Maria Tumarkin is one of Australia’s most inventive and important non-fiction voices. Her latest book, Axiomatic, is her most pioneering yet. Part reportage, part philosophical meditation and part storytelling, it interrogates conventional wisdom about the role of the past in shaping the present. Previously nominated for the New South Wales Premier’s Literary Award and The Age Book of the Year, Maria discusses her boundary-shifting new work with the ABC’s Richard Fidler.

SWF podcasts are also available on iTunes and Spotify.

Maria Tumarkin is one of Australia&rsquo;s most inventive and important non-fiction voices. Her latest book, Axiomatic, is her most pioneering yet. Part reportage, part philosophical meditation and part storytelling, it interrogates conventional wisdom about the role of the past in shaping the present. Previously nominated for the New South Wales Premier&rsquo;s Literary Award and The Age Book of the Year, Maria discusses her boundary-shifting new work with the ABC&rsquo;s Richard Fidler.
SWF podcasts are also available on <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/sydney-writers-festival/id985898011?mt=2">iTunes</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://spoti.fi/2Qys9Rc">Spotify</a>.

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.

Axiomatic: Maria Tumarkin

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

Your Favourites’ Favourites: Michael Robotham and Chris Whitaker

Over a masterful career spanning 10 novels, a memoir and various children’s books, Maggie O’Farrell has established herself as a modern literary monument. 

Her two latest novels, Hamnet, inspired by Shakespeare’s family, and The Marriage Portrait, set in 16th-century Italian court, represent a turn into historical fiction. The former won the UK’s Women’s Prize for Fiction, while the latter was shortlisted for it. 

In conversation with Kate Evans, Maggie teases out the details of her writing life, including her interest in the depth of women’s stories and the intricate intimacy of families, and the wild popularity of Hamnet.

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

Over a masterful career spanning 10 novels, a memoir and various children&rsquo;s books, Maggie O&rsquo;Farrell has established herself as a modern literary monument. Her two latest novels, Hamnet, inspired by Shakespeare&rsquo;s family, and The Marriage Portrait, set in 16th-century Italian court, represent a turn into historical fiction. The former won the UK&rsquo;s Women&rsquo;s Prize for Fiction, while the latter was shortlisted for it. In conversation with Kate Evans, Maggie teases out the details of her writing life, including her interest in the depth of women&rsquo;s stories and the intricate intimacy of families, and the wild popularity of Hamnet.
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

Axiomatic: Maria Tumarkin

In 1 playlist(s)

Sydney Writers' Festival

Social links

Recent clips