Throughout the last few discomfiting years, many of us have felt far away from who we once were. Our circumstances, behaviours, even our personalities, have changed, possibly forever. For a while, physical travel was impossible, and we relied solely on reading (and, ok, on streaming services) as a way of being transported to other worlds, […] The post A Message from Artistic Director Michaela McGuire appeared first on Melbourne Writers Festival ..read more

Critically acclaimed Canadian author Sheila Heti has tackled some of modern day’s greatest conundrums, including whether to have children (Motherhood) and how to live an authentic life (How Should a Person Be?). Hailed ‘the most timely, urgent book of 2022’ (Los Angeles Times), her latest novel, Pure Colour, considers how love and art can heal. Heti speaks with Sarah Krasnostein about […] The post Podcast: Sheila Heti: Pure Colour appeared first on Melbourne Writers Festival ..read more

How do First Nations writers work through the legacies of our histories to create new stories while honouring those we inherit? Stella Prize 2022 winner Evelyn Araluen (Dropbear) and Koori and Lebanese writer, teacher, community researcher and This All Come Back Now editor Mykaela Saunders come together to discuss their roles as both custodians and creators of meaning and memory, in […] The post Podcast: Memory Work appeared first on Melbourne Writers Festival ..read more

From being booed off a football field to being booed out of the country, people of colour who take a stand against racism draw swift and severe censure in our public debate. Hear from a panel of speakers brought together by First Nations Curator Chelsea Watego as they explore the works of First Nations creatives who have […] The post Podcast: Ambitiously Un-Australian appeared first on Melbourne Writers Festival ..read more

When it comes to the climate, how can we replace despair with optimism, ambition and purpose, even as experts warn that we are fast running out of time? A panel of the country’s leading thinkers on the climate crisis consider how climate fatalism can be as harmful as denialism and why hope might be our […] The post Podcast: Hope vs the Climate Crisis appeared first on Melbourne Writers Festival ..read more

Time to add to your reading list? From a story of the weirdest summer featuring a heartbreaking cat to a time-travelling heroine on a nostalgic journey to her father, enjoy the latest recommended reads from Artistic Director Michaela McGuire. Shirley by Ronnie Scott  Set in the Melbourne summer that was marked by bushfire smoke and the […] The post Recommended Reads appeared first on Melbourne Writers Festival ..read more

Showcasing unexpected tales of pride, prejudice, love and resilience, Queerstories invites leading LGBTQI+ voices to share the story they’ve always wanted to tell, but have never been asked to. Hosted by Maeve Marsden, hear stories from drag artist Shane Jenek aka Courtney Act (Caught in the Act), Kamilaroi woman and astrophysicist Krystal De Napoli (Astronomy: […] The post Podcast: Queerstories appeared first on Melbourne Writers Festival ..read more

Looking for the perfect beach read? Small towns, secrets, heartbreaks, heat and happy vegetables, there’s a holiday story for everyone in these three recommended reads from Artistic Director Michaela McGuire.   Now Is Not the Time to Panic Kevin Wilson Now Is Not the Time to Panic is a sweet story about self-discovery, growth, secrets, mistakes and […] The post Summer Reads appeared first on Melbourne Writers Festival ..read more

The ripple effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are reshaping the world. Hear from a panel of experts as they discuss the conflict and its ongoing repercussions, from the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine to the far-reaching economic fallout and a realignment of the world order. The Age‘s foreign affairs correspondent Anthony Galloway; who has recently […] The post Podcast: How the War in Ukraine is Reshaping the World appeared first on Melbourne Writers Festival ..read more

The ABC has survived numerous crises in recent times – funding cuts, internal tensions and attacks by commercial media rivals chief among them. As it enters its 90th year, a panel of experts discuss how our national broadcaster arrived at its current plight and what its future role will be in a shifting media, technology […] The post Podcast: Who Needs the ABC? appeared first on Melbourne Writers Festival ..read more