Harry
CibbuanoSydney Writer's Festival 2007
May 25th 2007 05:51
Category: Festivals & Shows
"A City Transformed By Words"
The Sydney Writer’s Festival is an annual event that showcases the talents of writers of all types, styles, hats and genres from all corners of the globe.
From Monday 28 May to Sunday 3 June 2007, Sydney welcomes over 300 international and Australian writers for the tenth Sydney Writer's Festival.
When?
Monday 28 May to Sunday 3 June 2007
Press release:
Sydney becomes a city transformed by words from 28 May to 3 June 2007 as over 300
international and Australian writers converge on the city for the tenth Sydney Writers’ Festival.
Over ten triumphant years, the Festival has grown into Australia’s pre-eminent festival of ideas and cultural debate and is now ranked in the top five literary festivals in the world.
The 2007 Festival, the first by artistic director Wendy Were, continues its reputation as an
event of international significance. The program encompasses fiction, poetry, screenwriting,
journalism, philosophy, playwriting, songwriting, social commentary and nonfiction in genres as diverse as politics, food, religion, terrorism, war, the environment and criticism. Writers will discuss their art, ponder the state of the world, debate their ideas, and interact with audiences of more than 65,000 Sydneysiders in over 300 public events over the weeklong celebrations.
effect of war. Events range across interviews, panel discussions, workshops, readings, literary lunches, live media broadcasts, performances, walking tours, book launches, exhibitions and discussions.
The Festival’s opening address will be given by twice Booker-shortlisted Andrew O’Hagan,
widely regarded as one of the finest writers in the UK. The event takes place from 6.30 pm on Wednesday 30 May at Sydney Theatre. The closing address will be given by one of today’s most admired and controversial political figures, Somalian-born Ayaan Hirsi Ali (The Caged Virgin and Infidel).
The international guestlist is the Festival’s biggest ever. Lovers of literary fiction are well
served, with Richard Ford, Lionel Shriver, Andrei Makine, Mohsin Hamid, Rachel Seiffert, Vikram Chandra, Lloyd Jones and Janette Turner Hospital – just to name some of the major writerscoming. Thanks to Telstra, Mark Haddon will be interviewed via satellite.
Emerging talent is well represented, including the much feted Steven Hall, Madeline Thien and
Rawi Hage. Nonfiction programming, a major strength of the Festival, is as meaty as ever, with Andrew Bacevich, Daniel Mendelsohn, Hazel Rowley, Eliot Weinberger, Pico Iyer and Patrick Marnham all lending their erudition. Canadian performance poet Shane Koyczan will perform his work in his Australian debut – his admirers include Maya Angelou and Ani de Franco – and his recent performance at the Edinburgh International Book Festival has become the stuff of legend with organisers citing it as one of the best events of that Festival.
More than two hundred Australian writers will participate, including Max Barry, Robert Drewe, Peter FitzSimons, Richard Flanagan, Kate Grenville, Kate Holden, Gail Jones, Nicholas Jose, Tom Keneally, Malcolm Knox, Christopher Kremmer, Sophie Lee, David Malouf, David Marr, Chris Masters, Roger McDonald, Dorothy Porter, Leigh Redhead, Matthew Reilly, Don Watson, Gerard Windsor and Markus Zusak.
As part of a program strand on China, one of China's foremost poets, Bei Dao, will attend in his first visit to Australia. Other Chinese writers include journalist and broadcaster Xinran Xue and novelist Diane Wei Liang. The focus on Chinese literature will be complemented by sessions considering the impact and future of China’s ascension including leading commentators such as UK economist Will Hutton.
For more information, visit the SWF's official website at: http://www.swf.org.au/
You can call them on (02) 9252 7729 or e-mail at: info@swf.org.au
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Comment by Optomistic Opportunism
Japanese Jazz Funk
Optomystic Opportunism
Anna Politkovskaya.
Her talk last year was the most inspiring thing, for me, of the writers festival last year. She was a Russian journo with a knack for saying exactly what the people thought, rather than what she wanted them to think.
She was assassinated about 5 months later, for that same reason. She had alot to say about the Putin government, and she paid the price of freedom in an emerging democratic state.
There will be a tribute to this truly inspirational person this coming Saturday, free event. Don't know what it would be like, but I am as down for this cause as much as anything else I can think of.
Thanks for the op. Charles,
Opto
Comment by charles
ZCars
Ponderous
If anyone else would like further info. on this tribute, please get in touch with Opto via his blog or PM.
Charles.
Comment by Optomistic Opportunism
Japanese Jazz Funk
Optomystic Opportunism
I'm a male.
Just had to clarify that.
So yeah, any queries, contact HIM, Opto
Comment by charles
ZCars
Ponderous
Charles.