3 12 SEP 2021 MELBOURNE WRITERS FESTIVAL MWF ...

3—12 SEP 2021

MELBOURNE WRITERS FESTIVAL

MWF.COM.AU

TELL ME HOW IT ENDS

http://mwf.com.au

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We 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.

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Offi cial Bookseller

Major Partners

Principal Partner

Learning Partners

Cultural Partners

Offi cial SuppliersMedia Partners

Festival SupportersAPRA AMCOSAustralian Communities FoundationAustralian PoetryBesen Family FoundationBunjil PlaceCity of Greater DandenongCity of YarraCommittee for MelbourneFirst Nations Australia Writers’ NetworkFootscray Community Arts CentreGriffi th ReviewThe MoatMushroom GroupPEN MelbournePublic Record Offi ce Victoria, Ancestry.com.auQuarterly EssaySafety In NumbersScience Gallery MelbourneThe Stella PrizeUnited States Consulate MelbourneVictorian Association for the Teaching of English Vision AustraliaThe Wheeler CentreWriters Victoria

DonorsLiterary Epic $20,000+John Jerome Myers Maria Myers AC & Allan J Myers AC QC

Novel $10,000+Hart Line Fund (a sub-fund of the Australian Communities Foundation) Dr Leonie Kelleher OAM Dr George & Rosa Morstyn

Novella $5,000+Paul Andrews, Trustee of the Robin Campbell Foundation BB & A Miller Fund (a sub-fund of the Australian Communities Foundation) Canny Quine Foundation Peter Garrow Maureen Wheeler AO & Tony Wheeler AO

Short Story $1000+Anonymous Fahim Ahad Phillip Benedetti Joanna Brand Sally Browne Fund (a sub-fund of the Australian Communities Foundation)

Ann & Michael Cohn Astrid Edwards Rosemary Geer Jo Grigg Dr Alice Hill & Mark Nicholson Leg Up Foundation Bernard Marin AM McLeod Family Foundation Cecilia J Myers Jamila Rizvi Mark Rubbo OAM Nick Ruskin Craig Semple Bernadette Trifi letti Michael Webster Linda White Janet Whiting AM

Haiku $500+Andrew Deane Maggie Haertsch Rebecca Kierce Barbara Long Louise Ryan Robert Sessions AM

Correct at 7 July 2021

BoardAstrid EdwardsChairFahim AhadDeputy ChairJoanna BrandCompany SecretaryPhillip Benedetti (until June 2021)Ahmad AbasDr Alice HillGail ListerJamila RizviLouise RyanErin Wamala

Staff Michaela McGuireArtistic DirectorRebecca MacFarlingChief Executive Offi cerGene SmithAssociate DirectorSonia NairProgram ManagerAlexia JordanMarketing & Partnerships ManagerChloe GordonPhilanthropy Manager

Genevieve CizevskisProduction ManagerRachel HanleyTicketing & Sales ManagerMargie Yi Front of House, Venues & Volunteers ManagerCoral GuanDigital Marketing CoordinatorGemma PassMarketing CoordinatorMadelyn PickersgillBusiness & Operations CoordinatorWinnie TsangPhilanthropy CoordinatorJacob BoehmeFirst Nations AdvisorIngrid LagunaEducation AdvisorJoey Chen, Shadi HabashBookkeepersCPR Communications& Public RelationsPublicitySweet CreativeGraphic DesignAdrian PottsCopywriter

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Michaela McGuire

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

ContentsFestival Events 4—15Families 6First Nations Curators 7Digital 8 Teens 11Calendar 12—13Workshops 16In the Suburbs 17Local Libraries 18Artists 20Festival Information &

Tickets 22—23

What happens when the entire

world is consumed by the same story?

The pandemic feels like the fi rst

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 buff eted 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 fi nest

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 defi es the

deep desire to impose a narrative

structure on chaos. There are no

foregone conclusions here—but

infi nite possibilities.

To fi nd 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 fi bs,

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 fi rst 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 Griffi ths (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 fi nd 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

Pu� 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 modern-

day 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 fi gure

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 prolifi c

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-fi ction

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

diff erent 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 long-

overdue celebration of these writers

and their vital work. We hope you’ll

join us.

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WHERE DO I BEGIN?

FRIDAY 3 & SATURDAY 4 SEPTEMBER

PEN 100: Freedom to Write

4 Sep, 2–3pm

State Library Victoria, Create Quarter

Celebrating the centenary of PEN International, Torres Strait Islander writer Thomas Mayor refl ects on First Nations writing as an act of self-determination, on stage with Declan Fry.

In partnership with PEN Melbourne

Free, no bookings required

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Bryan Brown: Sweet Jimmy

4 Sep, 2–3pm

Athenaeum Theatre

Australian screen legend Bryan Brown (Breaker Morant, Two Hands) chats about turning his hand to crime writing in his debut book, Sweet Jimmy.

$35/$30

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Tampa: 20 Years On

4 Sep, 2–3pm

The Wheeler Centre, Performance Space

Fulbright scholar and refugee Abbas Nazari (After the Tampa) discusses the legacy of the 2001 Tampa aff air, the life he has since built in New Zealand and the power of hope, with Michael Green.

$25/$20

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Apocalypse Now?

Not Just Yet

4 Sep, 12–1pm


School Strikes 4 Climate organiser Jean Hinchliff e (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/$20

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Lisa Millar: Daring to Fly

4 Sep, 1–2pm

The Capitol

Former 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.

$35/$30

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The Ties That Bind

4 Sep, 2–3pm

State Library Victoria, Village Roadshow Theatrette

Acclaimed 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/$10

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Murder, Jane Wrote

4 Sep, 10–11am

State Library Victoria, Conversation Quarter

Jane 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/$20

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The Ripple Eff ect

4 Sep, 10–11am


Miles Franklin–winning writer Sofi e Laguna (Infi nite 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/$10

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Living Memories

4 Sep, 10–11am


Writers Kavita Bedford (Friends & Dark Shapes) and Anwen Crawford (No Document) refl ect on their genre-bending books that unfurl stories of grief and loss, with Rebecca Harkins-Cross.


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Now and Then: Celebrating

Ten Years of Stella

4 Sep, 12–1pm


Join Stella Prize co-founder Chris Gordon in conversation with Carrie Tiff any, 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/$10

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Let Me Be Brief: Paige Clark

and Chloe Wilson

4 Sep, 12–1pm


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.


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Dear Son

4 Sep, 10–11am


Dear 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/$20

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The New Wave of First

Nations Fiction

4 Sep, 12–1pm


[SEE EVENT DETAILS ON PAGE 7]

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Opening Night: Where Do I Begin?

3 Sep, 6.30–8pm | Athenaeum Theatre

To fi nd 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 fi bs, 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 fi rst time since 2012.

$35/$30 1

Tony Birch: Immaculate

Collections

4 Sep, 2–3pm


Miles 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 fi nest storytellers.

$25/$20

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Douglas

Stuart:

Shuggie Bain 4 Sep, 11am–12pm

The Capitol

Crossing 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/$30

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SATURDAY 4 & SUNDAY 5 SEPTEMBER

ABC Radio Melbourne:

Homespun

4 Sep, 6–7pm


ABC 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/$10

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Up Late: Patricia Karvelas

and Sally Rugg

4 Sep, 8–9pm



UP1

Jessie Stephens: Heartsick

5 Sep, 10–11am


Heartsick author and podcaster Jessie Stephens talks about how heartbreak makes and breaks us, in conversation with ABC 7.30’s Leigh Sales.

$25/$20

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Young and Muslim

in Australia

5 Sep, 10–11am


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/$20

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Facing the Legacy

of Colonialism

5 Sep, 12–1pm


Noongar 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/$20

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Norman Swan Knows

What’s Good For You

5 Sep, 2–3pm


Beloved 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/$20

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The Lies of the

Land: Australia,

Assange and

WikiLeaks 4 Sep, 4–5pm


Human rights lawyer Julian Burnside, former Greens senator Scott Ludlam, and Julian Assange’s lawyer Jen Robinson discuss WikiLeaks, free speech and covert power.

$25/$20

17 Marcia Langton:

Welcome to Country

5 Sep, 4–5pm


Infl uential 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/$20

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John Safran: Puff Piece

4 Sep, 8–9pm

Athenaeum Theatre

Inimitable author and fi lmmaker John Safran discusses his wild, hilarious and thought-provoking exposé of Big Tobacco, Puff Piece, on stage with Mahmood Fazal.

$35/$30

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Uncomfortable Truths

from Unceded Land

4 Sep, 6–7pm

Athenaeum Theatre


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Fortress

Australia4 Sep, 6–7pm


Can 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/$20

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Jennifer

Down:

Bodies

of Light5 Sep, 2–3pm


Prize-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 Tiff any.

$25/$20

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The Cancel

Culture Wars5 Sep, 4–5pm


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/$20

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Dark Emu and The Art

of Time Travel

4 Sep, 4–5pm

Athenaeum Theatre

Author Bruce Pascoe (Dark Emu) and historian Tom Griffi ths (The Art of Time Travel) transcend the culture wars to consider the productive conversation emerging around First Nations histories, in conversation with Sally Warhaft.

$35/$30

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Australia and the End

of Empire

4 Sep, 4–5pm


Veronica 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/$10

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Uncertain Terms

4 Sep, 4–5pm


ABC 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/$20

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A New Body Politic

4 Sep, 4–5pm


Sam 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.


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For the little readers in your life, MWF Families is a fun-fi lled 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, 10–10.45am


The 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+


FAM1

School of Monsters

5 Sep, 12.15–1pm


The 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+

$10

FAM5

Totally Paw-some!

5 Sep, 1–1.45pm


Illustrator 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+


FAM6

Stand Up for the Planet!

5 Sep, 2.30–3.15pm


Join 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+


FAM8

Illustration Battle Station

5 Sep, 3.15–4pm


Peter 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+

$10

FAM9

The Magical Puppet Theatre

5 Sep, 4–4.45pm


One 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+


FAM10

Real Pigeons Live Mystery

5 Sep, 10.45–11.30am


Help 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+

$10

FAM2

Storytime with

Maxine Beneba Clarke5 Sep, 11.30am–12pm


Prize-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+


FAM3

Taking Care of Country 5 Sep, 1.45–2.30pm


Award-winning children’s writer Kirli Saunders (Bindi) leads a fun-fi lled interactive session about First Nations cultures and taking care of our land. Ages 8+

$10

FAM7

Morris Gleitzman

in Conversation5 Sep, 12–1pm


Literary legend Morris Gleitzman shares insight into Always, the fi nal book of his highly acclaimed and award-winning Once series for younger readers, in conversation with Adele Walsh. Ages 10+

$10

FAM4

Story Box Library

4 Sep, 8am to 30 Sep, midnight

Online

Join 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 5–8

In partnership with Story Box Library

Free, registration required

SBL

MWF FAMILIES

Illustration: Remy Lai

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FIRST NATIONS CURATORS

First Nations Poets: Tell Us How It Ends

11 Sep, 10–11am


An 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.


63

Flock: First Nations Stories

11 Sep, 6–7pm


Flock is a brilliant new anthology showcasing some of the fi nest 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/$20

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The Art of Blak Critique

12 Sep, 10–11am


A 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/$10

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This 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 Fiction

4 Sep, 12–1pm


Melissa Lucashenko, Nardi Simpson and Karen Wyld talk about the power of First Nations fi ction to illuminate history, culture and ways of thinking in conversation with Marcia Langton.

Supported by ARA

$25/$20

10

Uncomfortable Truths

from Unceded Land

4 Sep, 6–7pm

Athenaeum Theatre

Non-fi ction 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.


$35/$30

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Lines of Inquiry:

Indigenous Poetry

10 Sep, 10–11am


Marcia 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’ Network


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Patricia Karvelas and Sally Rugg

4 Sep, 8–9pm

UP1

Benjamin Law and Beverley Wang

11 Sep, 8–9pm

UP3

Jan Fran and Jess McGuire

10 Sep, 8–9pm

UP2

UP LATE

Settle 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 aff airs 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 event

Marcia Langton:

Welcome to Country

5 Sep, 4–5pm



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MWF 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, midnight

AC Grayling: The Frontiers

of Knowledge

In 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 diff erent branches of knowledge to fortify our understanding of ourselves and our world.

DIGITAL6

Jhumpa Lahiri:

Whereabouts

Pulitzer 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 fi ction in conversation with Emma Alberici.

Supported by ARA

DIGITAL7

Viet Thanh Nguyen:

The Committed

Viet 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.

DIGITAL8

Sigrid Nunez: What Are

You Going Through

In characteristically genre-defying style, Sigrid Nunez’s What Are You Going Through melds fi ction 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.

DIGITAL9

Brandon Taylor:

Filthy Animals

One 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.

DIGITAL10

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.

DIGITAL3

Akala: The Dark Lady

The Dark Lady by author and hip-hop artist Akala tells the magic-laced adventure of teen orphan and thief Henry, tackling themes of identity and inequality. Join ABC RN’s Stop Everything! co-host Beverley Wang as she speaks with an author described as ‘the kind of disruptive, aggressive intellect that a new generation is closely watching’.

DIGITAL1

Rumaan Alam: Leave the

World Behind

One 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.

DIGITAL2

Rachel Cusk: Second Place

Rachel 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 prolifi c career at large.

DIGITAL4

Emma Dabiri: What White

People Can Do Next

Celebrated 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.

DIGITAL5

MWF DIGITAL

9


TUESDAY 7 – THURSDAY 9 SEPTEMBER

Saying no to being Bond Saying no to being Bond

MWF Gala

7 Sep, 7–10pm

State Library Victoria, The Ian Potter Queen’s Hall

Don your best cocktail attire for the MWF Gala, an evening of fi ne 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.

$300

33

Melbourne Beginnings

8 Sep, 5–6pm


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 refl ect on the theme, Melbourne Beginnings.

Supported by Study Melbourne

Free, bookings required

34

Allee Richards:

Small Joys of Real Life

8 Sep, 7–8pm


Launching 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.


35

Secrets, Spies and

Whistleblowers

9 Sep, 6.30–7.30pm

Athenaeum Theatre

Can 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.

$35/$30

39

Peter Steele Lecture:

The Spark of Poetry

9 Sep, 6.30–7.30pm


Award-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 Melbourne


38

Julia Baird and Trent

Dalton: On Wonder

9 Sep, 8.30–9.30pm

Athenaeum Theatre

Conserving 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 fi nd 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 ARA

$35/$30

40

Helen Garner’s

Reasonable Doubts 8 Sep, 8.30–9.30pm

Athenaeum Theatre

When we describe Helen Garner’s work, we seize on its candour: she’s unfl inching, 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 Company

$35/$30

37

Jock Zonfrillo: Last Shot 8 Sep, 6.30–7.30pm

Athenaeum Theatre

From 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 refl ects 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 Company

$35/$30

36

10


FRIDAY 10 SEPTEMBER

Barry Jones:

What Is to Be Done

10 Sep, 10–11am


Writer 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/$20

41

Up Late: Jan Fran

and Jess McGuire

10 Sep, 8–9pm



UP2

Above and Beyond Belief

10 Sep, 4–5pm


Join 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/$20

55

Peter Godfrey-Smith:

Metazoa

10 Sep, 2–3pm


Scuba-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/$20

52

Lyrical Fury

10 Sep, 2–3pm


Award-winning authors Evelyn Araluen and Maria Takolander talk about shaping genre-blurring collections of poetry that stare down diffi cult subjects with lyricism, on stage with Elena Gomez.


50

Arnold Zable in Conversation

10 Sep, 2–3pm


Writer, 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.


51

Poetic Portraits

10 Sep, 12–1pm


Portraits 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 University


47

The End of the Larrikin

Legend?

10 Sep, 2–3pm


A panel of political writers and editors—Lech Blaine, Nick Feik and Annika Smethurst—discuss the larrikin fi gure in our politics, with presenter Jan Fran.

$25/$20

49

Rewriting History

10 Sep, 4–5pm


Steven Carroll (O) and Rebecca Starford (The Imitator) share insight into riveting historical novels of intrigue, speaking with ABC RN’s Sarah L’Estrange..



53

Local, Attention:

A Poetry Reading

10 Sep, 4–5pm


Leading 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 Poetry


54

Lines of Inquiry:

Indigenous Poetry

10 Sep, 10–11am



42

A Crisis of Meaning

10 Sep, 10–11am


Fiction 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.


43

The Assault of the Earth

10 Sep, 10–11am


Gabrielle Chan (Why You Should Give a F*ck About Farming) and Marian Wilkinson (The Carbon Club) speak with Astrid Edwards about fi nding new ways of engaging with our land.

$25/$20

44

Archive Fever

10 Sep, 12–1pm


Historians 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/$20

45

Personal Truths

10 Sep, 12–1pm


Acclaimed writers Clem Bastow (Late Bloomer) and Kathryn Heyman (Fury) refl ect on their unsparing and hopeful memoirs in conversation with Erina Reddan.


46

Cautionary Tales

10 Sep, 12–1pm


Debra 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/$20

48

Take It From Me: Krissy

Kneen and Debra Oswald

10 Sep, 9.30–10.30pm

The Moat

Australia’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

$25

61

Lillian Ahenkan:

The Success Experiment

10 Sep, 8–9pm


Known to some 150,000 Instagram followers as Flex Mami, presenter, podcaster and infl uencer Lillian Ahenkan chats about her debut book The Success Experiment, on stage with Matilda Boseley.

$25/$20

59

John Doyle: The Early Life

of Rampaging Roy Slaven

10 Sep, 6.30–7.30pm

Athenaeum Theatre

John 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.

$35/$30

58

Boisbouvier Oration:

Tony Birch

10 Sep, 6–7pm


Celebrated 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.


$25/$20

57

Stop Everything!

10 Sep, 6–7pm


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/$20

56

My Name is Grace Tame10 Sep, 8.30–9.30pm

Athenaeum Theatre

Since 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.

$35/$30

60

11


SATURDAY 11 SEPTEMBER

Behind the Curtain: Asian-

Australian Women Doctors

11 Sep, 10–11am


Three 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/$10

64

Maggie

Nelson: On

Freedom 11 Sep, 1–2pm

The Capitol

Crossing 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/$30

71

Marilynne Robinson:

Full of Grace 11 Sep, 11am–12pm

The Capitol

Crossing 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/$30

66

Tell Me How It

Started 11 Sep, 10–11am

Danielle 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.

YA1

Can You Keep

a Secret? 11 Sep, 1.30–2.30pm

Gabriel 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.

YA3

YA’ll Are Doomed:

Dystopian Fanfi c

Showcase11 Sep, 5–6.30pm

Danielle Binks, Sophie Gonzales, Samera Kamaleddine, Amie Kaufman and Garth Nix present a piece of fanfi ction about their favourite characters from pop culture cast into the apocalypse, with host Will Kostakis.

YA5

Finding Yourself 11 Sep, 3–4pm

Novelists Samera Kamaleddine, Gary Lonesborough and Kate O’Donnell chat with Leanne Hall about fi nding your courage to overcome self-doubt and shed light on their coming-of-age novels that navigate the space between getting lost and fi nding yourself.

YA4

Hidden Worlds 11 Sep, 11.30am–12.30pm

Travel 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.

YA2

MWF TEENS

Don’t miss an action-packed day of events spanning origin stories, urban fantasy and a fanfi c showcase

featuring some of Australia’s biggest names in YA.

Trades Hall, Fringe Common Rooms | $10 per event

Burning Down the House

11 Sep, 10–11am


Greens senator and environmental engineer Mehreen Faruqi and award-winning journalist Marian Wilkinson consider how to curb vested interests and enact clean energy solutions, with Margaret Simons.

Supported by Australian Communities Foundation

$25/$20

62

What’s Left Unsaid

11 Sep, 10–11am


Prize-winning novelists Larissa Behrendt (After Story) and Steven Carroll (O) refl ect on how the literature of long ago can illuminate important truths once left unsaid, on stage with Clare Wright.

$25/$20

65

First Nations Poets:

Tell Us How It Ends

11 Sep, 10–11am



63

The Fifth Estate:

Our Exceptional Friend

11 Sep, 12–1pm


Historian 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.


$25/$20

68Scandalous Fictions

11 Sep, 12–1pm


Jacqueline Maley (The Truth About Her) and Filip Vukašin (Modern Marriage) discuss their striking debut novels, both centred around narrators whose lives are upended by scandal, in conversation with Toni Jordan.

$15/$10

67

The Cost of Concealment

11 Sep, 12–1pm


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.


69

Generation Miserable

11 Sep, 12–1pm


Lillian 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/$20

70

12


CALENDAR

Saturday 4 SeptemberSTATE LIBRARY VICTORIA THE WHEELER CENTRE

ATHENAEUM THEATRE THE CAPITOLConversation Quarter Village Roadshow Theatrette Create Quarter Performance Space

10am Murder, Jane Wrote The Ripple Eff ect Living Memories Dear Son

11am Douglas Stuart: Shuggie Bain

12pmThe New Wave of First Nations

FictionNow and Then:

Celebrating Ten Years of StellaLet Me Be Brief: Paige Clark and

Chloe Wilson Apocalypse Now? Not Just Yet

1pmLisa Millar:

Daring to Fly

2pmTony Birch:

Immaculate Collections The Ties That Bind PEN 100: Freedom to Write Tampa: 20 Years On Bryan Brown: Sweet Jimmy

3pm

4pmThe Lies of the Land: Australia,

Assange and WikiLeaks Australia and the End of Empire A New Body Politic Uncertain Terms Dark Emu and The Art of Time Travel

5pm

6pm Fortress Australia ABC Radio Melbourne: Homespun Uncomfortable Truths from Unceded Land

7pm

8pmUp Late: Patricia Karvelas

and Sally RuggJohn Safran:

Puff Piece

Sunday 5 SeptemberSTATE LIBRARY VICTORIA THE WHEELER CENTRE

Conversation Quarter Village Roadshow Theatrette Create Quarter Performance Space

10am Jessie Stephens: Heartsick Bedtime Stories Live! Young and Muslim in Australia

Real Pigeons Live Mystery11am

Storytime with Maxine Beneba Clarke

12pm Morris Gleitzman in Conversation Facing the Legacy of ColonialismSchool of Monsters

1pm Totally Paw-some!

Taking Care of Country2pm Norman Swan Knows What’s Good For You Jennifer Down: Bodies of Light

Stand Up for the Planet!

3pm Illustration Battle Station

4pm The Cancel Culture Wars The Magical Puppet Theatre Marcia Langton: Welcome to Country

Friday 10 SeptemberSTATE LIBRARY VICTORIA THE WHEELER CENTRE

ATHENAEUM THEATREConversation Quarter Village Roadshow Theatrette Create Quarter Performance Space

10am Barry Jones: What Is to Be Done Lines of Inquiry: Indigenous Poetry A Crisis of Meaning The Assault of the Earth

11am

12pm Archive Fever Personal Truths Poetic Portraits Cautionary Tales

1pm

2pm The End of the Larrikin Legend? Lyrical Fury Arnold Zable in Conversation Peter Godfrey-Smith: Metazoa

3pm

4pm Rewriting History Local, Attention: A Poetry Reading Above and Beyond Belief

5pm

6pm Stop Everything! Boisbouvier Oration: Tony BirchJohn Doyle: The Early Life of Rampaging Roy Slaven

7pm

8pm Up Late: Jan Fran and Jess McGuire Lillian Ahenkan: The Success Experiment

My Name is Grace Tame

9pm

13


CALENDAR

Saturday 11 SeptemberSTATE LIBRARY VICTORIA THE WHEELER CENTRE

ATHENAEUM THEATRE THE CAPITOLTRADES HALL

Conversation Quarter Village Roadshow Theatrette Create Quarter Performance Space Fringe Common Rooms

10am Burning Down the House Behind the Curtain: Asian Australian Women Doctors

First Nations Poets: Tell Us How It Ends What’s Left Unsaid Tell Me How It Started

11amMarilynne Robinson:

Full of GraceHidden Worlds

12pmThe Fifth Estate:

Our Exceptional Friend Scandalous Fictions The Cost of Concealment Generation Miserable

1pm Maggie Nelson: On Freedom

Can You Keep a Secret?

2pmMehreen Faruqi: Too Migrant,

Too Muslim, Too Loud Relative Chaos Our Better Nature Let’s Talk About Sex

3pmBringing an End

to Family Violence Finding Yourself

4pmBarriers, Bias and Political Bastardry

John Button Oration: The Next Generation’s Australia The Mourning After Motherhood in the Time of

Climate Crisis One Guitar: Missy Higgins

5pm Defamation Nation YA’ll Are Doomed: Dystopian Fan Fic Showcase

6pm I Will End You Flock: First Nations Stories

7pmZiggy Ramo:

From Little Things

8pmUp Late: Benjamin Law

and Beverley WangAnita Heiss: Bila

Yarrudhanggalangdhuray

Sunday 12 SeptemberSTATE LIBRARY VICTORIA THE WHEELER CENTRE

THE CAPITOLConversation Quarter Village Roadshow Theatrette Create Quarter Performance Space

10am How It Started, How It’s Going The Art of Blak Critique Changing the Story Internal Aff airs

11am

12pmStill Unfi nished:

The Fight for Feminist Reform The Memories We Inherit Left Behind Oh, The Humanities

1pm

2pm Disorder in the Courts But You Don’t Look Sick What We Become Gideon Haigh: The Brilliant Boy

3pm

4pm The Long ViewOther Ways the World

Could BeLet Me Be Brief: Melissa Manning

and Adam Thompson Masculinity on the Ropes

5pmClosing Night:

Tell Me How It Ends6pm

Get the most out of your

festival by purchasing an

MWF Pass now.

Save up to 25% on individual ticket prices. Passes start at $89.

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MWF.COM.AU

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14


SATURDAY 11 SEPTEMBER

Relative Chaos

11 Sep, 2–3pm


Much-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.


$15/$10

73

Take It From Me: Ella

Baxter and Melissa Kang

11 Sep, 9.30–10.30pm

The Moat

Australia’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.


$25

87

Our Better Nature

11 Sep, 2–3pm


Questions 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.


74

Let’s Talk About Sex

11 Sep, 2–3pm


It 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/$20

75

Mehreen Faruqi: Too Migrant,

Too Muslim, Too Loud11 Sep, 2–3pm


The fi rst 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/$20

72

Defamation Nation

11 Sep, 5–6pm

Athenaeum Theatre

The 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 fi re that’s required by journalists and outlets when holding powerful people to account.

$35/$30

82

The Mourning After

11 Sep, 4–5pm


Acclaimed 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.


79

Motherhood in the

Time of Climate Crisis

11 Sep, 4–5pm


Briohny 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/$20

80

I Will End You

11 Sep, 6–7pm


Brodie 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/$20

83

Anita Heiss: Bila

Yarrudhanggalangdhuray

11 Sep, 8–9pm


Award-winning Wiradyuri writer Anita Heiss talks about Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray (River of Dreams), her epic new historical novel centred on a young Aboriginal couple’s search for home, in conversation with Paul Barclay.

$25/$20

86

Ziggy Ramo:

From Little Things

11 Sep, 7–8pm

Athenaeum 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 refl ects on his activism, writing, and bold vision for the future.

$35/$30

85

Up Late: Benjamin Law

and Beverley Wang

11 Sep, 8–9pm



UP3

Flock: First Nations Stories

11 Sep, 6–7pm



84

John Button Oration: The

Next Generation’s Australia

11 Sep, 4–5pm


CEO 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

78

Barriers, Bias and Political

Bastardry

11 Sep, 4–5pm


Political 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

77

Bringing an End to

Domestic Violence

11 Sep, 3–4pm

Athenaeum Theatre

Amani 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

76

One Guitar: Missy Higgins 11 Sep, 4–5pm

The Capitol

Missy 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 AMCOS

$35/$30

81

15


SUNDAY 12 SEPTEMBER

Internal Aff airs

12 Sep, 10–11am


Meg 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/$20

91

Still Unfi nished: The Fight

for Feminist Reform

12 Sep, 12–1pm


On 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/$20

92

The Memories We Inherit

12 Sep, 12–1pm


Sam 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 to pursue truths about family and identity.

$15/$10

93

Left Behind

12 Sep, 12–1pm


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.


94

Oh, The Humanities

12 Sep, 12–1pm


Judith 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/$20

95

But You Don’t Look Sick

12 Sep, 2–3pm


Triple 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.

$15/$10

98

What We Become

12 Sep, 2–3pm


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.


96

Gideon Haigh:

The Brilliant Boy

12 Sep, 2–3pm


Gideon 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/$20

97

Other Ways the World

Could Be

12 Sep, 4–5pm


ABC RN’s Paul Barclay speaks with Griffi th 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 Griffi th Review

$15/$10

101

Let Me Be Brief:

Melissa Manning and

Adam Thompson

12 Sep, 4–5pm


Two 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.


102

Masculinity on the Ropes

12 Sep, 4–5pm


Memoirists Lech Blaine (Car Crash) and 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.


$25/$20

103

How It Started,

How It’s Going

12 Sep, 10–11am


The 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/$20

88

The Art of Blak Critique

12 Sep, 10–11am



89

Changing the Story

12 Sep, 10–11am


Two 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.


90

Disorder in the Courts

12 Sep, 2–3pm


A 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.


$25/$20

99

The Long View

12 Sep, 4–5pm


Renowned long-form reporters Gabrielle Chan and George Megalogenis refl ect on the shifting fault 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/$20

100

TELL ME HOW IT ENDS

Closing Night: Tell Me How It Ends

12 Sep, 5.30–6.30pm | The Capitol

An 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.

$35/$30 104

16


WORKSHOPS

Join the ConversationHachette Australia at MWF 2021VisiT Hachette.com.au for the full list of participating authors

Across 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 fi ctionalise your life, or writing a masterwork of speculative fi ction. Spaces are limited.

The Wheeler Centre, Conference Room | $140/$120 per workshop

How to Write

Speculative Fiction4 Sep, 2.30–5pm

Critically acclaimed speculative fi ction 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.

W2

Writing From a

Child’s Perspective 12 Sep, 2.30–5pm

Miles Franklin–winning novelist Sofi e Laguna delivers a workshop on accessing and writing from a child’s point of view.

W8

Writing Successful

Narrative Non-fi ction4 Sep, 10am–12.30pm

Award-winning cultural historian and author Maria Tumarkin (Axiomatic) leads a workshop on successfully navigating the challenges of narrative non-fi ction.

W1

Embracing Vulnerability

in Your Writing11 Sep, 2.30–5pm

Bestselling 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.

W6

Crafting Experimental

Non-fi ction5 Sep, 10am–12.30pm

Join ground-breaking No Document author and cultural critic Anwen Crawford for a workshop on how to craft experimental, hybrid and creative non-fi ction.

W3

How to Get Your

Book Published12 Sep, 10am–12.30pm

Opinion editor at Guardian Australia Bridie Jabour (Trivial Grievances) shares practical insight into getting published, from honing a manuscript to liaising with agents and publishers.

W7

Creating YA Characters11 Sep, 10am–12.30pm

Beloved and bestselling author Alice Pung (Laurinda) invites you to a workshop on how to write compelling character-based YA stories.

W5

How to Fictionalise

Your Life5 Sep, 2.30–5pm

Critically acclaimed fi ction author Kavita Bedford (Friends & Dark Shapes) leads a workshop on making compelling fi ction from real-life events.

W4

17


IN THE SUBURBS

From 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 fi rst-rate line-up of literary events.

The End of Detention 5 Sep, 3.30–4.30pm

Bunjil Place Theatre

Former 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 Tofi ghian, Behind the Wire curator André Dao and Jessie Taylor.

In partnership with Bunjil Place and Casey Cardinia Libraries

$25/$20

SUB3

Gideon Haigh: The

Literature of Inquests

9 Sep, 1–2pm

Victorian 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 Offi ce Victoria and Ancestry.com.au

$25/$20

SUB4

New Beginnings

10 Sep, 7–8pm

Footscray Community Arts Centre

Join Heidi Everett, Anthony Riddell and Beau Windon as they each respond to the prompt of New Beginnings and discuss a new world where disability justice is paramount.

In partnership with Footscray Community Arts Centre


SUB6

Read My Way

12 Sep, 10am–12pm

Vision Australia Library

Vision 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 Australia


SUB9

Reading the Mind9 Sep, 4–5pm

Science Gallery Melbourne

Clem 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 Melbourne


SUB5

Meet Morris Gleitzman

4 Sep, 12–12.45pm


Bestselling children’s book author Morris Gleitzman sheds light on Always, the fi nal instalment of his heart-rending and hopeful journey through history. Ages 8+


$10

SUB1

Louise Milligan

in Conversation

5 Sep, 1.30–2.30pm


Award-winning reporter Louise Milligan speaks with Patricia Karvelas about her powerful and deeply troubling exposé of how the legal system handles sexual assault trials.


$25/$20

SUB2

Yumiko Kadota:

Emotional Female

11 Sep, 3–4pm

Springvale Library

Hear from Dr Yumiko Kadota as she discusses her brave and unfl inching memoir Emotional Female and sheds light on the toxic culture in the Australian public hospital system.

In partnership with City of Greater Dandenong


SUB8

Clem Bastow: Late Bloomer11 Sep, 11am–12pm

Dandenong Library

Award-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 Dandenong


SUB7

18


LOCAL LIBRARIES

Your 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.

Sarah

Dingle:

Brave New

Humans4 Sep, 10.30–11.30am

Wheelers Hill Library

Walkley 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.


LIB2

Debra

Oswald:

The Family

Doctor9 Sep, 6.30–7.30pm

Clayton Library

Award-winning creator of Off spring 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 indiff erence.


LIB8

Gideon Haigh:

The Brilliant Boy

4 Sep, 11am–12pm

Dingley Village Library and Community Centre

Gideon 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.


LIB3

Claire G Coleman:

Lies, Damned Lies

7 Sep, 6.30–7.30pm

Ivanhoe Library and Cultural Club

Proud Noongar woman and acclaimed author Claire G Coleman discusses her long-awaited non-fi ction debut about the stark reality of colonisation in Australia, Lies, Damned Lies.


LIB5

Jacqueline Maley:

The Truth About Her

9 Sep, 2–3pm

Sandringham Library

Walkley 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.


LIB6

Alice Pung:

One Hundred Days

9 Sep, 6.30–7.30pm

Hawthorn Arts Centre

Beloved author Alice Pung speaks about her new novel One Hundred Days, a fractured fairytale about class, family and love.


LIB7

Larissa Behrendt: After Story

12 Sep, 3–4pm

Geelong Library and Heritage Centre

Larissa Behrendt discusses After Story, her new novel about the past, the present and the extraordinary power of literature and truth-telling.


LIB14

Gabrielle Chan:

Why You Should Give a

F*ck About Farming

9 Sep, 7–8pm

South Melbourne Market, Food Hall

Join Gabrielle Chan as she discusses her latest book Why You Should Give a F*ck About Farming, which will change your thinking about food and how you eat.


LIB9

Fiona Murphy:

The Shape of Sound

12 Sep, 10.30–11.30am

Australian Tapestry Workshop

Award-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.


LIB13

Peter Godfrey-Smith:

Metazoa

11 Sep, 10–11am

The Espy, Gershwin Room

Join scuba-diving philosopher and bestselling Other Minds author Peter Godfrey-Smith as he talks about Metazoa, his new book that charts the evolutionary path of consciousness from sea creatures to humankind.


LIB10

Randa Abdel-Fattah:

Coming of Age in the

War on Terror

4 Sep, 11am–12pm

Nunawading 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.


LIB4

EMBOLDEN US MWF is enormously grateful to its community

of donors. Their generous support enables us to

present the boldest, timeliest, most exciting talks

and conversations for MWF audiences.

Donate to MWF today to celebrate 35 years

of extraordinary literary events, and support

ambitious programming for decades to come.

mwf.com.au/donate

Melbourne Writers Festival is a not-for-profi t organisation and Deductible Gift Recipient. All donations of $2 or more are tax-deductible.

Tony Birch in Conversation

11 Sep, 10.30–11.30am

Doncaster Library

Miles Franklin–shortlisted author Tony Birch discusses his new collections of prose and poetry that cement his reputation as one of Australia’s fi nest storytellers.


LIB11

Meet RA Spratt

4 Sep, 10–11am

Port Melbourne Town Hall

The bestselling writer of the Nanny Piggins, Friday Barnes and Girl Detective series, RA Spratt is known for her eff ortlessly funny narration that keeps children smiling and laughing from start to fi nish. Join her as she takes to the stage to tell stories about how she comes up with stories. Ages 8+


LIB1Sam van Zweden: Eating

with My Mouth Open

11 Sep, 2–3pm

Mount Waverley Library

Award-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.


LIB12

http://mwf.com.au/donate

Writers on Film

Melbourne 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 Yarra

Premieres 4 Sep

Watch online

mwf.com.au/fi lm

http://mwf.com.au/film

20


ARTISTS

Key

DIGITAL — MWF Digital

FAM — MWF Families

LIB — Local Libraries

SUB — In the Suburbs

UP — Up Late

W — Workshops

YA — MWF Teens

ARanda Abdel-Fattah 18, 27, LIB4

Louise Adler 32

Lillian Ahenkan 59, 70

Michael Mohammed Ahmad 27

Akala DIGITAL1

Rumaan Alam DIGITAL2

Emma Alberici DIGITAL7

Gay Alcorn 32

Miles Allinson 43

Waleed Aly 32

Roj Amedi 28

Bryan Andy 84

Evelyn Araluen 50, 63, 104

Adolfo Aranjuez DIGITAL10, 96

David Astle 22

Cassandra Atherton 47

BMichael Bachelard 82

Nadia Bailey 69

Julia Baird 40

Julia Banks 77

Paul Barclay 86, 95, 101

Clem Bastow 46, 90, SUB5, SUB7

Ryan Batchelor 97

Ella Baxter 79, 87

Kavita Bedford 4, W4

Luke Beesley 54

Larissa Behrendt 65, 88, LIB14

Gabriel Bergmoser YA3

Danielle Binks YA1, YA5

Tony Birch 12, 57, 84, LIB11

Emily Bitto 7

Sophie Black DIGITAL4, 76, 92

Lech Blaine 49, 103

Behrouz Boochani SUB3

Matilda Boseley 59

Michael Bradley 82, 99

Mark Brandi 13

Judith Brett 45, 95

Bryan Brown 16

Natasha Brown DIGITAL3

Julian Burnside 17

James Button 32

C Bridget Caldwell-Bright 63, 89

Peter Carnavas FAM9

Steven Carroll 53, 65

Gabrielle Chan 44, 100, LIB9

Melanie Cheng 64

Santilla Chingaipe DIGITAL5

Tasneem Chopra 27

Paige Clark 8

Maxine Beneba Clarke FAM3, 104

Claire G Coleman 7, 28, W2, LIB5

Bernard Collaery 39

Patricia Cornelius 104

Anwen Crawford 4, W3

Ellen Cregan 3

Alison Croggon 28

Rachel Cusk DIGITAL4

DEmma Dabiri DIGITAL5

Trent Dalton 40

André Dao SUB3

Sarah Dingle 20, LIB2

Linh Do 9

Jennifer Down 30

Briohny Doyle 80, 101

John Doyle 58

Rachel Doyle 99

Ursula Dubosarsky FAM10

E Astrid Edwards DIGITAL9, 44

Kate Ellis 45, 77

Anton Enus 6

Raf Epstein 24

Heidi Everett 90, SUB6

F Delia Falconer 80

Mehreen Faruqi 56, 62, 72

Osman Faruqi 24, DIGITAL2

Mahmood Fazal 25

Nick Feik 49

Christopher Fisher 75

Else Fitzgerald 80

Elizabeth Flux 94

Andrew Fowler 39

Jan Fran UP2, 49, 72

Declan Fry 14, 83, 89

G Raimond Gaita 41

Helen Garner 37

Claire Gaskin 54

Karen Ginnane YA2

Morris Gleitzman FAM4, SUB1

Peter Godfrey-Smith 52, LIB10

Anna Goldsworthy 92

Elena Gomez 50

Sophie Gonzales YA3, YA5

Chris Gordon 7

Nayuka Gorrie 104

Alexander Gow 81

Stan Grant 5, 23

AC Grayling DIGITAL6

Charmaine Papertalk Green 42

Michael Green 15

Tom Griffi ths 21

Eloise Grills 19

H Gideon Haigh 97, SUB4, LIB3

Leanne Hall YA1, YA4

Rebecca Harkins-Cross 4, 71

Jane Harper 2

Tristen Harwood 89

Amani Haydar 76

Pip Heale 47

Anita Heiss 86

Veronica Heritage-Gorrie 18

Kathryn Heyman 46

Missy Higgins 81

Jess Hill 76, 92

Jean Hinchliff e 9

Maya Hodge 63

Sarah Holland-Batt 38

Yvette Holt 42

Chloe Hooper 104

Bridget Hustwaite 98

Justine Hyde 20

I Marion Isobel 99

JBridie Jabour 70, W7

Andy Jackson 54

Barry Jones 41

Toni Jordan 67

Barry Judd 31

K Yumiko Kadota 64, SUB8

Samera Kamaleddine YA4, YA5

Melissa Kang 64, 75, 87

Patricia Karvelas UP1, SUB2

Amie Kaufman YA2, YA5

Melissa Keil YA1

Chris Kennett FAM5, FAM9

Krissy Kneen 61, 69, 93

Will Kostakis YA1, YA3, YA5

Sarah Krasnostein 55

L Ingrid Laguna FAM8

Sofi e Laguna 3, W8

Jhumpa Lahiri DIGITAL7

Remy Lai FAM6, FAM9

Brodie Lancaster 70, 83

Marcia Langton 10, 23, 31, 42

Jack Latimore 5

Jamie Marina Lau 43, SUB5

Benjamin Law UP3, 36, 56, 75, 92

Jeanine Leane 12, 47, 54

Bri Lee 75, 95, 99

Sarah L’Estrange 53, 93

Celeste Liddle 76

Gary Lonesborough YA4

Melissa Lucashenko 10

Scott Ludlam 9, 17

M Emily Maguire 73

Jacqueline Maley 67, LIB6

Melissa Manning 102

Aunty Jenni Martiniello 47

Meg Mason 91

Thomas Mayor 5, 14, 23

Elizabeth McCarthy 13, 55, 73, 79

Andrew McDonald FAM2

Michael McGirr 51

Jess McGuire UP2, 61, 87

Leah Jing McIntosh DIGITAL8, 33, SUB5

Fatima Measham 74

George Megalogenis 100

Lisa Millar 11

Louise Milligan 33, SUB2

Jazz Money 63

Rick Morton 103, W6

Fiona Murphy 69, LIB13

NAbbas Nazari 15

Maggie Nelson 71

Garth Nix YA2, YA5

Sigrid Nunez DIGITAL9

Areej Nur DIGITAL3

Nyadol Nyuon 32

O Kate O’Donnell YA4

Kerry O’Brien 39

Debra Oswald 48, 61, LIB8

Sophie Overett 94

PParnell Palme McGuinness 32

Sam Pang 58

Jacinta Parsons 35, 98

Bruce Pascoe 21

Tanya Plibersek 76

JP Pomare 48

Alice Pung 73, W5, LIB7

Bhakthi Puvanenthiran 88

R Ziggy Ramo 85

Erina Reddan 3, 46

Yves Rees 45, 96

Teela Reid 99

Henry Reynolds 23

Allee Richards 35, 79

Anthony Riddell SUB6

Sally Rippin FAM5

Jamila Rizvi 24, 77, 88, 98

Jen Robinson 17

Marilynne Robinson 66

Sally Rugg UP1

Kristen Rundle 101

Madeleine Ryan 90, 96

S Harry Saddler 74

John Safran 25

Leigh Sales 11, 26

Kirli Saunders FAM7

Mykaela Saunders 84

Angela Savage 2, 48

Mark Scott 95

Ronnie Scott 103

Emma Shortis 68

Vicky Shukuroglou 74

Beejay Silcox 37

Margaret Simons 62

Nardi Simpson 10

Annika Smethurst 49

RA Spratt FAM1, LIB1

Emily Spurr 94

Rebecca Starford 53

Jessie Stephens 26

Erin Stewart 20

Douglas Stuart 6

Sinéad Stubbins 70, 83

Yumi Stynes 75

Veronica Sullivan 8, 102

Norman Swan 24, 29

TMaria Takolander 50

Grace Tame 60

Shaun Tan 104

Brandon Taylor DIGITAL10

Jessie Taylor SUB3

Viet Thanh Nguyen DIGITAL8

Claire Thomas 91

Adam Thompson 84, 102

David Threlfall 101

Carrie Tiff any 7, 30

Omid Tofi ghian SUB3

Virginia Trioli 22

Maria Tumarkin 33, 104, W1

U Abigail Ulman 91

VJenny Valentish 55

Ellen van Neerven 42, 54

Sam van Zweden 19, 93, SUB5, LIB12

Jack Vening 83

Filip Vukašin 67

WSarah Walker 19

Adele Walsh FAM4

Beverley Wang DIGITAL1, UP3, 56

Shelley Ware 5

Sally Warhaft 21, 68, 100

Khalid Warsame 43

Andrew Wear 88

Alison Whittaker 89

Nick Whittock 47

Jessica Wilkinson 47, 54

Marian Wilkinson 44, 62

Michael Williams 40, 66

Chloe Wilson 8

Beau Windon SUB6

Ben Wood FAM2, FAM9

Danielle Wood 78

Laura Elizabeth Woollett 13

Alexis Wright 57

Clare Wright 45, 65

Karen Wyld 10

ZArnold Zable 51

Jock Zonfrillo 36, 56

MELBOURNE WRITERS FESTIVAL SCHOOLS6—9 SEP2021

Don’t miss one of Australia’s biggest literary events for students. Featuring an inspiring line-up of authors speaking to a broad range of topics including consent, First Nations cultures, identity, storytelling and the power of reading.

BOOK NOW

mwf.com.au/schools

http://mwf.com.au/schools

22


FESTIVAL INFORMATION

ALEXANDRA AVENUE

BATM

A N AVE

ALBION ST

GARMET ST

MELVILLE RD

HIGH ST

RUSHALL CRESMERRI PDE

NICHOLSON ST

NICHOLSON ST

RATHDOWNE ST

SWANSTON ST

FLEMINGTON RDCURZON ST

LYGON ST

PEEL ST

LYGON ST

ROYAL PDE

ABBOTSFORD ST

DRYBURGH ST

BOUNDARY RD

CITYLINK

NICHOLSON ST

LENNOX ST

CHURCH ST

COPPIN ST

POWLETT ST

CLARENDON ST

WELLIGNTON ST

HODDLE ST

PUNT RD

HODDLE ST

SMITH ST

ST GEORGES RD

ARTHURTON RD

NORMANBY AVE

MORELAND RD

HOLDEN ST

BRUNSWICK STCont. to HOLDEN ST >

Cont. to SCOTCHMER ST >

CLARKE ST

ALEXANDRA PDE

QUEENS PDE

QUEENS PDE

HEIDELBERG RD

JOHNSTON ST

WESTGARTH ST

VICTORIA ST

GLENLYON RD

DAWSON ST

PRINCES ST

ELGIN ST

GRATTAN ST

VICTORIA PDE

LANSDOWNE ST

GERTRUDE ST

VICTORIA ST

VICTORIA ST

RODEN STHAWKE ST

ARDEN ST

MACAULAY RD

BRIDGE RD

SWAN ST

ALBERT ST

SPRING ST

EXHIBITION ST

RUSSELL ST

QUEEN ST

KING ST

WILLIAM

ST

SPENCER ST

ELIZABETH ST

SWANSTON ST

ST KILDA RD

FRANKLIN ST

LONSDALE ST

LA TROBE ST

DUDLEY ST

DOCKLANDS DR

A’BECKETT ST

LITTLE LONSDALE ST

LITTLE BOURKE ST

BOURKE ST

HARBOUR ESP

LITTLE COLLINS ST

FLINDERS LN

CITY RD

BOURKE ST

COLLINS ST

FLINDERS ST

PIGDON ST

EASTERN FWY

ALBERT ST

HOPE ST

BARKLY ST

WESTBOURNE GR

CARLTON ST

FARADAY ST

CECIL ST

DRUMM

OND ST

ERROL ST

CAMBRIDGE ST

RUPERT ST

FITZROY ST

GORE ST

HARMSW

ORTH ST

CLARKE ST

YARRA BEND RD

QUEENSBERRY ST

COURTNEY ST

MACAULAY RD

PERRY ST

ST HELIERS STVERE STVERE ST

GIPPS ST

HOTHAM ST

NORTH WHARF RD

PITT ST

STEWART ST

BLYTH ST

SOUTHBANK B L D

BRUNSWICK ST

SYDNEY RD LYGON STBRUNSWICK RDPARK ST

SCOTCHMER ST

WELLINGTON PDE

PEARL RIVER RD

CANNING ST

NAPIER ST

19/57/59

55

1/8

86

11

11

19

55/59

1/8

57

12/24/42/109

48/75

70

70/75

11/42/48/109112

11/48

86/95/96

70

96

55

57

75/86/95

55 1/3/3a/5/6/8/ 16/64/67/72

96/109/112

86

1/8

19

96

Melbourne General Cemetery

Melbourne Museum

CarltonGardens

FitzroyGardens

TreasuryGardens

Melbourne Cricket Ground

Birrarung Marr Park

FederationSquare

Flagsta�Gardens

Queen VictoriaMarkets

Yarra Park

EdinburghGardens

MelbourneUniversity

Anstey

Moreland

Brunswick

Jewell

Macaulay

North Melbourne

Southern Cross

FlindersStreet

Parliament

Jolimont

WestRichmond

North Richmond

Collingwood

Victoria Park

Clifton Hill

Rushall

Merri

Northcote

Croxton

Thornbury

Westgarth

MelbourneCentral

Flagsta�

1

3 75

2

6

4

State Library Victoria Festival Precinct

COVID safety We 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 mwf.com.au/covid-safety

Venues 1 Athenaeum Theatre

188 Collins St, Melbourneathenaeumtheatre.com.au

Bunjil Place2 Patrick NE Dr, Narre Warrenbunjilplace.com.au

Footscray Community Arts Centre45 Moreland St, Footscrayfootscrayarts.com

2 The Capitol113 Swanston St, Melbournethecapitol.tv

3 The Moat Bar & Restaurant 176 Little Lonsdale St, Melbournethemoat.com.au

4 Science Gallery Melbourne114 Grattan St, Parkvillemelbourne.sciencegallery.com

AccessibilityMelbourne Writers Festival is committed to ensuring that everyone can enjoy the programs we off er. 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 boxoffi [email protected] or call (03) 9094 7871.

Auslan interpretation

Hearing loop

Open captioning

Wheelchair access

Community tickets for First PeoplesPlease let us know if you would like to attend the Festival by emailing boxoffi [email protected]

Companion CardMWF off ers a second ticket to paid events at no extra cost to Companion Card holders at the time of booking. Proof of concession is required.

5 State Library Victoria 328 Swanston St, Melbourneslv.vic.gov.au

6 Trades Hall54 Victoria St, Carlton melbournefringe.com.au/common-rooms

Victorian Archives Centre99 Shiel St, North Melbourneprov.vic.gov.au

Vision Australia454 Glenferrie Rd, Kooyongvisionaustralia.org

7 The Wheeler Centre176 Little Lonsdale St, Melbournewheelercentre.com

Guide dogs and assistance dogs are welcome at all venues. For more information, visit mwf.com.au/venues

National Relay ServiceIf you are Deaf, hard of hearing or have diffi culty speaking, contact the National Relay Service on 133 677 or via relayservice.com.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.visionaustralia.org

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 mwf.com.au/access

http://mwf.com.au/covid-safety

http://athenaeumtheatre.com.au

http://bunjilplace.com.au

http://footscrayarts.com

http://thecapitol.tv

http://themoat.com.au

http://melbourne.sciencegallery.com

http://slv.vic.gov.au

http://melbournefringe.com.au/common-rooms

http://prov.vic.gov.au

http://visionaustralia.org

http://wheelercentre.com

http://mwf.com.au/venues

mailto:boxoffice%40mwf.com.au?subject=

mailto:boxoffice%40mwf.com.au?subject=

http://relayservice.com.au

http://radio.visionaustralia.org

http://mwf.com.au/access

23


FESTIVAL INFORMATION

BookingAll 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.

Onlinemwf.com.au

MWF AppUse the offi cial iPhone and Android apps to access your tickets during the Festival, proudly supported by Ferve Tickets.

Phone(03) 9094 7871

Pre-Festival: Mon–Fri, 10am–4pmIn-Festival: Sun–Thu, 10am–7pmFri–Sat, 10am–9.30pm

Box Offi ceThe Wheeler Centre, 1/176 Little Lonsdale StPre-Festival: Mon–Fri, 10am–4pmIn-Festival: Mon–Fri, 10am–5pm

State Library Victoria, Hansen Hall, 328 Swanston StIn-Festival: Fri–Sat 10am–8.30pm, Sun 10am–4pm

Transaction 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 discounted top-up price.

The following events cannot be redeemed on an MWF Pass:

MWF Gala — $300Workshop — $140/$120Bunjil Place — $25/$20, $10Take It From Me — $25

Free 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 mwf.com.au

Festival 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 your entire book club).

10 PASS $189/$169Save up to 25% on individual tickets

5 PASS$99/$89Save up to 20% on individual tickets

MWF 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 mwf.com.au/tickets

Make 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 mwf.com.au/books or readings.com.au

Book 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 mwf.com.au

Writing Melbourne Melbourne Writers Festival is unveiling 11 original works of fi ction and non-fi ction that in some way refl ect 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 mwf.com.au/writing-melbourne

Join the conversationFollow the conversations at #mwf21 and #mwfdigital, on Twitter and Instagram @melbwritersfest and Facebook @melbournewritersfestival

All information is correct at the time of publication. Sign up to get the latest information and updates at mwf.com.au

http://mwf.com.au

http://mwf.com.au

http://mwf.com.au/tickets

http://mwf.com.au/books

http://readings.com.au

http://mwf.com.au

http://mwf.com.au/writing-melbourne

https://twitter.com/melbwritersfest

https://www.facebook.com/MelbourneWritersFestival/

http://mwf.com.au

Contact ARA today to discuss your next project or service requirement. aragroup.com.au

1300 233 305

Principal Partner of Melbourne Writers Festival

Some stories are meant to

be shared.We believe celebrating writing,

sharing ideas and telling stories is more important than ever. That’s why

we are the Principal Partner of Melbourne Writers Festival.

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and infrastructure services. We’re always thinking about how we can

create value for our customers, support our community and enrich the lives of

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