THE MELBOURNE WRITER’S FESTIVAL

Who’s who in the fabulous world of words

The Melbourne Writer’s Festival will be building a bridge between avid readers and the world’s successful, literary minds this week.

For $20-$40 you can hear Germaine Greer discuss the power of the Australian rhetoric, Marcia Langton on the future position of Aboriginal people in policy making for a glamorous evening with the New Yorker.

With a whole category of the program dedicated to “new news” the festival has definitely recognized that a writer today is very different from when the festival started in 1986.

This year’s speakers range from the big names in the industry to bloggers, independent publishers, illustrators, journalists, story writers and all who emerge themselves in the “world of words”.

If you’ve spent all your money on penguin classics and myki fares, never fear, there will be a great range of events that are entirely FREE.

One of the zero cost sessions are the “the morning read” series. Grab a coffee and head into the Yarra building at 10am on Saturday or Sunday morning to hear stories read aloud by those who created the voices you’ve been hearing in your head. Both discussions highlight the diversity of speakers at the festival.

On Saturday morning you can hear Angela Meyer the writer behind Crikey’s ‘Literary Minded’ blog alongside two Nigerian writers, one scientific mind and another who grapples with the frustrations of domestic life in rural Western Australia.

Discussions are not just bound to the page with several walking tours across the city taking place. These are ideal if you’ve ever wondered about Melbourne’s hidden dragons, secret street art, eclectic bookshops and natural origins.

Did I mention there is also the chance to dress like Ziggy Stardust on the album’s 40th anniversary and rap battle with Benjamin Law at the regal ballroom?

From this Thursday, 23nd of August, until Sunday the 26th you can catch all these writers and more speaking across the Fed Square precinct.

The festival also flows into next Monday’s special edition of Q&A shot from the beautiful BMW edge room with panellists from the writers festival. Those selected are the infamous Simon Callow, boundary-pusher Germaine Greer, Anthony Appiah a philosopher/ novelist, and Nigerian author Sefi Atto. Tony Jones would never admit it but episodes with no politicians are always the best, so tune in.

See you there!