Linda Jaivin and John Zubrzycki at Paperchain

Join us at Paperchain to hear Linda Jaivin, author of The Shortest History of Madrid, in conversation with John Zubrzycki, author of The Shortest History of Delhi.

The only European capital founded as a Muslim settlement, Madrid has a story as diverse as its population today. From the grandeur of the Habsburg and Bourbon dynasties to the chaos and trauma of civil war and dictatorship, Madrid has survived it all with defiant spirit.

It has been home to some of Spain's – and the world's – most brilliant writers, thinkers and artists, from Cervantes and Goya to Hemingway and Almodóvar. It has been the setting for outrageous political scandals, mass movements and wild literary rivalries. And it continues to be a city that refuses to be defined by anything but its own irrepressible energy.

Delhi, with its stories of intrigue and empire, decadence and artistry, destruction and rebirth, has been exhilarating travellers for centuries. Its history stretches back thousands of years, through invasions, empires and the struggle for independence.

This many-layered history can be seen on the streets of Delhi today – in ancient monuments to emperors, saints, princesses and eunuchs; in the domes of mosques clad in shimmering white marble; in stately Mughal gardens; and in the bustling laneways of its markets and neighbourhoods. Now, Delhi is a vast megalopolis, drawing people from all over the subcontinent, a cornucopia of religions, castes, languages and economic classes.

In The Shortest History of Delhi, John Zubrzycki pairs an invigorating account of Delhi’s past with an insider's guide to the city today.

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 including The Shortest History of China.

John Zubrzycki is an Australian author with a PhD in Indian history from the University of New South Wales. A former foreign news editor with The Australian, he has worked as a correspondent in India and as a diplomat in New Delhi and Jakarta. He is the author of four books on India, the latest being House of Jaipur: The Inside Story of India’s Most Glamorous Royal Family.