Sydney Writers' Festival Live and Local 2024

10:00–11:00AM Viet Thanh Nguyen: A Man of Two Faces
Hear celebrated author Viet Thanh Nguyen, hailed as “a conscience of American literature” (The New Yorker), discuss his new work with writer and broadcaster Benjamin Law.

12:00–1:00PM Suzie Miller: Prima Facie
Put the courts on trial with lawyer turned Olivier Award–winning playwright Suzie Miller as she discusses novelising her theatrical triumph that tackles sexual assault. In conversation with Nicole Abadee.

2:00–3:00PM Julian Borger: I Seek a Kind Person
“I seek a kind person who will educate my intelligent boy, aged 11.” An extraordinary 1938 personal advertisement that started Julian Borger’s quest into his father’s past and the story of Holocaust survival. With Michaela Kalowski.

4:00–5:00PM Fantastical Worlds
Imagine another world with popular fantasy authors Garth Nix (The Old Kingdom series), Shelley Parker-Chan (The Radiant Emperor duology) and Samantha Shannon (The Roots of Chaos series). Hosted by Aimée Lindorff.

5:30–6:30PM Love and Longing
Swoon with K Patrick (Mrs S) and Christos Tsiolkas (The In-Between) in this beautiful discussion of romance, desire and the pleasures of writing queer love stories. With Madeleine Gray.

10:00–11:00AM The War on Journalists
Hear celebrated author Viet Thanh Nguyen, hailed as “a conscience of American literature” (The New Yorker), discuss his new work with writer and broadcaster Benjamin Law.

12:00–1:00PM Abdulrazak Gurnah: Afterlives 
Explore his writing and unpack the legacies of empire with acclaimed writer Abdulrazak Gurnah, whose 10th novel explores displacement, loss and love during and after German occupation of East Africa. With Sisonke Msimang. 

2:00–3:00PM Feminist Firebrands
"Four waves in, the feminist fight for gender equality is far from over." Writers and activists Hannah Ferguson, Sisonke Msimang and Jennifer Robinson discuss the most pressing issues facing women today with host Jo Dyer. 

4:00–5:00PM 5km From the Frontline 
Hear from journalist Alisa Sopova and photographer Anastasia Taylor-Lind, whose extraordinary documentary photography series offers a unique, personal and deeply affecting look at the Ukraine war. With ABC RN’s Hamish Macdonald.  

10:00–11:00AM Trent Dalton: From Eli to Lola [AUSLAN interpreted] 
Trent Dalton, award-winning author of Boy Swallows Universe (now a hit Netflix series) returns with Lola in the Mirror, a big, beautiful novel about grappling with our past, present and possible futures. In conversation with Cassie McCullagh.

12:00–1:00PM Storytellers: Leigh Sales and Lisa Millar
ABC legends Leigh Sales (Storytellers) and Lisa Millar (Muster Dogs) unpack the craft of turning real life events into narrative, drawing from their recent books and a combined 65 years in journalism. 

2:00–3:00PM Bringing the Past to Life 
Be transported by authors Francesca de Tores (Saltblood), Mirandi Riwoe (Sunbirds) and Abraham Verghese (The Covenant of Water) as they discuss the power of historical fiction. With ABC RN’s Kate Evans. 

3:30–4:30PM Sad Girl? Bad Girl? Mad Girl?
Hear from debut Australian novelists Nadine J. Cohen (Everyone and Everything), Madeleine Gray (Green Dot) and Jessie Stephens (Something Bad is Going to Happen) about making and breaking the rules of ‘sad girl’ literature. In conversation with The Guardian’s Steph Harmon. 

11:30AM–12:30PM David Wengrow: The Dawn of Everything
Transform your understanding of human evolution with professor of archaeology David Wengrow, whose groundbreaking work with the late David Graeber overturns theories on the origins of farming, cities, democracy, slavery and civilisation itself. In conversation with ABC RN’s Richard Fidler.

1:30–2:30PM Dark Technologies: Exposing the technology of modern warfare
Hear about the role of emerging technologies in conflict and occupation with Walkley Award–winning journalist Antony Loewenstein (The Palestine Laboratory), artificial intelligence expert Toby Walsh (Faking It) and host Michael Richardson.  

3:30–4:30PM Closing Address: Kate Manne on the Future of Misogyny 
Philosopher Kate Manne is heralded for her vivid, rigourous analysis on misogyny in her books Down Girl and Entitled. Join Kate for a compelling exploration of what she believes lies ahead.