Can a person truly be good? What is forgiveness? Is losing hope a moral failure? And is the business of grief ever really finished?

These questions pervade Charlotte Wood’s latest novel, Stone Yard Devotional, which is set on the Monaro plains where the much-loved author of The Natural Way of Things and The Weekend grew up.

It follows a woman who abandons city life to return to the place of her childhood, holing up in a cloistered religious community where she confronts her past.

Hear Charlotte and host Beejay Silcox discuss her most personal novel to date.

This episode was recorded live in May at the 2024 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
X (Twitter): @SydWritersFest
TikTok: @sydwritersfest

Can a person truly be good? What is forgiveness? Is losing hope a moral failure? And is the business of grief ever really finished?
These questions pervade Charlotte Wood’s latest novel, Stone Yard Devotional, which is set on the Monaro plains where the much-loved author of The Natural Way of Things and The Weekend grew up.
It follows a woman who abandons city life to return to the place of her childhood, holing up in a cloistered religious community where she confronts her past.
Hear Charlotte and host Beejay Silcox discuss her most personal novel to date.
This episode was recorded live in May at the 2024 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: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sydwritersfest/">@sydwritersfest</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SydWritersFest">@SydWritersFest</a> X (Twitter): <a href="https://twitter.com/SydWritersFest">@SydWritersFest</a> TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@sydwritersfest">@sydwritersfest</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.

Charlotte Wood: Stone Yard Devotional

Love is indeed a many splendoured thing in the work of K Patrick and Christos Tsiolkas, who know firsthand the pleasures of writing queer love stories.

Hosted by Madeleine Gray, this beautiful conversation brings together two authors to discuss their sensual new novels. K’s Mrs S pulses with lust and longing at an elite boarding school, while Christos’ critically acclaimed The In-Between follows a fledgling relationship between two middle-aged men.

Swoon with K and Christos in this heartfelt discussion of romance, regret, desire and hope.

This episode was recorded live at the 2024 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
X (Twitter): @SydWritersFest
TikTok: @sydwritersfest

Love is indeed a many splendoured thing in the work of K Patrick and Christos Tsiolkas, who know firsthand the pleasures of writing queer love stories.
Hosted by Madeleine Gray, this beautiful conversation brings together two authors to discuss their sensual new novels. K’s Mrs S pulses with lust and longing at an elite boarding school, while Christos’ critically acclaimed The In-Between follows a fledgling relationship between two middle-aged men.
Swoon with K and Christos in this heartfelt discussion of romance, regret, desire and hope.
This episode was recorded live at the 2024 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: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sydwritersfest/">@sydwritersfest</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SydWritersFest">@SydWritersFest</a> X (Twitter): <a href="https://twitter.com/SydWritersFest">@SydWritersFest</a> TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@sydwritersfest">@sydwritersfest</a>

Queer Love and Longing

“We are invisible”, writes Balli Kaur Jaswal in Now You See Us. “We clean your houses, we look after your children, we know your secrets.”

The Singaporean-Australian writer is joined by Dominican-American novelist Elizabeth Acevedo (Family Lore) and Arab-Australian author Sara M Saleh (Songs for the Dead and the Living and The Flirtation of Girls) whose latest works portray the private lives and subterranean desires of women who are too often silenced.

In conversation with ABC RN’s Kate Evans, these cross-cultural novelists discuss the rich inner worlds of their characters, whose aspirations are often obscured by duty and expectation.

This episode was recorded live at the 2024 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
X (Twitter): @SydWritersFest
TikTok: @sydwritersfest

“We are invisible”, writes Balli Kaur Jaswal in Now You See Us. “We clean your houses, we look after your children, we know your secrets.”
The Singaporean-Australian writer is joined by Dominican-American novelist Elizabeth Acevedo (Family Lore) and Arab-Australian author Sara M Saleh (Songs for the Dead and the Living and The Flirtation of Girls) whose latest works portray the private lives and subterranean desires of women who are too often silenced.
In conversation with ABC RN’s Kate Evans, these cross-cultural novelists discuss the rich inner worlds of their characters, whose aspirations are often obscured by duty and expectation.
This episode was recorded live at the 2024 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: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sydwritersfest/">@sydwritersfest</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SydWritersFest">@SydWritersFest</a> X (Twitter): <a href="https://twitter.com/SydWritersFest">@SydWritersFest</a> TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@sydwritersfest">@sydwritersfest</a>

The Secret Lives of Women

In his Booker Prize acceptance speech, Paul Lynch admitted his fifth novel, Prophet Song, had been difficult to write.

“The rational part of me believed I was dooming my career,” he said, “though I had to write the book anyway. We do not have a choice in such matters”.

Set in Ireland’s near future, Prophet Song depicts a collapsing society in the grip of an increasingly tyrannical government. The Booker Prize judges described it as a novel “to remind us of all that is worth saving”.

Sit down with Paul and host Michael Williams to discuss this timely and terrifying parable.

This episode was recorded live at the 2024 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
X (Twitter): @SydWritersFest
TikTok: @sydwritersfest

In his Booker Prize acceptance speech, Paul Lynch admitted his fifth novel, Prophet Song, had been difficult to write.
“The rational part of me believed I was dooming my career,” he said, “though I had to write the book anyway. We do not have a choice in such matters”.
Set in Ireland’s near future, Prophet Song depicts a collapsing society in the grip of an increasingly tyrannical government. The Booker Prize judges described it as a novel “to remind us of all that is worth saving”.
Sit down with Paul and host Michael Williams to discuss this timely and terrifying parable.
This episode was recorded live at the 2024 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: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sydwritersfest/">@sydwritersfest</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SydWritersFest">@SydWritersFest</a> X (Twitter): <a href="https://twitter.com/SydWritersFest">@SydWritersFest</a> TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@sydwritersfest">@sydwritersfest</a>

Charlotte Wood: Stone Yard Devotional

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