Books, Books, Books

What might a reckoning between Black and white Australia look like? Many of the brilliant contributors to Griffith Review 76, “Acts of Reckoning”, such as Professor Megan Davis, leading scholar Teela Reid and Senator Patrick Dodson, argue that it starts with all of us embracing the generous invitation from Indigenous people in the Uluru Statement From the Heart to walk together towards a better future, one that begins with a constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament, then moves towards Treaty and Truth-telling. Others write powerfully about the need for fundamental changes to the criminal justice system which incarcerates so many young Indigenous people, and the importance of owning our violent past. In this conversation  Ashley Hay speaks with power and conviction of what we can all do to make change happen.

Nicole Abadee talks to Pulitzer Prize winning novelist, Jennifer Egan, about her exciting new book "The Candy House."

Emily and Nicole discuss how non-binding instruments or ‘soft law’ have been received in international humanitarian law by looking at specific examples, such as the ICRC Study into Customary International Humanitarian Law. Have they been adopted in state practice? Are they referred to by international and national courts and tribunals? They consider potential benefits, such as their potential to contribute in a positive way to the development and clarification of the law, but also the possible pitfalls – lack of accountability and transparency and bias.  And what legal status, if any, do they have?

Nicole speaks to Kate Grenville about forming the "Writers for Climate Action" group, where she brings writers passionate about acting against climate change, together in a single space to fight the biggest challenge of our time and threat to our future.  "we've joined forces to act as a group because we believe that climate change is a threat to the future of our world. Individually we write about that world in our books. Now we want to use our collective voice to push back against the threat to it."  If you are a writer who would like to join Writers for Climate Action go to https://www.writersforclimateaction.com.

Books, Books, Books is proud to present "Comrade in Words" a session from Adelaide Writer's Week where Nicole facilitated a conversation between Charlotte Wood and Christos Tsiolkas about their latest works, friendship, how they function as artists, and the challenges of living a creative life.

“When women speak of war they say nothing or almost nothing of what we are used to reading and hearing about”. These words, by Nobel-Prize-winning writer Svetlana Alexievich inspired acclaimed writer and cultural historian Maria Tumarkin to create an extraordinary multi-disciplinary event called “When Women Speak of War: Artists reckon With Wars Declared and Hidden”, which will have its world premiere on Thursday 28 April at the National Theatre in Melbourne. The performance will feature Ukrainian-born writers, musicians and performers alongside a diverse line-up of brilliant artists. The aim, Maria says, is “To stir up, honour, cliché-bust and transport.” Conceived before the war in Ukraine as part of the Festival of Jewish Art and Music (FOJAM) to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day, the performance takes on particular resonance in light of the war in Maria’s beloved homeland. Part of the proceeds of ticket sales will go to the Ukrainian Humanitarian Relief Fund.

Nicole talks to Griffith Review Editor, Ashley Hay, about the incredible writers and works in Griffith Review issue #75 - Learning Curves, all about education.  "From preschool to postgrad, from private to public, and from sandstone to the school of life, what do the parameters of our educational experiences add up to? What does a good education look like in a country with an increasingly segregated school system, public funding for private institutions, and a tertiary sector that’s facing an uncertain financial and philosophical future?" Featuring new work by Raewyn Connell, Bri Lee, Andrew Leigh, Melanie Myers, Pasi Sahlberg, Gabbie Stroudand Miriam Sved, among many others.

Award winning author and Poet Laureate, Maxine Beneba Clarke joins Nicole to talk about her courageous poetry collection "How Decent Folk Behave," for the final episode of the Books, Books, Books Summer Series. A thoughtful and compassionate conversation about works that reflect exactly where we are right now with honesty and hope.  "These poems speak of the world that is, and sing for a world that may one day be."

Hannah Kent talks to Nicole about her amazing new novel "Devotion" for the BBB Summer Series. A novel steeped in both history and fantasy, unpacking the complicated layers of  belief, identity and love. A book to devour and savour.

Nicole talks to the luminous Michelle de Kretser about her novel "Scary Monsters," which explores the impact of migration in two very different and individual stories, read from different ends of the book. They discuss themes of racism, misogyny and agesim as well as Michelle's choice to play with the novel's physical form, as a way of recreating the same sense of displacement and disorientation in the reader, as experienced by those migrating to a new land.