Edited by writer, speaker and appearance activist Carly Findlay, the new anthology Growing Up Disabled in Australia captures the complexity and nuance of life with disability, reflected by its diverse range of more than 40 contributors. The landmark anthology offers disabled people of all backgrounds and life experiences a chance to see themselves reflected on the page, in a world that should – but often doesn’t – accommodate impairment as an expected aspect of human diversity.

Join Findlay – alongside contributors Lucy Carpenter and Jane Rosengrave – for a special live recording of the Pill Pop podcast, with hosts Silvi Vann-Wall and Izzie Austin.

This event will be Auslan interpreted.

Climate change and its ramifications are a part of everyday life in Australia. The prospect of environmental disaster also weighs heavily on the minds of contemporary Australian writers. Recent years has seen a number of titles that creatively speculate on an uncertain future. 

Join acclaimed writers Sean O’Beirne (A Couple of Things Before the End), Khalid Warsame and Alice Robinson as they discuss how our current climate emergency informs their writing.

An excellent, eloquent thinker and writer, Ross Garnaut has continued his call for change from the sensational Superpower: Australia's Low-Carbon Opportunity with an equally challenging, well-researched book. Reset: Restoring Australia after the Pandemic Recession sieves through the current devastation and sees an opportunity for revolutionary change. By honing in on our potential for being a renewable superpower, Garnaut argues Australia has the potential to reset its economy, build a successful future, and be a symbol for the kind of environmentally-conscious world we all need.

Join us to hear historian Sheila Fitzpatrick discuss her latest book, White Russians, Red Peril with Melbourne University’s Stuart Macintyre.

Sheila is one of the world’s most respected historians on Russia. This particular book covers Russian migration to Australia after the Second World War. Over 20,000 ethnic Russians migrated to Australia after World War II – yet we know very little about their experiences.

This event is free to attend but bookings are essential as places are strictly limited.

What is it like to survive a crash that kills your best friends, and how do you move on? From an exceptional debut writer comes a stunning memoir about grief, perseverance and courage.

Trent Dalton is in-conversation with Lech Blaine discussing his memoir Car Crash.

This event will also be streamed on Zoom.

Car Crash: A Memoir is out on March 30. Lech Blaine will be launching the book at St Mary’s in his hometown of Toowoomba. Melissa Keogh will officially open the evening, before Lech has a conversation about mateship, grief and mental health with Archie Hamilton, a co-creator of The Betoota Advocate.

The 2021 Sydney Writers’ Festival program has been announced! The festival returns from 26 April to 2 May. This year’s theme, Within Reach, highlights the astonishing writers who are shaping Australian literature right now.

Don’t miss these fantastic Black Inc. authors:

• Lech Blaine (Car Crash) on writing grief
• Richard Cooke (On Robyn Davidson) on creating non-fiction
• Carly Findlay and Growing up Disabled in Australia contributors Alistair Baldwin, Fiona Murphy, Gayle Kennedy and Belinda Downes
• Stan Grant (On Thomas Keneally) on the Booker Prize–winning author
• Jess Hill (See What You Made Me Do) on the day’s headlines
• Kate Holden (The Winter Road) on writing tragedy
• Erik Jensen (I said the sea was folded) on the power of poetry
• Scott Ludlam (Full Circle) on political change
• David Marr (My Country) on leadership and larrikins
• Sean O’Beirne (A Couple of Things Before the End) debuts in the COVID Class of 2020
• Laura Tingle (QE80: The High Road) on larrikins
• Don Watson (Watsonia) on his writing life

Tickets are on sale now. Click through for full details.

We are delighted to host Mark McKenna in conversation with Jock Serong to discuss McKenna’s Return to Uluru.

When Mark McKenna set out to write a history of the centre of Australia, he had no idea what he would discover. One event in 1934 – the shooting at Uluru of Aboriginal man Yokunnuna by white policeman Bill McKinnon, and subsequent Commonwealth inquiry – stood out as a mirror of racial politics in the Northern Territory at the time.

Return to Uluru brings a cold case to life. It speaks directly to the Black Lives Matter movement, but is completely Australian. Ultimately it is a story of recognition and return, which goes to the very heart of the country. At the centre of it all is Uluru, the sacred site where paths fatefully converged.

Celebrate books and the written word in this special Clunes Booktown weekend on 1–2 May 2021.

See Sean O’Beirne share his insights into the unique craft of short story writing and renowned thinker Ross Garnaut explore the politics and economics of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some people turn to Chinese history for clues to China’s present. Others look to it as the missing piece in the puzzle of world history as it’s typically taught in the west. And still others find joy simply in exploring topics ranging from the intellectual and cultural life of Chinese cities in dynastic times to the stories of China’s first feminists, the origins of Daoism, or even the history of history in China itself.

Benjamin Penny will moderate a panel including Esther Sunkyung Klein, Yayun Zhu and Linda Jaivin that will launch Linda’s newest book, The Shortest History of China.

Modern China is seen variously as an economic powerhouse, an icon of urbanisation, a propaganda state or an aggressive superpower seeking world domination. In The Shortest History of China, Linda Jaivin distils a vast history into a short, readable account that tells you what you need to know about China, from its philosophical origins to its political system, to the COVID-19 pandemic and where China is likely to lead the world.

Meet Linda in conversation with ANU China in the World's Yun Jiang.

Join us for a special on site event featuring acclaimed journalist Stan Grant in conversation with author and screenwriter Christos Tsiolkas. Together they’ll celebrate and discuss the launch of Stan's new book On Thomas Keneally.

On Thomas Keneally is the latest instalment of the Writer on Writer series, in which leading writers reflect on another Australian writer who has inspired and influenced them. Provocative and crisp, these books start a fresh conversation between past and present, shed new light on the craft of writing, and introduce some intriguing and talented authors and their work.

In his book, Stan weaves literary criticism, philosophy and memoir to shed light on The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith. Drawing parallels with Indigenous writers Tara June Winch and Bruce Pascoe, Grant re-examines Keneally’s novel, raising questions about identity, modernity and storytelling.

A selection of Keneally first editions from the Library’s Graham and Anita Anderson Collection will be available for viewing, donated by Judge Graham Anderson.

Join editor of The Saturday Paper Erik Jensen and Kate Holden to celebrate the exciting release of Kate Holden’s The Winter Road.

On a country road in Croppa Creek, NSW farmer Ian Turnbull faced environmental officer Glen Turner. What happened next shocked Australia. The brutal killing of Glen Turner splits open the story of our place on this land. Is our time on this soil a tale of tragedy or triumph – are we reaping what we’ve sown? Do we owe protection to the land, or does it owe us a living? And what happens when, in pursuit of a legacy, a man creates terrible consequences? Kate Holden brings her discerning eye to a gripping tale of law, land and inheritance. It is the story of Australia.

This event is free to attend but bookings are essential as places are strictly limited.

Bendigo Writers Festival is an annual three-day event which gathers more than 100 writers for discussions about every kind of writing under the sun. The festival runs 7–9 May 2021. Some events will be online.

Don’t miss these Black Inc. authors:

• Scott Ludlam
• Mark McKenna
• Jenny Valentish
• Don Watson
• James Boyce
• James Canton
• Margaret Simons
• Raj Patel
• Tom Griffiths

Click through for more details.

Brisbane Writers Festival is back in 2021 from 7 to 9 May, with many events happening online.

Don’t miss these Black Inc. authors:

• Andrew Wear (Recovery) and Margaret Simons (QE77: Cry Me A River) on the future of the climate
• Carly Findlay and contributors Emma Di Bernardo, Anna Whateley and Todd Winther on Growing Up Disabled in Australia
• Josephine Rowe on place, grief and happenstance in her short story collection Here Until August
• Ross Garnaut, author of Reset and Superpower, on the politics of climate

Click through for more details.

In Full Circle, Scott Ludlam draws on his unique experience as senator and activist to capture our world on a precipice and explore what comes next. Bringing together a wealth of new ideas, Full Circle outlines a new ecological politics. It is a visionary book for our wild times.

Join us for an in conversation with Rebecca Huntley.

An epic true story of greed, power and a desire for legacy from an acclaimed Australian storyteller.

Join Kate Holden when she speaks about The Winter Road: A Story of Legacy, Land and a Killing at Croppa Creek.

This event will take place online via Zoom.

Scott Ludlam is in-conversation with Angela Dean to discuss Full Circle: A Search for the World that Comes Next.

This event will take place online and in-store, with a bar open for drinks before and after the event.

The brutal killing of Glen Turner splits open the story of our place on this land. Is our time on this soil a tale of tragedy or triumph – are we reaping what we’ve sown? Do we owe protection to the land, or does it owe us a living? And what happens when, in pursuit of a legacy, a man creates terrible consequences? 

Join Kate Holden to discuss The Winter Road, a gripping tale of law, land and inheritance, in conversation with Richard Glover.

Linda Jaivin’s pacy history of China can be read in an afternoon, but will transform your perspective for a lifetime.

Linda will be in conversation about her book The Shortest History of China with Jennifer Byrne, renowned journalist, presenter and long-time host of ABC’s The Book Club. 

Modern China is seen variously as an economic powerhouse, an icon of urbanisation, a propaganda state or an aggressive superpower seeking world domination. In The Shortest History of China, Linda Jaivin distils a vast history into a short, readable account that tells you what you need to know, from China’s philosophical origins to its political system, to the COVID-19 pandemic and where the PRC is likely to lead the world.

In conversation with Benjamin Law.

In The Shortest History of China Linda Jaivin distils a vast history into a short, readable account that tells you what you need to know, from China’s philosophical origins to its political system, to the COVID-19 pandemic and where the PRC is likely to lead the world.

Joined by journalist and author Rick Morton, join us with a glass of wine as Linda discusses China's sprawling and gloriously messy history, and its future.

Booking fee includes a glass of wine and canapés.

Join Mark McKenna (appearing live via video) as he talks with Michael Bennett about his new book, Return to Uluru.

This event will be held onsite and online.

Kate Holden in conversation with Caroline Baum about her epic true story of greed, power and inheritance, The Winter Road: A Story of Legacy, Land and a Killing at Croppa Creek.

Join Linda Jaivin for the launch of The Shortest History of China, a pacy history of China that can be read in an afternoon, but will transform your perspective for a lifetime.

This event will take place both instore and online.

Linda Jaivin’s latest book, The Shortest History of China distills a vast history into a short, readable account that tells you what you need to know, from China’s philosophical origins to its political system, to the COVID-19 pandemic and where the People’s Republic of China is likely to lead the world.

This panel will discuss, and launch, Linda’s book in our first hybrid event.

Panel:
Linda Jaivin, author and co-editor of the China Story Yearbook
Dr Ruth Gamble, Lecturer, History, La Trobe University
Professor Baogang He, Alfred Deakin Professor and Personal Chair in International Relations, Deakin University
Chair: Dr Bec Strating, Executive Director, La Trobe Asia

Join us in person at the State Library Victoria or online as your circumstances allow.

Linda will sign copies of the book at the conclusion of the panel, which will be for sale in the foyer.

1 in 5 Australians have a disability, yet disabled people are underrepresented in the media and literature. Growing Up Disabled in Australia gives voice to those who have been left out of discussions and not seen themselves represented in mainstream media. 

Carly Findlay, Kurt Fearnley and Belinda Downes will discuss their experiences, the importance of representation and why works like Growing Up are so important.

We hear, weekly, alarming stories of Chinese influence, interference or even espionage – in politics, on campus, in the media, in community organisations and elsewhere. The United States now sees China as a strategic rival, and pressure on Australia to ‘get tough on China’ will only intensify.

In China Panic, an insightful critique, David Brophy offers a progressive alternative. Instead of punitive measures that restrict rights and stoke suspicion of minorities – moves that would only make Australia more like China – we need democratic solutions that strengthen Australian institutions and embrace, not alienate, Chinese Australians. Above all, we need forms of international solidarity that don’t reduce human rights to a mere bargaining chip.

In conversation with Stephen Fitzgerald.

Join us for an exciting evening with Linda Jaivin and Sophie Cunningham as they discuss Linda Jaivin’s book, The Shortest History of China.

The Shortest History of China is a nimble history of rogues, revolutions and rebellions and can be read in a day, but will transform your view for a lifetime. From kung-fu to tofu, tea to trade routes, sages to silk, China has influenced cuisine, commerce, military strategy, aesthetics and philosophy across the world for thousands of years. Linda distils a vast history into a short, readable account that tells you what you need to know, from China’s philosophical origins to its political system, to the COVID-19 pandemic and where the PRC is likely to lead the world.

This event is free to attend but bookings are essential as places are strictly limited.

Everything Harder Than Everyone Else follows people doing the things that most couldn’t, wouldn’t or shouldn’t. Their insights lead Jenny on a compulsive, sometimes reckless journey through psychology, endurance and the power of obsession, revealing what we can learn about the human condition. 

Join Jenny Valentish in-conversation followed by a live peformance by Black Knuckles. 

A high energy afternoon not to be missed.   

Join us for the book launch of Alice Pung’s new novel, One Hundred Days.

In a heady whirlwind of independence, lust and defiance, sixteen-year-old Karuna falls pregnant. Not on purpose, but not entirely by accident, either. Incensed, Karuna’s mother, already over-protective, confines her to their fourteenth-storey housing-commission flat, to keep her safe from the outside world – and make sure she can’t get into any more trouble. One Hundred Days is a fractured fairytale exploring the fault lines between love and control. It is a magnificent new work from one of Australia’s most celebrated writers.

This event is free to attend but bookings are essential as places are strictly limited.

Join us for the launch of Jenny Valentish’s Everything Harder than Everyone Else, with Australian wrestling legend KrackerJak and Scarlett Harris, an Australian culture critic with a focus on professional wrestling.

It’s part of human nature to test our limits. But what happens when this part comes to define us? Everything Harder Than Everyone Else follows people doing the things that most couldn’t, wouldn’t or shouldn’t. Their insights lead Jenny on a compulsive, sometimes reckless journey through psychology, endurance and the power of obsession, revealing what we can learn about the human condition.