Byron Writers Festival

Vicki Laveau-Harvie, Rick Morton and Andrew Stafford speak with Caro Llewellyn about their recent works of memoir, in which they interrogate the ups and downs of family life, the ongoing impacts of trauma, and the strength of the human spirit to survive in times of adversity.

John Birmingham, Hung Le and Caro Llewellyn speak with Sunil Badami about the often complex relationships we have with our fathers, and the enduring influence they have on our lives and who we become.

What is it exactly about children's books, and reading to children that is so special? How do stories contribute to a child's development? What are you earliest memories of being read to? This magical session explores these questions and more, as we explore 'Why we should read to children' with Alison Lester, John Flanagan and Morris Gleitzman, chaired by Jesse Blackadder.

Benjamin Law explores what is was like growing up queer in Australia with author S.L. Lim, author and activist Nevo Zisin and musician Evelyn Ida Morris.

Harry Saddler takes us on the epic 10,000km journey of the Eastern Curlew, from their breeding grounds in the Arctic to the east coast of Australia. In this fascinating session, he talks with Ailsa Piper about these remarkable birds and their plight for survival.

In this Festival session, novelist and former anti-Mafia judge Gianrico Carofiglio, former police commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg and investigative journalist Kate McClymont join Matthew Condon to discuss their experiences of working to expose corruption in politics and organised crime.

How reliable is your memory? In The Memory Illusion, forensic psychologist and memory expert Dr Julia Shaw discusses with Tracey Spicer the astonishing variety of ways in which our brains can indeed be led astray.

Phil Brown, Hung Le and Sisonke Msimang speak with Sunil Badami about belonging, both in Australia and in the countries their parents left behind.

Tara June Winch chats with Melissa Lucashenko about the writing of her latest book, 'The Yield' and the deep connections she feels to the vivid characters she has created. In this relaxed conversation, interviewer becomes interviewee, as Tara turns a few questions back on the recent Miles Franklin winner.

David Leser speaks with Jennifer Byrne about his book 'Women, Men and the Whole Damn Thing', which follows his 2018 article of the same name. Once gain, Leser positions himself at the rhetorical intersection of the #MeToo movement, running the gauntlet of gendered violence and inequality in an attempt to rethink masculinity beyond patriarchy.

Matthew Evans speaks with Sarah Armstrong about his new book 'On Eating Meat', in which he grapples with the thorny issues around the ways we produce and consume both animals and crops.

Respected community leader and Chief Advocate of World Vision, Reverend Tim Costello, speaks with Chris Hanley about his new memoir, 'A Lot with a Little'. From family life and faith, to the current state of the world, activism and leadership, Tim gives us an insight into who he is, where he has come from, and how he retains hope in the face of injustice.

Daniel James, Samia Khatun, Patrick Nunn and Tara June Winch speak with Adam Shoemaker about the importance of preserving indigenous languages not only in Australia but around the world. They discuss what is lost when languages die, and what can be done to ensure their continuation.

David Gillespie speaks with Mandy Nolan about the negative impacts of technology on young minds. In his book 'Teen Brain' he argues that screens are making our teenagers depressed, anxious and prone to lifelong addictive illnesses.

Three acclaimed novelists, Min Jin Lee, Jennifer Clement and Markus Zusak speak with Benjamin Law about the complexities of writing about the modern family.

Damon Gameau, Alice Gorman and Bruce Pascoe speak with Sarah Armstrong about their hopes for the future of the planet. Without shying away from the biggest challenges facing mankind today, they explore the possibilities for change and remind us of the importance of hope over despair.

Maxine Beneba Clarke, Ginger Gorman, Sarah Hanson-Young and Julia Shaw speak with Tracey Spicer about the world of cyber-bullying, their experiences of being harassed online, and the roots and causes of trolling in wider society.

Bruce Pascoe's Dark Emu has been heralded as the book that rewrote Australian history. He talks candidly and passionately with Kerry O'Brien on what needs to change for us to truly 'love' our country.

In this Byron Writers Festival podcast, Trent Dalton, Matt Haig and Elise Valmorbida speak with Nicole Abadee about ways in which their books, and others, foster empathy. They discuss how characters in fiction, like most ordinary people, should be complex and nuanced, and explore the question, raised first by Dalton, 'can you be both good and bad at once?'

Jessie Cole, Bri Lee and Gregory Smith have all written powerful memoirs. Three very different lives take three very different paths, but their stories share a similar strand of personal discovery and resilience. Chaired by Zacharey Jane.

Ashley Hay speaks with Charles Massy about his path into regenerative agriculture. Massy highlights the ways in which industrial agriculture impacts on both human health and the health and future of our planet, and advocates for a move towards regenerative agricultural principles.

Jane Harper is the author of international bestsellers The Dry, Force of Nature and most recently, The Lost Man. In this podcast, Marele Day speaks with crime writer Jane Harper about her spectacular rise to literary fame. Harper speaks about getting started on her first novel, about her approach to writing and how she tackles the drafting process.

In this session, recorded live at the 2018 Byron Writers Festival, Ali Alizadeh, Jesse Blackadder and Chris Womersley speak with Nicole Abadee about how they bring the past to life in each of their recent historical novels.

In this session, science writer Joelle Gergis, author and public intellectual Clive Hamilton and Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter, offer their thoughts on the future of the planet and our role in it.

Lemn Sissay is one of Britain’s most loved poets, and the Chancellor of Manchester University. In this podcast, recorded live at the 2018 Byron Writers Festival, Lemn discusses his childhood spent in foster care and in a children's home, and his miraculous rise to university chancellor. With passion and fury, Lemn talks about the injustices felt by many single mothers and their children as a resul...