Sydney Writers' Festival

History

Print This Page

• Monday, May 19 2008 •
11 : 30	10: The Authority to Tell a Story Trevor Shearston discusses 'Dead Birds', set in pre-colonial Papua. Carrington Hotel, Katoomba 11:30 to 12:30 Ticketed Event Fiction, History In Conversation  More Info
• Tuesday, May 20 2008 •
13 : 00	28: Great Australian Eulogies Richard Walsh shares some of the best examples of this intriguing oral tradition. The Mint 13:00 to 14:00 Free Event Culture & Heritage, History Lecture  More Info
• Wednesday, May 21 2008 •
07 : 30	34: John Gray Business Breakfast Join John Gray for an incisive overview of today’s global politics over breakfast. Café Sydney 07:30 to 09:00 Ticketed Event Current Affairs, History Literary Lunch/Dinner  More Info
13 : 00	42: If Trees Could Speak Trees all have stories they could tell. Bob Beale discusses the part they have played in forming our heritage. The Mint 13:00 to 14:00 Free Event Culture & Heritage, History, Science & Environment Lecture  More Info
19 : 00	50: Is There Hope in Sydney? Are Sydney's residents experiencing a scarcity in engagement, empowerment and hope? James Arvanitakis and Kate Crawford discuss. Museum of Sydney, AGL Theatre 19:00 to 20:30 Ticketed Event Culture & Heritage, Current Affairs, History Panel  More Info
• Thursday, May 22 2008 •
12 : 00	73: Diggers of Fromelles Patrick Lindsay discusses one of the great unsolved mysteries of the First World War. Sydney Dance Company, Studio 4 12:00 to 13:00 Free Event Culture & Heritage, History In Conversation  More Info
13 : 00	82: Re-imagining Australia Chris Wallace and Megan Lewis explore Australian symbolism and imagery. The Mint 13:00 to 14:00 Free Event Culture & Heritage, History, Indigenous Panel  More Info 80: Private Lives, Public Histories Wibke Bruhns, Naldo Rei and Sandy Blackburn-Wright discuss their personal lives set against the backdrop of significant world events. Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay 13:00 to 14:00 Ticketed Event Life Writing, History Panel  More Info
14 : 00	85: Stories of Assimilation Anna Haebich and Kathleen Mary Fallon discuss assimilation from an historical and personal perspective. Bangarra Mezzanine 14:00 to 15:00 Free Event Indigenous, Culture & Heritage, History Panel  More Info
14 : 30	92: Cities on the Edge Chris Womersley, Sally Breen, Marcus Westbury and Gabrielle Gwyther discuss how urban environments give rise to creativity. Sydney Dance Company, Studio 2/3 14:30 to 15:30 Free Event Culture & Heritage, Current Affairs, History Panel  More Info 91: New Insights in Australian History Patrick Lindsay and James Boyce talk about their books 'Fromelles' and 'Van Diemen’s Land'. Pier 2/3, Upstairs Writers’ Salon 14:30 to 15:30 Ticketed Event Culture & Heritage, Current Affairs, History Panel  More Info 94: Love and War Peter Ho Davies and Sara Knox talk about their love stories set in World War II. Sydney Theatre, Richard Wherrett Studio 14:30 to 15:30 Ticketed Event Fiction, History Panel  More Info 93: James Reston Jr in Conversation James Reston Jr provides a fly-on-the-wall account of his involvement with the Frost/Nixon interviews. Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay 14:30 to 15:30 Ticketed Event History, Current Affairs In Conversation  More Info
15 : 30	98: Australia’s Birthstain Babette Smith explores the involvement of politicians and clergy in creating a 'stain' that reached beyond convict crimes. Hyde Park Barracks Museum 15:30 to 16:30 Ticketed Event Culture & Heritage, History, Nonfiction In Conversation  More Info
16 : 00	100: David Davidar in Conversation David Davidar speaks about one of the bloodiest and most shameful incidents in India’s long history. Pier 2/3, Downstairs 16:00 to 17:00 Ticketed Event Current Affairs, Fiction, History In Conversation  More Info 104: Dead Philosophers  * SOLD OUT * Simon Critchley argues that philosophers can teach us appropriate attitudes towards death and dying. Sydney Theatre, Richard Wherrett Studio 16:00 to 17:00 Ticketed Event Nonfiction, History In Conversation  More Info 103: The Lessons of Vietnam Andrew Bacevich and Paul Ham discuss the Vietnam War. Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay 16:00 to 17:00 Ticketed Event History, Culture & Heritage Panel  More Info
18 : 30	118: Sara Knox at Newtown Library Sara Knox discusses her debut novel, 'The Orphan Gunner'. Newtown Library 18:30 to 19:30 Free Event Fiction, History Author Talk  More Info
18 : 45	121: Simon Sebag Montefiore in Conversation with Bob Carr Simon Sebag Montefiore’s books are a triumph of research told with a superb novelistic flair. He speaks to Bob Carr. City Recital Hall 18:45 to 19:45 Ticketed Event History In Conversation  More Info
• Friday, May 23 2008 •
10 : 00	133: Paradise Lost Kathy Marks and James Boyce discuss the utopian dreams that marked the settlers of Pitcairn Island and Tasmania. Sydney Theatre, Richard Wherrett Studio 10:00 to 11:00 Ticketed Event Culture & Heritage, History, Indigenous Panel  More Info
13 : 00	157: Van Diemen’s Land James Boyce discusses his landmark history of Tasmania. The Mint 13:00 to 14:00 Free Event Culture & Heritage, History, Indigenous Lecture  More Info
13 : 30	158: The Water’s Edge Alison Bashford, Ian Tyrrell and Mark Tredinnick discuss the history of human interaction with the environment. Sydney Dance Company, Studio 1 13:30 to 14:30 Free Event History, Science & Environment Panel  More Info
14 : 00	161: Museum Robyn Stacey and Ashley Hay reveal the creatures and stories found inside the Macleay Museum. University of Sydney, Macleay Museum 14:00 to 15:00 Free Event Culture & Heritage, History, Science & Environment In Conversation  More Info 340: Stories from the Dustbin Peter Cochrane discusses the idea of history behind his latest book, 'Colonial Ambition' with Julianne Schultz. Bangarra Mezzanine 14:00 to 15:00 Free Event Nonfiction, Culture & Heritage, History In Conversation  More Info
16 : 00	178: Imagining History From Russia to pre-colonial Papua and outback Australia, Simon Sebag Montefiore, Trevor Shearston and Kevin Rabalais discuss their novels inspired by historical events. Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay 16:00 to 17:00 Ticketed Event Fiction, History Panel  More Info
16 : 30	180: What Lies Beneath James Woodford, Nadia Wheatley and Heather Goodall discuss Sydney’s archaeological heritage. Sydney Dance Company, Studio 4 16:30 to 17:30 Free Event Culture & Heritage, History, Nonfiction Panel  More Info
18 : 30	186: Paul Ham at Campbelltown Library Paul Ham tells the full story of Australia's involvement in our longest military campaign. Campbelltown HJ Daley Central Library 18:30 to 19:30 Free Event History, Culture & Heritage, Current Affairs Author Talk  More Info
• Saturday, May 24 2008 •
09 : 30	199: Wibke Bruhns in Conversation Wibke Bruhns discusses the search for her father, executed for treason in WWII. Pier 2/3, Upstairs Writers’ Salon 09:30 to 10:30 Ticketed Event Life Writing, History, Nonfiction In Conversation  More Info
12 : 00	71: Pitcairn: Paradise Lost Journalist Kathy Marks discusses her documentation of a society gone badly astray in 'Pitcairn: Paradise Lost'. Justice & Police Museum 12:00 to 13:00 Free Event Culture & Heritage, History Author Talk  More Info
12 : 30	223: Luke Davies in Conversation Luke Davies speaks about 'The God of Speed', his riveting portrait of Howard Hughes. Pier 2/3, Upstairs Writers’ Salon 12:30 to 13:30 Ticketed Event Culture & Heritage, Fiction, History In Conversation  More Info   220: The Poet Who Forgot Catherine Cole talks to Charlotte Wood about her mentor/apprentice relationship with A.D. Hope. Bangarra Mezzanine 12:30 to 13:30 Free Event Life Writing, Poetry, History In Conversation  More Info
14 : 00	236: Jon Lee Anderson and Andrew Bacevich in Conversation Jon Lee Anderson and Andrew Bacevich talk about why Iraq isn’t over yet. Pier 2/3, Downstairs 14:00 to 15:00 Ticketed Event History, Current Affairs Panel  More Info   239: Naldo Rei in Conversation Naldo Rei speaks with Claire Scobie about his own extraordinary journey fighting for East Timor's freedom. Sydney Theatre, Richard Wherrett Studio 14:00 to 15:00 Ticketed Event History, Life Writing, Nonfiction In Conversation  More Info
16 : 00	252: The Assimilation Agenda Anna Haebich, Marcia Langton and Marilyn Lake discuss the legacy of decades of divisive racial politics and immigration policies. Sydney Dance Company, Studio 1 16:00 to 17:00 Free Event Indigenous, Culture & Heritage, History Panel  More Info
• Sunday, May 25 2008 •
10 : 00	273: Colonial Ambition: A Walking Tour of Old Sydney’s Political Sites  * SOLD OUT * Peter Cochrane and Bruce Elder bring the landmarks and characters of the city's political past to life. Various 10:00 to 12:00 Ticketed Event Culture & Heritage, History Tour  More Info 271: Paul Ham in Conversation Paul Ham discusses his new book 'Vietnam: the Australian War'. Sydney Dance Company, Studio 4 10:00 to 11:00 Free Event History, Culture & Heritage, Current Affairs, In Conversation  More Info
12 : 30	290: Jon Lee Anderson on Latin America Jon Lee Anderson has been writing about conflict zones for over 20 years. He speaks about Latin America. Sydney Dance Company, Studio 2/3 12:30 to 13:30 Free Event History, Current Affairs In Conversation  More Info 291: The Future of Feminism Sarah Hall, Emily Maguire and Lynne Segal discuss the relevance, achievements and future of feminism. Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay 12:30 to 13:30 Ticketed Event Nonfiction, Current Affairs, History Panel  More Info
14 : 00	306: American Dreaming Don Watson, James Reston Jr, Andrew Bacevich and Ian Klaus discuss the USA, home to the best and worst of everything. Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay 14:00 to 15:00 Ticketed Event Current Affairs, History Panel  More Info 302: Boycott Lisa Forrest tells the story of Australia’s controversial involvement in the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. Pier 2/3, Downstairs 14:00 to 15:00 Ticketed Event Culture & Heritage, History, Life Writing In Conversation  More Info 300: Fight for Liberty and Freedom John Maynard discusses the commitment and sacrifices made by early Aboriginal activists. Bangarra Theatre 14:00 to 15:00 Free Event Indigenous, History, Culture & Heritage Lecture  More Info
15 : 00	313: White Men’s Countries Marilyn Lake considers the history of Australia’s racial politics in its dynamic global context. Bangarra Mezzanine 15:00 to 16:00 Free Event History, Indigenous In Conversation  More Info
17 : 00	329: Ian Klaus in Conversation What happens when a Rhodes scholar ventures into Iraqi Kurdistan to teach US history? Ian Klaus discusses his story. Sydney Theatre, Richard Wherrett Studio 17:00 to 18:00 Ticketed Event Current Affairs, History, Travel In Conversation  More Info

Bookings - Please refer to each Event for Booking Information.