Through her prize-winning books All That I Am and Stasiland, Anna Funder has deeply considered the cost of lying and truth-telling in powerful regimes. She’s joined by Jason Steger to discuss what happens to people who espouse lies and those who refuse to go along with them. The pair also highlight the inherent friction between power and truth, and consider how 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, we find ourselves in a new age of untruth.

Through her prize-winning books All That I Am and Stasiland, Anna Funder has deeply considered the cost of lying and truth-telling in powerful regimes. She&rsquo;s joined by Jason Steger to discuss what happens to people who espouse lies and those who refuse to go along with them. The pair also highlight the inherent friction between power and truth, and consider how 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, we find ourselves in a new age of untruth.

Australia's largest celebration of literature, stories and ideas. Bringing together the world's best authors, leading public intellectuals, scientists, journalists and more. Subscribe to our channel for new releases.

Australia's largest celebration of literature, stories and ideas. Bringing together the world's best authors, leading public intellectuals, scientists, journalists and more. Subscribe to our channel for new releases.

Australia's largest celebration of writing and ideas.

Sydney Writers' Festival

Australia's largest celebration of literature, stories and ideas. Bringing together the world's best authors, leading public intellectuals, scientists, journalists and more.

Anna Funder: The Cost of Lying and Truth-telling

‘Cancel culture’ may seem like a 21st century invention sparked by contemporary politics and stoked by social media, sometimes with deadly consequences.

However, as philosopher A.C. Grayling illustrates in Discriminations: Making Peace in the Culture Wars, disagreement and public shaming are ancient traditions. 

Learn how ‘cancel culture’ evolved and what effect it’s having on intellectual discourse. Festival favourite A.C. Grayling searches for a middle ground in an environment where everything is up for debate.

This episode was recorded live in May at the 2025 Sydney Writers’ Festival. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and follow our channel.

Sydney Writers’ Festival podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms. 

After more? Follow Sydney Writers’ Festival on social media:

Instagram: @sydwritersfest
Facebook: @SydWritersFest
TikTok: @sydwritersfest

&lsquo;Cancel culture&rsquo; may seem like a 21st century invention sparked by contemporary politics and stoked by social media, sometimes with deadly consequences. However, as philosopher A.C. Grayling illustrates in Discriminations: Making Peace in the Culture Wars, disagreement and public shaming are ancient traditions. Learn how &lsquo;cancel culture&rsquo; evolved and what effect it&rsquo;s having on intellectual discourse. Festival favourite A.C. Grayling searches for a middle ground in an environment where everything is up for debate.
This episode was recorded live in May at the 2025 Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival.&nbsp;If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and follow our channel.
Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms.&nbsp;
After more? Follow Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival on social media: Instagram: @sydwritersfest Facebook: @SydWritersFest TikTok: @sydwritersfest

A.C. Grayling on Cancel Culture

Detective Inspector John Rebus first hit bookshelves in 1987 as a witty Scottish crime fighter but now the legendary detective is behind bars himself, living a literal locked-room mystery. 

Midnight and Blue is Ian Rankin at his tense and thrilling best, mixing the police procedural genre with a literary character study of his best-known detective and his home city of Edinburgh. 

Explore the latest instalment of the Inspector Rebus series and reflect on Ian’s bestselling career in crime writing, with television adaptations and translation into more than 20 languages. In conversation with Michael Williams.

This episode was recorded live in May at the 2025 Sydney Writers’ Festival.

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and follow our channel. Sydney Writers’ Festival podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms. 

After more? Follow Sydney Writers’ Festival on social media:

Instagram: @sydwritersfest
Facebook: @SydWritersFest
TikTok: @sydwritersfest

Detective Inspector John Rebus first hit bookshelves in 1987 as a witty Scottish crime fighter but now the legendary detective is behind bars himself, living a literal locked-room mystery. Midnight and Blue is Ian Rankin at his tense and thrilling best, mixing the police procedural genre with a literary character study of his best-known detective and his home city of Edinburgh. Explore the latest instalment of the Inspector Rebus series and reflect on Ian&rsquo;s bestselling career in crime writing, with television adaptations and translation into more than 20 languages. In conversation with Michael Williams.
This episode was recorded live in May at the 2025 Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival.
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and follow our channel.&nbsp;Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms.&nbsp;
After more? Follow Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival on social media: Instagram: @sydwritersfest Facebook: @SydWritersFest TikTok: @sydwritersfest

Ian Rankin: Master of Crime

In Your Favourites’ Favourites, our most loved writers introduce one of their favourite authors. 

Bestselling Australian crime writer Michael Robotham speaks with British crime novelist Chris Whitaker about his sensational new thriller, All the Colours of the Dark, described as a “must-read” by favourite thriller writer Gillian Flynn. 

Over decades, Saint Brown has been hunting the man who kidnapped her best friend, Joseph ‘Patch’ Macauley, when they were teens. Meanwhile, Patch is on his own hunt for a girl named Grace, who saved him in a dark room years ago. But his search turns to obsession with little evidence that Grace ever existed. 

Hear Michael and Chris discuss his unforgettable story, already in development for the screen.

This episode was recorded live in May at the 2025 Sydney Writers’ Festival.

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and follow our channel. Sydney Writers’ Festival podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms. 

After more? Follow Sydney Writers’ Festival on social media:

Instagram: @sydwritersfest
Facebook: @SydWritersFest
TikTok: @sydwritersfest

In Your Favourites&rsquo; Favourites, our most loved writers introduce one of their favourite authors. Bestselling Australian crime writer Michael Robotham speaks with British crime novelist Chris Whitaker about his sensational new thriller, All the Colours of the Dark, described as a &ldquo;must-read&rdquo; by favourite thriller writer Gillian Flynn. Over decades, Saint Brown has been hunting the man who kidnapped her best friend, Joseph &lsquo;Patch&rsquo; Macauley, when they were teens. Meanwhile, Patch is on his own hunt for a girl named Grace, who saved him in a dark room years ago. But his search turns to obsession with little evidence that Grace ever existed. Hear Michael and Chris discuss his unforgettable story, already in development for the screen.
This episode was recorded live in May at the 2025 Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival.
If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and follow our channel.&nbsp;Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms.&nbsp;
After more? Follow Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival on social media: Instagram: @sydwritersfest Facebook: @SydWritersFest TikTok: @sydwritersfest

Anna Funder: The Cost of Lying and Truth-telling

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