The sunshine came out this year for the Sydney Writers’ Festival and so, unexpectedly, did the men. It was strange and wonderful to see that the SWF, usually so dominated by female bookish folk, held some interest for the male bookworm.
There were even men at Kathy Lette’s session with Jean Kitson, a particularly brave male member of the audience dared to ask the first question and was treated to all the wit and hilarity of the wonderful Kathy Lette.
Crowds swarmed around Walsh Bay in the brilliant sunshine. Guests were turned away at free events that had reached capacity, Elliot Perlman on Friday was popular as well as Hannah Richell and Emily Perkins in their session, Tides and Forrests, although guests were able to lie back in a deck chair and watch Richell and Perkins on the big screen in the lounge. Emerging writers must have enjoyed Richell’s fairytale story from stay at home mum to published author. She sent her book to two agents, both of whom wanted her book. Richell selected the agent she felt best understood her work, which led to an auction and finally the release of Secrets of the Tides.
Other popular free events included Who’s Potus, which friends attended and felt was suitably praiseworthy.
Jeffrey Eugenides was one of the star performers. Unfortunately I was unable to attend, perhaps because the entire English department at my daughter’s school had booked to see him. My daughter was able to inform me second hand of all the details of the event as passed on by her English teacher. Fabulous apparently.
Topic of Cancer with Joshua Cody and Masha Gessen, facilitated by Lisa Pryor was a poorly attended session, but fascinating. Joshua Cody, a composer living in New York, documented his struggle with a particularly aggressive form of cancer in his book, sic. He claimed to be constantly in a state of anger at his disease and felt there was no rhyme or reason for why certain people contracted cancer. A number of his friends died and some survived. He gave an at times harrowing account of his struggle with cancer. In contrast Masha Gessen, a Russian American journalist, never had cancer, but inherited the genetic mutation that produces breast cancer, prevalent among Ashkenazi Jews. She discussed her response to learning this, which is documented in her book, Blood Matters.
0 Comments on Sydney Writers' Festival highlights #swf2012 as of 5/21/2012 2:08:00 AM
On Sunday April 29 a fire destroyed an entire recently renovated block including the library and all its contents at John Colet School in Belrose.
This report on the John Colet website gives you an idea of the damage that has occurred on the school site.
The primary aged students (K-6) had to have a week off school as staff concentrated on making the area safe for the return of its students.
As you can imagine the bureaucratic process involved in dealing with this damage will be fraught and time consuming. In the meantime the children have no library and no books.
We have donated books, but as we are small it will not be enough to go around. The school would be delighted to receive books from publishers. This will allow them to at least have an interim library operating while they go through the process of rebuilding.
Books can be sent directly to the school:
John Colet School
Interim Library
6 Wyatt Avenue
Belrose
NSW 2085
Thank you for your support.
Sydney Writers’Festival have just released their 2012 program. You can view it online or intoday’s Sydney Morning Herald.
Chip Rolley, thefestival director, announced that this year the festival focuses on “… the public and the private.The question of the limits of what is personal is one of the hottest subjectsaround.”
In keeping with thefocus many of the gusts have written about their lives. Kathy Lette’s latestbook, The Boy who Fell to Earth, touches on the challenges of raising a son with Asperger’s Syndrome. It is a fictional novel based on herpersonal experience. Kathy will be talking to Jean Kittson (Event 205) on May20 at 11.30.
Jeanette Wintersonreturns to the Sydney Writers’ Festival (Event 11) to discuss her new memoir, Why be happy, when you could be normal?The title reflects a comment made to Winterson by her adopted mother when sheleft home aged 16 because she was in love with another woman. She will talkabout her book, life, love and death.
The feminist debatecontinues (Event 192) with a lively discussion from well-known femalesincluding Kathy Lette and Tara Moss. Also for the ladies WendyHarmer’s The Hoopla will be hosting afun filled lunch on Friday May 18 to celebrate leading women writers.
After enjoying Jeffrey Eugenides latest book, The Marriage Plot,I was delighted to see that he will be making an appearance at the festival.Although a fictional novel much of Eugenides latest book is based on his ownexperience of university and his gap year after university. He will be talkingto Caroline Baum in his only solo event at the Sydney Writers’ Festival.<
Mr Darcy is coming to Brisbane on Sunday.
Do come along and say hello as we celebratewith storytelling and a demonstration of quite brilliant illustration prowess byPeter Carnavas.
The event will be held at one of myfavourite bookshops in Brisbane.
I will be getting up at the crack of dawnto make my flight on Sunday morning. I intend to sleep on the plane and arrive rejuvenatedfor this fun filled event.
Would love to see you there!
Avid Reader
Sunday 11th December
10am
We would love to see you on Sunday at the launch of Mr Darcy.
If you feel like putting your creative skills to the test let us know your imaginative title for a new Pride and Prejudice mash-up. Leave your creative titles here to win a copy of Mr Darcy. Winners will be announced next Wednesday.
Mr Darcy will be launched this Sunday and you are all invited. Do come along and say hello!
In the words of NeilGaiman give a book this Halloween and spread the 'terror'. All Hallow's Read encourages the givingof scary books this Halloween.
Need some inspiration?
Sounds Spooky written by Christopher Cheng, illustrated by Sarah Davis
A few notable mentionsfor older children, care of my children:
Three years ago we heard the story of Nancy Bentley, the first Australian female sailor. A former naval officer told the story to a group of children at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
Tracey Hawkins made contact with Nancy’s grandson Allan and began writing the story of Nancy Bentley. Set in 1920 in Port Arthur, Tasmania, this story features beautiful illustrations by Jacqui Grantford reflecting the time and place.
Nancy Bentley will be launched on the 26th November at Fullers Bookshop in Hobart.
ONCE UPON A TIME, IT WAS BOOK WEEK
Aleesah Darlison, author of the Totally Twins series, shares her story with children from her home town.
Do join us for a totally awesome Book Swap this Friday.
We will be celebrating Book Week.
The gorgeous Totally Twins series has a new addition.
Tropical Trouble, the third book in the sparkling new series, has just arrived.
Here it is. It looks fabulous!
On Friday August 19 we will be launching Tropical Trouble at Berkelouw Books in Balgowlah. Do come along. We would love to see you there.
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On average, Australians read novels 116.5 times a year, or every three days. ABS figures show the highest household expenditure on culture goes towards books. Nielsen BookScan's yearly snapshot found that book sales by value in 2010 fell by 4.2 per cent over the previous year, but that was after seven years of steady growth. Book sales by volume, though, continued to rise, from 59.98 million in 2007 to 66.2 million in 2010.
Read more:
This weekend you can feed your appetite for books at your local friendly bookshop.
Saturday August 20 is National Bookshop Day and bookshops around the country are organising author events and story time events for children. So do check your local bookshop's website for details and spend the day enjoying the magic of books in the company of your favourite bookseller.
Support your community by joining with your local bookshop to celebrate National Bookshop Day on Saturday 20th August, 2011.
“Booksellers do more than sell books and bookshops are more than places
By: Sophia Whitfield,
on 5/22/2012
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By: Sophia Whitfield,
on 11/24/2011
Sorry I can't join you tomorrow - it's just crazy at the moment with Christmas and end-of-year breakup events wit the kids! Hope it's wonderful. Cath.