shares insight into Always, the final book of his highly acclaimed and award-winning Once series for younger readers, in conversation with Adele Walsh. Ages 10+$10School of Monsters5 Sep, 12.15–1pmState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatretteThe School of Monsters comes to life as bestselling children’s author Sally Rippin spills the secrets of her silly and spooky characters with live illustrations by Chris Kennett. Ages 6+$10Totally Paw-some!5 Sep, 1–1.45pmState Library Victoria, Create QuarterIllustrator and writer Remy Lai draws live on the big screen to show the storytelling process behind her hilarious and heartwarming new tale Pawcasso. Ages 6+Free, no bookings requiredTaking Care of Country5 Sep, 1.45–2.30pmState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatretteAward-winning children’s writer Kirli Saunders (Bindi) leads a fun-filled interactive session about First Nations cultures and taking care of our land. Ages 8+$10Stand Up for the Planet!5 Sep, 2.30–3.15pmState Library Victoria, Create QuarterJoin beloved Australian children’s book author Ingrid Laguna (Bailey Finch Takes a Stand), for a lively interactive session about how kids can turn environmental concern into action. Ages 8+Free, no bookings requiredIllustration Battle Station5 Sep, 3.15–4pmState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatrettePeter Carnavas, Chris Kennett, Remy Lai and Ben Wood draw your silliest suggestions to decide who will be crowned The Very Best Illustrator of All Time. Ages 6+$10The Magical Puppet Theatre5 Sep, 4–4.45pmState Library Victoria, Create QuarterOne of the country’s favourite children’s authors Ursula Dubosarsky raises the curtain on her new puppet themed book, Pierre’s Not There, in this special event. Ages 6+Free, no bookings requiredFIRST NATIONS CURATORSThis year’s festival is enriched by self-determined programming from two leading First Nations Curators—renowned academic and public intellectual Professor Marcia Langton, who has authored many books, essays and articles including her forthcoming, updated edition of Welcome to Country, along with Jingili Mudburra editor Bridget Caldwell-Bright, who was co-editor for Archer Magazine’s The First Nations Edition and managing editor for Blak Brow. They curate and host conversations with an array of writers, poets and thinkers, carrying forward a millennia-long tradition of storytelling and challenging our founding colonial myths.The New Wave of First Nations Fiction4 Sep, 12–1pmState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterMelissa Lucashenko, Nardi Simpson and Karen Wyld talk about the power of First Nations fiction to illuminate history, culture and ways of thinking in conversation with Marcia Langton.Supported by ARA$25/$20Uncomfortable Truths from Unceded Land4 Sep, 6–7pmAthenaeum TheatreNon-fIction writers Stan Grant, Thomas Mayor and Henry Reynolds discuss the First Nations histories, politics and ideas that inform their work, on stage with Marcia Langton. Supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund$35/$30Lines of Inquiry: Indigenous Poetry10 Sep, 10–11amState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatretteMarcia Langton speaks with Indigenous poets Charmaine Papertalk Green, Yvette Holt and Ellen van Neerven about how their work is bringing fresh perspective to our past, present and future. Supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund and First Nations Australia Writers’ NetworkFree, no bookings requiredFirst Nations Poets: Tell Us How It Ends11 Sep, 10–11amState Library Victoria, Create QuarterAn incredible line-up of First Nations poets perform works speaking to this year’s Festival theme, Tell Me How It Ends, in an event hosted by Bridget Caldwell-Bright. Featuring Evelyn Araluen, Maya Hodge and Jazz Money. Free, no bookings requiredFlock: First Nations Stories11 Sep, 6–7pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceFlock is a brilliant new anthology showcasing some of the finest short stories by First Nations writers from the last 25 years. Bryan Andy is joined by contributors Tony Birch, Mykaela Saunders and Adam Thompson.$25/$20The Art of Blak Critique12 Sep, 10–11amState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatretteA panel of First Nations critics, reviewers and essayists discuss the importance of Blak critique and peer review. Featuring Bridget Caldwell- Bright in conversation with Declan Fry, Tristen Harwood and Alison Whittaker.Supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund$15/$10UP LATESettle in with three pairs of guest hosts for a talk-show-style end to your evening, served with a generous pour of pop culture, current affairs and everything in between. Our hosts welcome an all-star line-up of guests into the arena for what promises to be a cheeky and irreverent up-late event unpacking all the happenings of the day, be it celeb feuds on Twitter or the latest lowdown from Canberra.State Library Victoria, Conversation Quarter | $25/20 per eventPatricia Karvelas and Sally Rugg4 Sep, 8–9pmJan Fran and Jess McGuire10 Sep, 8–9pmBenjamin Law and Beverley Wang11 Sep, 8–9pmMWF DIGITALMWF Digital brings some of the world’s essential literary voices into your home via video, from Pulitzer Prize winners to exhilarating debut authors to the most talked-about novelists of the year. Events are available individually on a pay-what-you-can basis, or you can go all in and purchase a Digital Pass.Online | On demand from 6 Sep, 8am to 15 Sep, midnightAkala: The Dark LadyThe Dark Lady by author and hiphop artist Akala tells the magiclaced adventure of teen orphan and thief Henry, tackling themes of identity and inequality. Join ABC RN’s Stop Everything! co-hostBeverley Wang as she speaks with an author described as ‘the kind of disruptive, aggressive intellect that a new generation is closely watching’.Rumaan Alam: Leave the World BehindOne of the year’s most talked-about books, Rumaan Alam’s Leave the World Behind is a tautly dystopic story of a family vacation interrupted by unseen disaster. Alam speaks with Osman Faruqi about a novel seemingly tailor-made for our times, exploring race, class and privilege in a world undone by catastrophe.Natasha Brown: Assembly Natasha Brown’s Assembly has earned impressive praise as ‘the literary debut of the summer’ (British Vogue). She speaks in conversation with Areej Nur about her virtuosic novel, narrated by a Black British woman preparing to attend a lavish party at her boyfriend’s family estate, exploring issues of race, class and assimilation.Rachel Cusk: Second PlaceRachel Cusk’s newest work, Second Place, extends previously explored themes of female fate and male privilege to encompass the murky link between art and evil. Cusk speaks with Sophie Black about a dazzling and psychologically exacting fable of human destiny and decline, and her prolific career at large.Emma Dabiri: What White People Can Do NextCelebrated Irish-Nigerian author Emma Dabiri’s What White People Can Do Next expertly outlines how the idea of race was constructed to bolster capitalism, while articulating a powerful vision of how to forge a future that works for us all. See her in conversation with Santilla Chingaipe about her intellectually rigorous, razor-sharp treatise.AC Grayling: The Frontiers of KnowledgeIn a thought-stirring address drawing from his new book Frontiers of Knowledge, celebrated philosopher AC Grayling examines the great paradox of human inquiry: the more we know, the greater the extent of our ignorance, making an urgent case for connecting different branches of knowledge to fortify our understanding of ourselves and our world.Jhumpa Lahiri: WhereaboutsPulitzer Prize–winning Jhumpa Lahiri’s new novel Whereabouts is a meditative portrait of a woman wavering between stasis and movement, originally composed in Italian and translated into English by Lahiri herself. She discusses her aching and hypnotic work of fiction in conversation with Emma Alberici.Supported by ARAViet Thanh Nguyen: The CommittedViet Thanh Nguyen’s keenly awaited follow-up to the Pulitzer Prize–winning The Sympathizer, The Committed, has drawn praise as ‘a treatise of global futurity in the aftermath of colonial conquest’ (Ocean Vuong). He speaks with Leah Jing McIntosh about a literary thriller that shines a forensic light on empire and capitalism.Sigrid Nunez: What Are You Going ThroughIn characteristically genre-defying style, Sigrid Nunez’s What Are You Going Through melds fiction and criticism to tell a powerful story of multiple endings. She speaks with Astrid Edwards about the meaning of life, the nature of death, the power of art and the purpose of friendship.Brandon Taylor: Filthy AnimalsOne of 2020’s breakout literary stars for his Booker Prize–shortlisted novel Real Life, American writer Brandon Taylor talks to Adolfo Aranjuez about his captivating new short story collection Filthy Animals, a high-wire act of interlinked stories about young creatives navigating the blurry territories of fear, longing, violence and desire.TUESDAY 7 – THURSDSAY 9 SEPTEMBERMWF Gala7 Sep, 7–10pmState Library Victoria, The Ian Potter Queen’s HallDon your best cocktail attire for the MWF Gala, an evening of fine dining and author appearances at the stunningly restored Ian Potter Queen’s Hall. The evening includes a conversation with award-winning reporter Louise Milligan and a discussion between celebrated cultural historian Maria Tumarkin and editor and writer Leah Jing McIntosh.$300Melbourne Beginnings8 Sep, 5–6pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance Space Study Melbourne and MWF invite you to join us as we celebrate all of the creative submissions from our annual storytelling competition and reveal the 2021 winners. This year brought international students together to reflect on the theme, Melbourne Beginnings.Supported by Study MelbourneFree, bookings requiredJock Zonfrillo: Last Shot8 Sep, 6.30–7.30pmAthenaeum TheatreFrom life on the streets battling addiction to becoming a top Australian chef and MasterChef judge, Jock Zonfrillo shares the stunning journey chronicled in his memoir Last Shot. On stage with Benjamin Law, he recounts growing up in 1980s Glasgow, to barely balancing a career as a rising culinary star with a crippling drug habit, to being taken under the wing of legendary chef Marco Pierre White. He reflects on his life-changing move to Sydney, the closure of his prized restaurant during COVID-19, his time on country, and some very public battles.Supported by The Melbourne Gin CompanyThis event is Auslan interpreted$35/$30Allee Richards: Small Joys of Real Life8 Sep, 7–8pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceLaunching the Melbourne City Reads initiative promoted by CBD bookshops, local author Allee Richards joins ABC Radio Melbourne’s Jacinta Parsons to discuss her just-released debut novel, which is already being described as a 21st century Monkey Grip.Free, bookings requiredHelen Garner’s Reasonable Doubts8 Sep, 8.30–9.30pmAthenaeum TheatreWhen we describe Helen Garner’s work, we seize on its candour: she’s unflinching, unsparing, a scrutineer. But honesty is not the same as certainty. In this special event, Garner makes a long-awaited return to Melbourne Writers Festival to speak with writer and critic Beejay Silcox about the role that doubt plays in her life and work, the literary power of ambiguity, and the art of unknowing.Supported by ARA and The Melbourne Gin CompanyThis event is Auslan interpreted$35/$30Secrets, Spies and Whistleblowers9 Sep, 6.30–7.30pmAthenaeum TheatreCan we claim to be a truly free and fair democracy with a government that raids the homes of reporters, aggressively pursues whistleblowers and remains tight-lipped on the fate of Julian Assange? One of the country’s most respected journalists Kerry O’Brien leads a timely panel discussion about state secrets, press freedom and open justice with Andrew Fowler, an award-winning reporter and author of the acclaimed Assange biography The Most Dangerous Man in the World, and lawyer Bernard Collaery, author of Oil Under Troubled Water, who faces trial for advising Witness K in relation to Australia’s spy operation against our ally East Timor during oil and gas negotiations.This event is Auslan interpreted$35/$30Peter Steele Lecture: The Spark of Poetry9 Sep, 6.30–7.30pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceAward-winning poet, editor, critic and Associate Professor in Creative Writing Sarah Holland-Batt delivers this year’s Peter Steele Lecture on how poetry may reconcile us to the world.Supported by the Faculty of Arts, The University of MelbourneFree, no bookings requiredJulia Baird and Trent Dalton: On Wonder9 Sep, 8.30–9.30pmAthenaeum TheatreConserving a sense of wonder allows us to transcend the mundane, reminds us of our humanity and has even been linked to better health. In this highlight Festival event, two of Australia’s most celebrated authors and journalists Julia Baird and Trent Dalton speak with Michael Williams about the role of wonder in their lives and where they seek and find it personally and professionally. Baird’s Phosphorescence is a meditation on ‘awe, wonder and things that sustain you when the world goes dark’. Dalton’s All Our Shimmering Skies is ‘a love letter to Australia and an ode to the art of looking up’.Supported by ARAThis event is Auslan interpreted$35/$30FRIDAY 10 SEPTEMBERBarry Jones: What Is to Be Done10 Sep, 10–11amState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterWriter and former Labor minister Barry Jones talks about What Is to Be Done, his incisive analysis of politics at home and afar, in conversation with philosopher and writer Raimond Gaita.$25/$20A Crisis of Meaning 10 Sep, 10–11amState Library Victoria, Create QuarterFiction writers Miles Allinson and Jamie Marina Lau chat to Khalid Warsame about striking new novels that portray characters grappling with the consequences of an increasingly meaningless world.Free, no bookings requiredThe Assault of the Earth10 Sep, 10–11amThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceGabrielle Chan (Why You Should Give a F*ck About Farming) and Marian Wilkinson (The Carbon Club) speak with Astrid Edwards about finding new ways of engaging with our land.$25/$20Archive Fever10 Sep, 12–1pmState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterHistorians Clare Wright and Yves Rees record a live episode of their podcast Archive Fever, talking political record-keeping with Judith Brett (The Enigmatic Mr Deakin) and Kate Ellis (Sex, Lies and Question Time).$25/$20Personal Truths10 Sep, 12–1pmState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatretteAcclaimed writers Clem Bastow (Late Bloomer) and Kathryn Heyman (Fury) reflect on their unsparing and hopeful memoirs in conversation with Erina Reddan.Free, no bookings requiredPoetic Portraits10 Sep, 12–1pmState Library Victoria, Create QuarterPortraits of Older Australians in Poetry co-creators Cassandra Atherton and Jessica Wilkinson talk about capturing lives and memories through poetry, with project participants Aunty Jenni Martiniello and Pip Heale and poets Jeanine Leane and Nick Whittock.In partnership with RMIT UniversityFree, no bookings requiredCautionary Tales10 Sep, 12–1pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceDebra Oswald (The Family Doctor) and JP Pomare (The Last Guests) share insight into writing psychological thrillers with pressing big-picture themes, on stage with Angela Savage.$25/$20The End of the Larrikin Legend?10 Sep, 2–3pmState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterA panel of political writers and editors—Lech Blaine, Nick Feik and Annika Smethurst—discuss the larrikin figure in our politics, with presenter Jan Fran.$25/$20Lyrical Fury10 Sep, 2–3pmState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow Theatrette Award-winning authors Evelyn Araluen and Maria Takolander talk about shaping genre-blurring collections of poetry that stare down difficult subjects with lyricism, on stage with Elena Gomez.Free, no bookings requiredArnold Zable in Conversation10 Sep, 2–3pmState Library Victoria, Create QuarterWriter, novelist and human rights advocate Arnold Zable appears in conversation with Michael McGirr about a celebrated canon of work that brings unique insight to themes of memory, history and displacement.Free, no bookings requiredPeter Godfrey-Smith: Metazoa10 Sep, 2–3pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceScuba-diving philosopher and bestselling Other Minds author Peter Godfrey-Smith talks about his new work Metazoa, an inquiry into the evolutionary path of consciousness from sea creatures to humankind.$25/$20Rewriting History10 Sep, 4–5pmState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatretteSteven Carroll (O) and Rebecca Starford (The Imitator) share insight into riveting historical novels of intrigue, speaking with ABC RN’s Sarah L’Estrange.Supported by the Faculty of Arts, The University of MelbourneFree, no bookings requiredLocal, Attention: A Poetry Reading10 Sep, 4–5pmState Library Victoria, Create QuarterLeading poets perform works exploring themes close to home. Featuring Luke Beesley, Andy Jackson, Jeanine Leane, Ellen van Neerven, Jessica Wilkinson and host Claire Gaskin.In partnership with Australian PoetryFree, no bookings requiredAbove and Beyond Belief10 Sep, 4–5pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceJoin Sarah Krasnostein (The Believer) and Jenny Valentish (Everything Harder Than Everyone Else) as they discuss meticulously researched new releases that delve deep into the lives of extraordinary people, with Elizabeth McCarthy.$25/$20Stop Everything!10 Sep, 6–7pmState Library Victoria, Conversation Quarter Co-hosts Benjamin Law and Beverley Wang record their pop culture show Stop Everything! in front of a live audience, with guests Mehreen Faruqi and Jock Zonfrillo.In partnership with ABC Radio National$25/$20Boisbouvier Oration:Tony Birch10 Sep, 6–7pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceCelebrated writer Tony Birch illuminates the little-known struggles and successes of Aboriginal women who campaigned for human rights on government reserves early last century, with closing remarks from Alexis Wright.Supported by the Faculty of Arts, The University of Melbourne$25/$20John Doyle: The Early Life of Rampaging Roy Slaven10 Sep, 6.30–7.30pmAthenaeum TheatreJohn Doyle talks with Sam Pang about Blessed: The Breakout Year of Rampaging Roy Slaven, his warm and witty homage to his large-than-life alter ego.This event is Auslan interpreted$35/$30Lillian Ahenkan: The Success Experiment10 Sep, 8–9pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceKnown to some 150,000 Instagram followers as Flex Mami, presenter, podcaster and influencer Lillian Ahenkan chats about her debut book The Success Experiment, on stage with Matilda Boseley.$25/$20My Name is Grace Tame10 Sep, 8.30–9.30pmAthenaeum TheatreSince being named the 2021 Australian of the Year, Grace Tame has propelled the issue of child sexual abuse into the national spotlight, prompting other young women to share their stories. She takes to the Festival stage to deliver a powerful keynote address about her advocacy for fellow survivors, the path forward for creating legislative and structural change, and what her future holds as part of a movement confronting a culture of silence and sexism in Australia.This event is Auslan interpreted$35/$30Take It From Me: Krissy Kneen and Debra Oswald10 Sep, 9.30–10.30pmThe MoatAustralia’s most questionable late-night relationship advice event returns to solve all your romantic woes. Featuring host Jess McGuire alongside Krissy Kneen and Debra Oswald.In partnership with the Wheeler Centre$25SATURDAY 11 SEPTEMBERBehind the Curtain: Asian-Australian Women Doctors11 Sep, 10–11amState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatretteThree generations of Asian-Australian women doctors share their stories of navigating the medical system. Featuring Emotional Female author Yumiko Kadota, Melissa Kang and Melanie Cheng.$15/$10Burning Down the House11 Sep, 10–11amState Library Victoria, Conversation Quarter Greens senator and environmental engineer Mehreen Faruqi and awardwinning journalist Marian Wilkinson consider how to curb vested interests and enact clean energy solutions, with Margaret Simons.Supported by Australian Communities Foundation$25/$20What’s Left Unsaid11 Sep, 10–11amThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpacePrize-winning novelists Larissa Behrendt (After Story) and Steven Carroll (O) reflect on how the literature of long ago can illuminate important truths once left unsaid, on stage with Clare Wright.$25/$20Scandalous Fictions 6811 Sep, 12–1pmState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatretteJacqueline Maley (The Truth About Her) and Filip Vuka?in (Modern Marriage) discuss their striking debut novels, both centred around narrators whose lives are upended by scandal, in conversation with Toni Jordan.$15/$10Marilynne Robinson: Full of Grace11 Sep, 11am–12pmThe CapitolCrossing live from Iowa, one of the world’s great writers and thinkers, Marilynne Robinson speaks with on-stage interviewer Michael Williams about her most recent novel, Jack, the Gilead series and her celebrated career at large.Supported by ARA$35/$30The Fifth Estate: Our Exceptional Friend11 Sep, 12–1pmState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterHistorian and Our Exceptional Friend author Emma Shortis asks whose interests Australia’s special relationship with the US really serves, with host Sally Warhaft, in a special edition of The Fifth Estate series.In partnership with the Wheeler Centre$25/$20The Cost of Concealment11 Sep, 12–1pmState Library Victoria, Create Quarter Critically acclaimed authors Krissy Kneen (The Three Burials of Lotty Kneen) and Fiona Murphy (The Shape of Sound) talk about confronting secrets, stigma and shame, with Nadia Bailey.This event is Auslan interpretedFree, no bookings requiredGeneration Miserable11 Sep, 12–1pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceLillian Ahenkan (aka Flex Mami), Bridie Jabour and Sinéad Stubbins share the highs and lows of their search for meaning as millennials, in conversation with Brodie Lancaster.$25/$20Maggie Nelson: On Freedom11 Sep, 1–2pmThe CapitolCrossing live from Los Angeles, acclaimed author Maggie Nelson (The Argonauts) talks about her new book On Freedom, an exploration of freedom in the spheres of art, sex, drugs and climate, with on-stage moderator Rebecca Harkins-Cross.$35/$30Mehreen Faruqi: Too Migrant, Too Muslim, Too Loud11 Sep, 2–3pmState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterThe first Muslim woman to sit in an Australian parliament, activist and Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi shares insight into her memoir Too Migrant, Too Muslim, Too Loud on stage with presenter Jan Fran.$25/$20Relative Chaos11 Sep, 2–3pmState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatretteMuch-loved writers Emily Maguire (Love Objects) and Alice Pung (One Hundred Days) share insight into their new novels, which explore class, family and love, with Elizabeth McCarthy.Supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund$15/$10Our Better Nature11 Sep, 2–3pmState Library Victoria, Create QuarterQuestions Raised by Quolls author Harry Saddler and Loving Country co-author Vicky Shukuroglou talk about the need to preserve our natural wonders against multiple threats, in discussion with Fatima Measham.Free, no bookings required Let’s Talk About Sex11 Sep, 2–3pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceIt is time we overhaul how and when we teach young people about sex and consent. Melissa Kang, Yumi Stynes, Bri Lee and Christopher Fisher chat with Benjamin Law.$25/$20Bringing an End to Domestic Violence11 Sep, 3–4pmAthenaeum TheatreAmani Haydar, Jess Hill, Celeste Liddle and Tanya Plibersek discuss how policymakers, the law, and the media can work together to end the scourge of family violence, in conversation with Sophie Black.$35/$30 Barriers, Bias and Political Bastardry11 Sep, 4–5pmState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterPolitical commentator Jamila Rizvi chats about the way forward after a year to forget for women in Canberra, in a panel discussion including former MPs Julia Banks (Power Play) and Kate Ellis (Sex, Lies and Question Time).Supported by Maurice Blackburn$25/$20 John Button Oration: The Next Generation’s Australia11 Sep, 4–5pmState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatretteCEO of the Grattan Institute Danielle Wood delivers this year’s John Button Oration on how policymakers can bring young people’s interests into political debate to provide a better future for the next generation. Supported by the John Button Fund, Melbourne School of Government, The University of Melbourne$15/$10 One Guitar: Missy Higgins11 Sep, 4–5pmThe CapitolMissy Higgins appears at a live recording of the One Guitar podcast with Alexander Gow, debuting a new song and discussing her creative process.Supported by Mushroom Group and APRA AMCOSThis event is Auslan interpreted$35/$30 The Mourning After11 Sep, 4–5pmState Library Victoria, Create QuarterAcclaimed new talents Ella Baxter (New Animal) and Allee Richards (Small Joys of Real Life) share insight into debut novels that each tell the story of a young woman navigating loss and grief, on stage with Elizabeth McCarthy.Free, no bookings requiredMotherhood in the Time of Climate Crisis11 Sep, 4–5pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceBriohny Doyle (Echolalia) and Delia Falconer (Signs and Wonders) discuss their new books that deal with what it means to be a parent and artist in a time of ecological crisis, in conversation with Else Fitzgerald.In partnership with 3RRR 102.7FM$25/$20Defamation Nation11 Sep, 5–6pmAthenaeum TheatreThe Age’s deputy and investigations editor Michael Bachelard joins writer and lawyer Michael Bradley for a panel discussion about the unique challenges posed by Australia’s defamation laws, and the extraordinary courage under fire that’s required by journalists and outlets when holding powerful people to account.$35/$30I Will End You11 Sep, 6–7pmState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterBrodie Lancaster brings together a panel of writers and critics who each make a case for ditching one thing from pop culture. Featuring Declan Fry, Sinéad Stubbins, Jack Vening and more.$25/$20Ziggy Ramo: From Little Things11 Sep, 7–8pmAthenaeum Theatre Indigenous hip-hop artist Ziggy Ramo’s urgent and powerful music addresses colonial dispossession,systemic racism and intergenerational trauma. In an evening of storytelling and performance, he reflects on his activism, writing, and bold vision for the future.$35/$30Anita Heiss: Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray11 Sep, 8–9pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceAward-winning Wiradyuri writer Anita Heiss talks about Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray (Riverof Dreams), her epic new historical novel centred on a young Aboriginal couple’s search for home, in conversation with Paul Barclay.$25/$20Take It From Me: Ella Baxter and Melissa Kang11 Sep, 9.30–10.30pmThe MoatAustralia’s most questionable late night relationship advice event returns to solve all your romantic woes. Featuring host Jess McGuire alongside Ella Baxter and Dr Melissa Kang.In partnership with the Wheeler Centre$25MWF TEENSDon’t miss an action-packed day of events spanning origin stories, urban fantasy and a fanfic showcase featuring some of Australia’s biggest names in YA.Trades Hall, Fringe Common Rooms | $10 per eventTell Me How It Started11 Sep, 10–11amDanielle Binks (The Monster of Her Age), Will Kostakis (The Greatest Hit) and Leanne Hall (The Gaps) reveal the origins of their inspiring new stories of young women facing down their fears, with Melissa Keil.Hidden Worlds11 Sep, 11.30am–12.30pmTravel to hidden realms ranging from a parallel city to a society of magical booksellers with fantasy writers Karen Ginnane (When Days Tilt) and Garth Nix (The Left-Handed Booksellers of London), in conversation with Amie Kaufman.Can You Keep a Secret?11 Sep, 1.30–2.30pmGabriel Bergmoser (The True Colour of a Little White Lie) and Sophie Gonzales (Perfect on Paper) share stories of teenagers with secret identities, whether it’s a geeky teen who reinvents himself or a queer high schooler who gives anonymous love advice, in conversation with Will Kostakis.Finding Yourself11 Sep, 3–4pmNovelists Samera Kamaleddine, Gary Lonesborough and Kate O’Donnell chat with Leanne Hall about finding your courage to overcome self-doubt and shed light on their coming-of-age novels that navigate the space between getting lost and finding yourself.YA’ll Are Doomed: Dystopian Fanfic Showcase11 Sep, 5–6.30pmDanielle Binks, Sophie Gonzales, Samera Kamaleddine, Amie Kaufman and Garth Nix present a piece of fanfiction about their favourite characters from pop culture cast into the apocalypse, with host Will Kostakis.SUNDAY 12 SEPTEMBERHow It Started, How It’s Going12 Sep, 10–11amState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterThe pandemic has reshaped our lives, but how might Australia move towards a better normal? Lawyer Larissa Behrendt, ABC editor Bhakthi Puvanenthiran, political commentator Jamila Rizvi and policy expert Andrew Wear consider the possibilities.$25/$20Changing the Story12 Sep, 10–11amState Library Victoria, Create QuarterTwo of Australia’s freshest new literary voices and neurodivergent writers, Heidi Everett (My Friend Fox) and Madeleine Ryan (A Room Called Earth), talk about debuts that touch on their experiences, with Clem Bastow.This event is Auslan interpretedFree, no bookings requiredInternal Affairs12 Sep, 10–11amThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceMeg Mason (Sorrow and Bliss) and Claire Thomas (The Performance) discuss bringing to life the interior lives of women in their globally acclaimed breakthrough novels, in conversation with Abigail Ulman.$25/$20Still Unfinished: The Fight for Feminist Reform12 Sep, 12–1pmState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterOn the occasion of Quarterly Essay’s 20th anniversary, Anna Goldsworthy, Jess Hill and Benjamin Law join Sophie Black to discuss current threats to social cohesion and the opportunities for solidarity and reform in Australia.In partnership with Quarterly Essay$25/$20The Memories We Inherit12 Sep, 12–1pmState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatretteSam van Zweden (Eating with My Mouth Open) and Krissy Kneen (The Three Burials of Lotty Kneen) speak with ABC RN’s Sarah L’Estrange about their genre-bending works that excavate memory topursue truths about family and identity.$15/$10Left Behind12 Sep, 12–1pmState Library Victoria, Create Quarter Debut Australian novelists Sophie Overett (The Rabbits) and Emily Spurr (A Million Things) talk about capturing the grief and resilience of characters grappling with the disappearance of loved ones, with Elizabeth Flux.Free, no bookings requiredOh, The Humanities12 Sep, 12–1pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceJudith Brett, Bri Lee and Mark Scott consider what we stand to lose as humanities departments shrink, in discussion with ABC RN’s Paul Barclay.Supported by the Australia Institute$25/$20What We Become12 Sep, 2–3pmState Library Victoria, Create Quarter Two of Australia’s brightest young literary talents Madeleine Ryan (A Room Called Earth) and Yves Rees (All About Yves) speak with Adolfo Aranjuez about how ideas of becoming and identity have informed their work.This event is Auslan interpretedFree, no bookings requiredGideon Haigh:The Brilliant Boy12 Sep, 2–3pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceGideon Haigh shines light on The Brilliant Boy, his biography of Labor opposition leader HV ‘Doc’ Evatt, who imagined a fairer, more progressive Australia during the Menzies years, on stage with Ryan Batchelor.Supported by The McKell Institute$25/$20But You Don’t Look Sick12 Sep, 2–3pmState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatretteTriple J presenter Bridget Hustwaite (How to Endo) joins ABC Radio presenter Jacinta Parsons (Unseen) to share their experiences of living with invisible illness, on stage with Jamila Rizvi.This event is Auslan interpreted$15/$10Disorder in the Courts12 Sep, 2–3pmState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterA panel of experts—Michael Bradley, Rachel Doyle SC, Bri Lee and Teela Reid—join Marion Isobel to discuss how the judicial system can be overhauled to address a culture of predatory behaviour and harrassment, inside and outside the courts.Supported by Maurice Blackburn$25/$20The Long View12 Sep, 4–5pmState Library Victoria, Conversation QuarterRenowned long-form reporters Gabrielle Chan and George Megalogenis reflect on the shiftingfault lines of Australian society across their agenda-setting careers, in discussion with Sally Warhaft.Supported by the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas$25/$20Other Ways the World Could Be12 Sep, 4–5pmState Library Victoria, Village Roadshow TheatretteABC RN’s Paul Barclay speaks with Griffith Review’s Hey, Utopia! contributors about the realities and revelations of our increasingly unreal times. Featuring writers Briohny Doyle, Kristen Rundle and David Threlfall. In partnership with Griffith ReviewThis event is Auslan interpreted$15/$10Let Me Be Brief: Melissa Manning and Adam Thompson12 Sep, 4–5pmState Library Victoria, Create QuarterTwo of Australia’s most exciting debut authors, Melissa Manning and Adam Thompson, discuss their captivating new short story collections set in Tasmania, in conversation with Veronica Sullivan.Free, no bookings requiredMasculinity on the Ropes12 Sep, 4–5pmThe Wheeler Centre, Performance SpaceMemoirists Lech Blaine (Car Crash) band Rick Morton (My Year of Living Vulnerably) discuss the shortcomings of male stoicism in the face of grief and trauma, in conversation with Ronnie Scott.Supported by Maurice Blackburn$25/$20Closing Night: Tell Me How It Ends12 Sep, 5.30–6.30pmThe CapitolAn all-Victorian line-up delivers addresses on this year’s Festival theme. Closing the curtain with not a whimper but a resounding bang, they touch on everything from the end of days to the end of empire to the ways in which unhappy endings can be fresh starts in disguise. Join Evelyn Araluen, Maxine Beneba Clarke, Patricia Cornelius, Nayuka Gorrie, Chloe Hooper, Shaun Tan and Maria Tumarkin for an unmissable Closing Night.This event is Auslan interpreted$35/$30WORKSHOPSAcross two weekends, Melbourne Writers Festival and Writers Victoria off er practical workshops led by acclaimed authors and industry experts to help take your writing to the next level—whether it’s guidance on getting your manuscript published, learning how to fictionalise your life, or writing a masterwork of speculative fiction. Spaces are limited.The Wheeler Centre, Conference Room | $140/$120 per workshopWriting Successful Narrative Non-fiction4 Sep, 10am–12.30pmAward-winning cultural historian and author Maria Tumarkin (Axiomatic) leads a workshop on successfully navigating the challenges of narrative non-fiction.How to Write Speculative Fiction4 Sep, 2.30–5pmCritically acclaimed speculative fiction author Claire G Coleman leads a workshop on the genre’s power as a force of change and how to build realistically unreal worlds in your writing.Crafting Experimental Non-fiction5 Sep, 10am–12.30pmJoin ground-breaking No Document author and cultural critic Anwen Crawford for a workshop on how to craft experimental, hybrid and creative non-fiction.How to Fictionalise Your Life5 Sep, 2.30–5pmCritically acclaimed fiction author Kavita Bedford (Friends & Dark Shapes) leads a workshop on making compelling fiction from real-life events.Creating YA Characters11 Sep, 10am–12.30pmBeloved and bestselling author Alice Pung (Laurinda) invites you to a workshop on how to write compelling character-based YA stories.Embracing Vulnerability in Your Writing11 Sep, 2.30–5pmBestselling author Rick Morton (My Year of Living Vulnerably) leads a workshop on how to embrace vulnerability as a writer to enrich and vivify your storytelling.How to Get Your Book Published12 Sep, 10am–12.30pmOpinion editor at Guardian Australia Bridie Jabour (Trivial Grievances) shares practical insight into getting published, from honing a manuscript to liaising with agents and publishers.Writing From a Child’s Perspective12 Sep, 2.30–5pmMiles Franklin–winning novelist Sofie Laguna delivers a workshop on accessing and writing from a child’s point of view.IN THE SUBURBSFrom Narre Warren to Carlton to Dandenong to Footscray, Melbourne Writers Festival brings some of Australia’s most beloved and exciting writers to your neighbourhood with a first-rate line-up of literary events.Meet Morris Gleitzman4 Sep, 12–12.45pmBunjil Place TheatreBestselling children’s book author Morris Gleitzman sheds light on Always, the final instalment of his heart-rending and hopeful journey through history. Ages 8+ In partnership with Bunjil Place and Casey Cardinia Libraries$10The End of Detention5 Sep, 3.30–4.30pmBunjil Place TheatreFormer Manus detainee and award-winning No Friend but the Mountains author Behrouz Boochani talks about the ongoing plight of refugees in detention with his translator Dr Omid Tofighian, Behind the Wire curator André Dao and Jessie Taylor.In partnership with Bunjil Place and Casey Cardinia Libraries$25/$20Louise Milligan in Conversation5 Sep, 1.30–2.30pmBunjil Place TheatreAward-winning reporter Louise Milligan speaks with Patricia Karvelas about her powerful and deeply troubling exposé of how the legal system handles sexual assault trials.In partnership with Bunjil Place and Casey Cardinia Libraries$25/$20Gideon Haigh: The Literature of Inquests9 Sep, 1–2pmVictorian Archives Centre Much-loved author and journalist Gideon Haigh sheds light on the history, mystery and literature of legal inquests held to determine the cause of death in sudden or suspicious circumstances.Supported by Public Record Office Victoria and .au$25/$20Reading the Mind9 Sep, 4–5pmScience Gallery MelbourneClem Bastow, Jamie Marina Lau and Sam van Zweden discuss the mind, mental health and writing, in conversation with Leah Jing McIntosh.In partnership with Science Gallery MelbourneFree, bookings requiredNew Beginnings10 Sep, 7–8pmFootscray Community Arts CentreJoin Heidi Everett, Anthony Riddell and Beau Windon as they each respond to the prompt of NewBeginnings and discuss a new world where disability justice is paramount.In partnership with Footscray Community Arts CentreThis even is Auslan interpretedFree, bookings requiredClem Bastow: Late Bloomer11 Sep, 11am–12pmDandenong LibraryAward-winning cultural critic Clem Bastow discusses her wise and witty memoir Late Bloomer, which deconstructs the misconceptions and celebrates the realities of autistic experience.In partnership with City of Greater DandenongFree, bookings requiredYumiko Kadota: Emotional Female11 Sep, 3–4pmSpringvale LibraryHear from Dr Yumiko Kadota as she discusses her brave and unflinching memoir Emotional Female and sheds light on the toxic culture in the Australian public hospital system.In partnership with City of Greater DandenongFree, bookings requiredRead My Way12 Sep, 10am–12pmVision Australia LibraryVision Australia opens its doors for an engaging panel discussion about alternative reading formats, a tour of its radio studio, and hands-on experience with literacy kits from their children’s library, braille and accessible devices.In partnership with Vision AustraliaFree, bookings requiredLOCAL LIBRARIESYour favourite authors are appearing at libraries and venues right across town in a series of fascinating and insightful conversations, taking place in your own backyard.Meet RA Spratt4 Sep, 10–11amPort Melbourne Town HallThe bestselling writer of the Nanny Piggins, Friday Barnes and Girl Detective series, RA Spratt is known for her effortlessly funny narration that keeps children smiling and laughing from start to finish. Join her as she takes to the stage to tell stories about how she comes up with stories. Ages 8+Free, bookings requiredSarah Dingle: Brave New Humans4 Sep, 10.30–11.30amWheelers Hill LibraryWalkley Award–winning ABC reporter Sarah Dingle charts her ten-year journey to discover her biological origins in Brave New Humans, revealing disturbing truths about the global fertility business.Free, bookings requiredGideon Haigh: The Brilliant Boy4 Sep, 11am–12pmDingley Village Library and Community CentreGideon Haigh shines light on The Brilliant Boy, his biography of Labor opposition leader HV ‘Doc’ Evatt, who imagined a fairer, more progressive Australia during the Menzies years.Free, bookings requiredRanda Abdel-Fattah: Coming of Age in the War on Terror4 Sep, 11am–12pmNunawading Library Join cultural critic Randa Abdel-Fattah as she discusses Coming of Age in the War on Terror, an expansive work that examines the lives of a generation socialised against widespread Islamophobia.Free, bookings requiredClaire G Coleman: Lies, Damned Lies7 Sep, 6.30–7.30pmIvanhoe Library and Cultural Club Proud Noongar woman and acclaimed author Claire G Coleman discusses her long-awaited non-fiction debut about the stark reality of colonisation in Australia, Lies,Damned Lies.Free, bookings requiredJacqueline Maley:The Truth About Her9 Sep, 2–3pmSandringham LibraryWalkley Award–winning journalist Jacqueline Maley discusses her striking debut novel The Truth About Her, the story of a single mother and reporter whose life and career are upended by scandal, an exposé and an unexpected tragedy.Free, bookings requiredAlice Pung: One Hundred Days9 Sep, 6.30–7.30pmHawthorn Arts CentreBeloved author Alice Pung speaks about her new novel One Hundred Days, a fractured fairytale about class, family and love.Free, bookings requiredDebra Oswald: The Family Doctor9 Sep, 6.30–7.30pmClayton LibraryAward-winning creator of Offspring Debra Oswald discusses her newest pulse-racing novel, The Family Doctor, in which a suburban GP faces stark moral choices when confronted with domestic violence and judicial indifference.Free, bookings requiredTony Birch in Conversation11 Sep, 10.30–11.30amDoncaster LibraryMiles Franklin–shortlisted author Tony Birch discusses his new collections of prose and poetry that cement his reputation as one of Australia’s finest storytellers.Free, bookings requiredSam van Zweden: Eating with My Mouth Open11 Sep, 2–3pmMount Waverley LibraryAward-winning writer Sam van Zweden discusses her impressive debut Eating with My Mouth Open, where she explores memory, hunger and wellbeing while celebrating food and the bodies it nurtures.Free, bookings requiredFiona Murphy: The Shape of Sound12 Sep, 10.30–11.30amAustralian Tapestry WorkshopAward-winning writer Fiona Murphy discusses her thoughtful debut The Shape of Sound, in which she delves into the cost of concealment and claiming her Deaf identity after 25 years of secrecy.Free, bookings requiredLarissa Behrendt: After Story12 Sep, 3–4pmGeelong Library and Heritage CentreLarissa Behrendt discusses After Story, her new novel about the past, the present and the extraordinary power of literature and truth-telling.Free, bookings requiredWRITERS ON FILMPremiers 4 SepMelbourne Writers Festival presents a short documentary mapping the creative lives of local authors Jennifer Down, Sophie Cunningham and Tony Birch.Directed by artist Will Huxley, Writers on Film features self-narrated tours of the neighbourhoods that informed award winning works including Our Magic Hour, City of Trees and Ghost River, all within our UNESCO City of Literature.Supported by the Besen Family Foundation and City of YarraWatch .au/filmARTISTSARanda Abdel-Fattah Louise Adler Lillian Ahenkan Michael Mohammed Ahmad Akala Rumaan Alam Emma Alberici Gay Alcorn Miles Allinson Waleed Aly Roj Amedi Bryan Andy Evelyn Araluen Adolfo Aranjuez David Astle Cassandra Atherton BMichael Bachelard Nadia Bailey Julia Baird Julia Banks Paul Barclay Clem Bastow Ryan Batchelor Ella Baxter Kavita Bedford Luke Beesley Larissa Behrendt Gabriel Bergmoser Danielle BinksTony Birch Emily Bitto Sophie Black Lech Blaine Behrouz Boochani Matilda Boseley Michael Bradley Mark Brandi Judith Brett Bryan Brown Natasha Brown Julian Burnside James Button CBridget Caldwell-BrightPeter Carnavas Steven Carroll Gabrielle Chan Melanie Cheng Santilla Chingaipe Tasneem Chopra Paige Clark Maxine Beneba Clarke Claire G ColemanBernard Collaery Patricia Cornelius Anwen Crawford Ellen Cregan Alison Croggon Rachel Cusk DEmma Dabiri Trent Dalton André Dao Sarah Dingle Linh Do Jennifer Down Briohny DoyleJohn Doyle Rachel Doyle Ursula Dubosarsky EAstrid EdwardsKate Ellis Anton Enus Raf EpsteinHeidi Everett FDelia Falconer Mehreen Faruqi Osman Faruqi Mahmood Fazal Nick Feik Christopher Fisher Else Fitzgerald Elizabeth Flux Andrew Fowler Jan Fran Declan Fry GRaimond Gaita Helen Garner Claire Gaskin Karen Ginnane Morris GleitzmanPeter Godfrey-SmithAnna Goldsworthy Elena Gomez Sophie Gonzales Chris Gordon Nayuka Gorrie Alexander Gow Stan Grant AC Grayling Charmaine Papertalk Green Michael Green Tom Griffiths Eloise Grills HGideon Haigh Leanne Hall Rebecca Harkins-Cross Jane Harper Tristen Harwood Amani Haydar Pip HealeAnita Heiss Veronica Heritage-Gorrie Kathryn Heyman Missy Higgins Jess Hill Jean Hinchliffe Maya Hodge Sarah Holland-Batt Yvette Holt Chloe Hooper Bridget Hustwaite Justine Hyde 20IMarion Isobel 99JBridie Jabour Andy Jackson Barry Jones Toni Jordan Barry Judd KYumiko Kadota Samera KamaleddineMelissa Kang Patricia Karvelas Amie Kaufman Melissa Keil Chris Kennett Krissy Kneen Will Kostakis Sarah Krasnostein LIngrid Laguna Sofie Laguna Jhumpa Lahiri Remy LaiBrodie Lancaster Marcia Langton Jack Latimore Jamie Marina Lau Benjamin Law Jeanine Leane Bri Lee Sarah L’Estrange Celeste Liddle Gary Lonesborough Melissa Lucashenko Scott Ludlam MEmily Maguire Jacqueline MaleyMelissa Manning Aunty Jenni Martiniello Meg MasonThomas Mayor Elizabeth McCarthy Andrew McDonald Michael McGirr Jess McGuire Leah Jing McIntosh Fatima Measham George Megalogenis Lisa Millar Louise Milligan Jazz Money Rick Morton Fiona Murphy NAbbas Nazari Maggie Nelson Garth Nix Sigrid Nunez Areej Nur Nyadol Nyuon OKate O’Donnell Kerry O’Brien Debra Oswald Sophie Overett PParnell Palme McGuinness Sam Pang Jacinta Parsons Bruce Pascoe Tanya Plibersek JP Pomare Alice Pung Bhakthi Puvanenthiran RZiggy Ramo Erina Reddan Yves Rees Teela Reid Henry Reynolds Allee RichardsAnthony Riddell Sally Rippin Jamila Rizvi Jen Robinson Marilynne Robinson Sally Rugg Kristen Rundle Madeleine RyanSHarry Saddler John Safran Leigh Sales Kirli Saunders Mykaela Saunders Angela Savage Mark Scott Ronnie Scott Emma Shortis Vicky Shukuroglou Beejay Silcox Margaret Simons Nardi Simpson Annika Smethurst RA Spratt Emily Spurr Rebecca Starford Jessie Stephens Erin Stewart Douglas Stuart Sinéad Stubbins Yumi Stynes Veronica Sullivan Norman Swan TMaria Takolander Grace Tame Shaun Tan Brandon Taylor Jessie Taylor Viet Thanh Nguyen Claire Thomas Adam Thompson David Threlfall Carrie Tiffany Omid Tofighian Virginia Trioli Maria TumarkinUAbigail Ulman VJenny Valentish Ellen van Neerven Sam van Zweden Jack Vening Filip Vuka?in WSarah Walker Adele Walsh Beverley WangShelley Ware Sally WarhaftKhalid Warsame Andrew Wear Alison Whittaker Nick Whittock Jessica Wilkinson Marian Wilkinson Michael Williams Chloe Wilson Beau Windon Ben Wood Danielle Wood Laura Elizabeth Woollett Alexis Wright Clare Wright Karen Wyld ZArnold Zable Jock Zonfrillo FESTIVAL INFORMATIONCOVID safetyWe are delighted to welcome audiences back to Melbourne Writers Festival. The safety of our audiences, artists and staff is our number one priority. We are working closely with the Victorian Government and the Department of Health to deliver a COVID-safe event for everyone. All visitors must follow COVID-safe practices as guided by MWF staff and volunteers. Some of the protective measures to expect when you attend the Festival include mandatory QR code check-ins; digital tickets and cashless payments; more time between events; sanitiser stations; and regular cleaning of our venues. Please stay home if you feel unwell. For more information visit .au/covid-safetyVenuesAthenaeum Theatre188 Collins St, .auWheelchair accessBunjil Place2 Patrick NE Dr, Narre .auWheelchair accessHearing loopFootscray Community Arts Centre45 Moreland St, Wheelchair accessThe Capitol113 Swanston St, Wheelchair accessHearing loopThe Moat Bar & Restaurant176 Little Lonsdale St, .auWheelchair accessScience Gallery Melbourne114 Grattan St, Parkvillemelbourne.Wheelchair accessState Library Victoria328 Swanston St, Melbourneslv..auWheelchair accessHearing loopTrades Hall54 Victoria St, .au/common-roomsWheelchair accessVictorian Archives Centre99 Shiel St, North Melbourneprov..auWheelchair accessVision Australia454 Glenferrie Rd, Wheelchair accessHearing loopThe Wheeler Centre176 Little Lonsdale St, Wheelchair accessHearing loopGuide dogs and assistance dogs are welcome at all venues. For more information, visit .au/venuesAccessibilityMelbourne Writers Festival is committed to ensuring that everyone can enjoy the programs we offer. We work hard to remove barriers and increase access to our live and digital events.All events at MWF have unallocated seating. To book accessible seats, request Auslan interpretation at an event or notify us of any access requirements, please email boxoffice@.au or call (03) 9094 7871. Auslan interpretationHearing loopOpen captioningWheelchair accessCommunity tickets for First PeoplesPlease let us know if you would like to attend the Festival by emailing boxoffice@.auCompanion CardMWF offers a second ticket to paid events at no extra cost to Companion Card holders at the time of booking. Proof of concession is required.National Relay ServiceIf you are Deaf, hard of hearing or have difficulty speaking, contact the National Relay Service on 133 677 or via .au, then ask for (03) 9094 7871 during business hours. There is no additional charge for this service.MWF DigitalReturning for its second year, MWF Digital will present ten conversations with some of the world’s best writers that can be accessed on demand from anywhere in the world. All digital events will be open captioned.Vision Australia RadioWe are proud to partner with Vision Australia Radio, who will provide an audio accessible program guide and feature interviews and programs with MWF authors. Learn more at radio.VolunteersLook out for our friendly and knowledgeable volunteers at this year’s Festival. Volunteers will be present at most venues to help visitors access their events safely. For more information on accessibility and inclusion, visit .au/accessBookingAll tickets can be booked through Melbourne Writers Festival.Purchase online, and your tickets will be emailed to you. We will scan them from your smartphone, or you can print them at home..auMWF AppUse the official iPhone and Android apps to access your tickets during the Festival, proudly supported by Ferve Tickets.Phone(03) 9094 7871Pre-Festival: Mon–Fri, 10am–4pmIn-Festival: Sun–Thu, 10am–7pmFri–Sat, 10am–9.30pmBox OfficeThe Wheeler Centre,1/176 Little Lonsdale StPre-Festival: Mon–Fri, 10am–4pmIn-Festival: Mon–Fri, 10am–5pmState Library Victoria,Hansen Hall, 328 Swanston StIn-Festival: Fri–Sat 10am–8.30pm,Sun 10am–4pmTransaction fees apply for all tickets purchased online, over the phone and in person. Bookings for free events will not incur transaction fees.TicketsThe following events can be redeemed on an MWF Pass:Highlight — $35/$30*Standard — $25/$20Theatrette — $15/$10MWF Families — $10MWF Teens — $10*Highlight events can be redeemed on an MWF Pass at a discountedtop-up price.The following events cannot be redeemed on an MWF Pass:MWF Gala — $300Workshop — $140/$120Bunjil Place — $25/$20, $10Take It From Me — $25Free eventsEvents produced by MWF will not require bookings, but some partner events may require bookings. Please refer to individual event listings for booking information at .auFestival PassesWith great savings on individual ticket prices, an MWF Pass is the best way to experience the Festival. Pass holders can top up their Passes to add Highlight sessions. Passes can also be used to purchase more than one ticket to an individual event so that you can bring a friend (or yourentire book club).10 PASS$189/$169Save up to 25% on individual tickets5 PASS$99/$89Save up to 20% on individual ticketsMWF Digital PassWe’ve curated a digital program of ten events featuring essential literary voices from around the world. Digital events are available individually on a pay-what-you-can basis, but by purchasing an all-in Digital Pass now, you’re helping us to properly resource MWF Digital.The full MWF Digital program will appear in your MWF Account, available to watch online and on demand from 6 to 15 September. Are you all in?ALL IN – DIGITAL PASS$90 (10 events)For more information and to purchase passes and gift vouchers, visit .au/ticketsMake the most of MWFBookshopBetween events, browse and shop titles in the Readings bookshop at the Russell Street entrance of State Library Victoria. Their book experts will provide recommendations inspired by your visit to MWF. Discover your next favourite at .au/books or .auBook signingsAuthors will sign books in the Russell Street Welcome Zone of State Library Victoria immediately following their events in the Conversation Quarter, Village Roadshow Theatrette and Create Quarter.Book sales and signings will be available at most other venues immediately following each event.Win 100 booksTo celebrate our 35th birthday, we are giving away 100 books to one lucky winner. Subscribe to MWF to enter the draw to win a year of reading (and then some), and keep your mates in the loop by encouraging them to subscribe at .auWriting MelbourneMelbourne Writers Festival is unveiling 11 original works of fiction and non-fiction that in some way reflect life in Melbourne. Excerpts from each work will be displayed alongside illustrations by local artists at City Square throughout August and September. Brought to you by the Metro Tunnel Creative Program For more information, visit .au/writing-melbourneJoin the conversationFollow the conversations at #MWF21 and #MWFDigital, on Twitter and Instagram @melbwritersfest and Facebook @melbournewritersfestivalAll information is correct at the time of publication. Sign up to get the latest information and updates at .au ................
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