A few years ago Andrew O’Hagan gave one of the most memorable talks in the history of Sydney Writers’ Festival. Don’t miss Andrew in conversation with Kate Evans about his new novel, The Illuminations, long-listed for the 2015 Man Booker Prize. Andrew described meeting jihadi children in Afghanistan and ended with a beautiful anecdote about dancing cheek to cheek with an elderly woman with Alzheimers.

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Andrew O'Hagan: The Illuminations

Join bestselling author Simon Winchester in his only Sydney appearance to speak about his new biography of the Pacific Ocean, a paean to this magnificent sea of beauty, myth, and imagination. From silicon chips and surfboards, coral reefs and atom bombs to brutal dictators, fading empires and the coming collision of the world’s superpowers, The Pacific not only tells the story of an ocean but of humanity’s attempts to harness its power. Facilitated by Ross Coulthart.   

#SydneyWritersFestival | http://swf.org.au/

Simon Winchester: The Pacific

Girl is a sweet ingenue. Boy is a brooding rake. Girl meets boy. Boy seduces girl. Girl becomes less innocent. Boy becomes less rakish. This is the world-weary stereotype that romance novels constantly bump up against. In the real world (of fiction), romantic heroes and heroines have been evolving since the genre began. How exactly has the fantasy of sexiness changed over time? And what subversive tropes are emerging in the sub-genres? In this podcast Jodi McAlister speaks with Harlequin’s Kate Cuthbert, and authors Victoria Purman and Avril Tremayne to discuss new models of romantic love.

Beyond Dukes and Damsels

#SydneyWritersFestival is Australia's largest celebration of literature, stories and ideas. This playlist features talks from events from 2013 to early 2016. Our 2016 Festival podcasts are now available on Omny or iTunes. 

Sydney Writers' Festival

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