Sydney Writers' Festival

SIMON CRITCHLEY (INTERNATIONAL)
Simon Critchley is Professor of Philosophy at the New School for Social Research in New York. He is the author of many books, most recently Infinitely Demanding. His latest book, The Book of Dead Philosophers, is currently being translated into six languages.

Simon Critchley’s participation in Sydney Writers’ Festival is supported by Melbourne University Publishing.

also appearing at...
104: Dead Philosophers
169: The Great Beyond

JOHN GRAY (INTERNATIONAL)
John Gray is most recently the acclaimed author of Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals, Al-Qaeda, What It Means To Be Modern and Heresies: Against Progress and Other Illusions.

Black Mass: Apocalyptic Religion and the Death of Utopia, John Gray's powerful and frightening new book, argues that the death of utopia does not mean peace. He is Professor of European Thought at the London School of Economics.

also appearing at...
34: John Gray Business Breakfast
198: John Gray in Conversation
256: Commentariat

ALAN SAUNDERS (LOCAL)
Alan Saunders was born and educated in London. He studied philosophy at the University of Leicester, where he was also president of the students' union, and Logic and Scientific Method at the London School of Economics. He came to Australia in 1981 to pursue research in the History of Ideas Unit at the Australian National University and was subsequently awarded a PhD. He has been a Frances Yates Research Fellow at the Warburg Institute of the University of London.

Having joined the Science Unit of ABC Radio National in 1987, Alan Saunders founded The Food Program, which was broadcast weekly until 1991 and then from 1992 to 1997. He is now presenter of By Design - a weekly programme about architecture, design, and food - and of The Philosopher’s Zone.

He has written about food and other topics for various publications. He is the author of A is for Apple and his first novel, Alanna, was published in 2002.

In 1992 he was awarded the Pascall Prize for critical writing and broadcasting. In 2006, he received a Special Media Award from the Australasian Association for Philosophy.

also appearing at...
104: Dead Philosophers
198: John Gray in Conversation

MARIA TUMARKIN (INTERSTATE)
Maria Tumarkin is the author of Traumascapes which was shortlisted in the prize for a first book of history in the 2006 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards. She has a PhD from the University of Melbourne; her essays and reviews appear frequently in The Age, The Australian, The Monthly and other publications. Her new book is Courage. It was recently shortlisted for the NSW Premier's Literary Award.

also appearing at...
87: Courage