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Hear from some great authors who are sharing their books with us, as well as talking about their favourites by other authors.
Judy Nunn takes us behind the scenes of her new historical novel ‘Showtime!'. Set in the second half of the Nineteenth Century, we travel from Melbourne to the goldfields and through the characters experience comedy, tragedy, passion and betrayal; economic depression, the Black Death and the horrors of World War One.
One of Australia’s leading fiction writers, Judy has now sold over one million books in Australia alone. In 2015 she was made a Member of the Order of Australia for her "significant service to the performing arts as a scriptwriter and actor of stage and screen, and to literature as an author".
Judy Nunn is in conversation with Catherine Krause from Central Coast with the support of NSW Public Libraries Association
Discussing her first work of non-fiction, ‘Lies, Damned Lies’, Claire G. Coleman takes us on a journey through the past, present and future of Australia, lensed through her own experience. This book blends the personal with the political, offering an insight into the stark reality of the ongoing trauma of the violent colonisation of the Australian continent.
Claire G. Coleman appears in conversation with Torres Strait Islander journalist and broadcaster, Rhianna Patrick, supported by the NSW Public Libraries Association.
Matt Murphy, author, part time historian and teacher, will take us through his account of the formation of Australia through the distorted view of a rum bottle.
He covers questions like ‘Would the Eureka Stockade have been different if the rebels weren’t pissed?’ And ‘How were prisoners to get drunk if Macquarie closed the only pub in the gaol?’
Matt is in conversation with Eric Dodson from Lane Cove Library with the support of the NSW Public Libraries Association.
Acclaimed Australia author Tom Keneally talks about his new novel Corporal Hitlers Pistol. How did Corporal Hitler's Luger from the First World War end up being the weapon that killed an IRA turncoat in Kempsey, New South Wales, in 1933?
When an affluent Kempsey matron spots a young Aboriginal boy who bears an uncanny resemblance to her husband, not only does she scream for divorce, attempt to take control of the child's future and upend her comfortable life, but the whole town seems drawn into chaos. Set in a town he knows very well, in this novel Tom Keneally tells a compelling story of the interactions and relationships between black and white Australians in early twentieth-century Australia.
Tom Keneally is in conversation with Christine Dearness from Willoughby City Libraries with the support of the NSW Public Libraries Association.
Larissa Behrendt talks about her much-awaited third novel, After Story. Larissa introduces us to young Indigenous lawyer Jasmine and her mother Della as they take an overseas literary tour following the lives of the great English writers. Haunted by tragic events from the past and the impact on their family, the two women look for inspiration and for healing through storytelling, both ancient and new.
Larissa Behrendt is in conversation with Kiesha Mealey-Haroa from City of Parramatta Libraries, with the support of NSW Public Libraries Association.
From the acclaimed Australian author of the hit novel The Bluffs comes another captivatingly atmospheric story set in the rugged landscape of Tasmania. Kyle Perry once again draws on his years as a counsellor to present a novel full of raw, gritty and real characters, many inspired by people he has helped over the years.The Deep focuses on a fictional family who have all been affected by the drug trade in their hometown - a drug trade their family is responsible for.
Kyle Perry is in conversation with Catherine du Peloux Menage from Bad Sydney Crime Writers' Festival, with the support of NSW Public Libraries Association.
Absorbing, wise and inspiring, The Kindness Revolution captures the essence of Hugh Mackay's life's work as social psychologist and researcher. Written for our times, this truly remarkable book shows how crises and catastrophes often turn out to be the making of us and explains why radical kindness is the key to healing.
Hugh Mackay is in conversation with Ailsa Piper from Double Bay Library with the support of NSW Public Libraries Association.
Samuel Johnson OAM is the editor of 'Dear Mum'. It's an honest, moving, emotionally memorable collection of letters to their mothers from some of Australia's most notable notables.
Samuel Johnson is in conversation with Melanie Mutch from Hornsby Shire Libraries with the support of NSW Public Libraries Association.
The Sixties marked a turning point for change. Radicals found their voices and used them. In 'Radicals: Remembering the Sixties', some of the people doing the changing – including David Marr, Margret RoadKnight, Gary Foley, Jozefa Sobski and Geoffrey Robertson – reflect on how the decade changed them and Australian society forever.
Meredith Burgmann and Nadia Wheatley talk about their book, 'Radicals: Remembering the Sixties', in conversation with Melinda McNaughton from Wollondilly Library with the support of NSW Public Libraries Association.
Mary Li is an international ballet star and a mother like no other. She became a household name when her husband Li Cunxin published his bestselling memoir, 'Mao’s Last Dancer' – but that book told only half the story. 'Mary’s Last Dance' is a powerful and uplifting memoir about chasing an impossible dream, and sacrificing one’s own ambition for the love of a child. It is a moving and unforgettable story of passion, dedication and devotion.
Mary Li is in conversation with Therese Scott from Mosman Library with the support of NSW Public Libraries Association.
Leonard Janiszewski, historian and co-author of the book Greek Cafes and Milk Bars of Australia will take us on a fascinating trip down memory lane sharing stories of the milk bar culture.
Leonard Janiszewski is in conversation with Victoria Murray from Bathurst Library for New South Wales Public Libraries Association. This event was part of #nswreads events February 2020.
General Sir Peter Cosgrove discusses his memoir, You Shouldn't Have Joined..., the fascinating insights of a much admired public figure and soldier and leader in Australian military history in war and peacetime activities.
General Sir Peter Cosgrove is in conversation with Richard Glover for New South Wales Public Libraries Association.
Craig Reucassel discusses his book, Fight for Planet A, based on the ABC TV Series, the climate challenge and what we can do when there is no Plan B.
Garth Nix is in conversation with Yasmin Greenhalgh from Stanton Library on behalf of NSW Public Libraries Association.
Lauren Chater, bestselling author of The Lace Weaver presents Gulliver's Wife.Set in London, 1702. When her husband is lost at sea, Mary Burton Gulliver, midwife and herbalist, is forced to rebuild her life without him. But three years later when Lemuel Gulliver is brought home, fevered and communicating only in riddles, her ordered world is turned upside down.
Chris Hammer presents his new book, TRUST.
Martin Scarsden and Mandalay Blonde think they’ve found peace at last – but the past is coming to sweep them away. A piercing scream, an abduction, an unconscious cop – and that’s just the first chapter. Then the killing starts.
Chris Hammer is in conversation with Jenn Martin from City of Sydney Library on behalf of NSW Public Libraries Association.
