Linda Jaivin is joined by Echo Hui to discuss her new book Bombard the Headquarters!: The cultural revolution in China, a riveting account of a extraordinary and turbulent period in recent Chinese history.

In 1966, with the words ‘Bombard the Headquarters!’ Mao Zedong unleashed the full, violent force of a movement that he called the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution.

Bombard the Headquarters! is not just Mao’s story. It’s the unforgettable stories of countless individuals, mass manias, sacred mangos and spectacular falls from grace.

Black Inc. and CO.AS.IT. warmly invite you to celebrate the launch of The Immigrants: Fabula Mirabilis, or A Wonderful Story by Moreno Giovannoni.

Join us to hear Moreno Giovannoni in conversation with Antoni Jach.
Opening remarks by Chris Feik, Black Inc.

Hear the incredible story of the resilience and recovery of Australia's First Nations languages.

Australia's language diversity is truly breathtaking. Our continent lays claim to the world's longest continuous collection of cultures, including over 440 unique languages and many more dialects.

This online presentation tells the story of the earliest exchange of words between colonists and First Nations people to today's reclamations.

It is a creative and exciting introduction to a vital and dynamic world of language.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A riveting account of a turbulent period in Chinese history.
In 1966, with the words 'Bombard the Headquarters!' Mao Zedong unleashed the full, violent force of a movement that he called the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. By the time he died ten years later, millions had perished, China's cultural heritage was in ruins, its economic state was perilous, its institutions of government were damaged and its society was bitterly divided.

In this fascinating account, Linda Jaivin focuses on the eventful start of the Cultural Revolution. She sheds light on the ideological quarrels that underpinned it and profiles the personalities involved.

Discussion of the Cultural Revolution is heavily censored in the People's Republic, and many young Chinese people know almost nothing about it. Even so, it continues to cast a shadow over life in China. Current president Xi Jinping's assumption of a third term in 2022, his elimination of rival factions from the leadership and attempts to build a personality cult around himself discomfit many within and outside of the Chinese Communist Party. Bombard the Headquarters! helps us to understand why.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Linda Jaivin has been studying Chinese politics, language and culture for more than forty years. She has been a foreign correspondent in China, and is co-editor of the China Story Yearbook, an associate of the Australian Centre on China in the World at the Australian National University and the author of twelve books.

Join leading AI expert Toby Walsh as he unpacks The Shortest History of AI.

Since Alan Turing first posed the question, ‘Can machines think?’, artificial intelligence has evolved from a speculative idea to a transformative force. The Shortest History of AI traces this evolution, from Ada Lovelace’s visionary work to IBM’s groundbreaking defeat of the chess world champion and the revolutionary emergence of ChatGPT. It also explores AI’s cultural journey, touching on classics such as Frankenstein, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Revealing how many ‘overnight’ successes were decades in the making, this accessible and illuminating book simplifies AI into six key ideas, equipping readers to understand where we’ve been – and where we’re headed.

Helen Trinca and David Meagher delve into Looking for Elizabeth, the first full biography of acclaimed author Elizabeth Harrower.

The full story of an Australian literary enigma.

Why did Elizabeth Harrower – one of Australia's most important postwar authors – stop writing at the height of her powers?

After publishing four books that earned the admiration of Patrick White, Shirley Hazzard and Christina Stead, Harrower published no more novels. She faded from the literary landscape, until being rediscovered decades later to international acclaim.

In Looking for Elizabeth, Helen Trinca unravels this mystery. Exploring the personal and artistic forces that shaped Harrower’s writing, she draws a sensitive portrait of a wounded ‘divorced child’ and the legacy of abandonment she carried throughout her life. She probes the contradictions of a woman who wielded extraordinary insight into others’ lives but guarded her own fiercely. And she vividly brings to life the literary circles of this fascinating era in Australian culture.

Based on interviews with Harrower and full access to her archive, Looking for Elizabeth is the first full biography of this significant figure in Australian letters.

Mia Pandey Gordon, Kavita Ivy Nandan, Tejas Bhat in conversation with Natasha Rai, reflect on how their heritage shapes their storytelling.

Through literature and film, Mia Pandey Gordon, Kavita Ivy Nandan, Tejas Bhat and Natasha Rai explore identity, belonging and the power of creative expression.

China expert Linda Jaivin presents Bombard the Headquarters!, a gripping account of the Cultural Revolution and its lasting impact.

A riveting account of a turbulent period in Chinese history.

Linda Jaivin and Michael Pembroke discuss how relations with the outside world have changed China, from ancient to modern times.

China, open and shut - from imperial times to the Cultural Revolution - Michael Pembroke and Linda Jaivin discuss how relations with the outside world have changed China, from ancient to modern times. They will show how the writing of history can help make sense of complex events in the past and offer insights into the present day.

Remembering Elizabeth Harrower

Speakers: Helen Trinca – Editor of The Deal & author of Looking for Elizabeth: The Life of Elizabeth Harrower, Geoffrey Lehmann – Australian poet, writer and tax lawyer