Join Richard Flanagan as he discusses this hypnotic, genre-defying new book which entwines memoir, biography, autofiction and history through a daisy chain of stories both intimate and collective.

Opening with his father as a prisoner of war, the book leads readers through a literary love affair into nuclear physics of the 1930s and 40s and finally towards a young Richard fighting for his life in Tasmanian river rapids in a rumination on life’s choices and their intergenerational chain reactions. Richard speaks with Kerry O’Brien.

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

Join Richard Flanagan as he discusses this hypnotic, genre-defying new book which entwines memoir, biography, autofiction and history through a daisy chain of stories both intimate and collective.
Opening with his father as a prisoner of war, the book leads readers through a literary love affair into nuclear physics of the 1930s and 40s and finally towards a young Richard fighting for his life in Tasmanian river rapids in a rumination on life’s choices and their intergenerational chain reactions. Richard speaks with Kerry O’Brien.
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>

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.

Richard Flanagan: Question 7

Melissa Lucashenko describes her latest novel, Edenglassie, as her “big book” – a multigenerational epic that torches Queensland’s colonial myths and reimagines Australia’s future.

Set in Brisbane and rivalling the romances of Too Much Lip and Mullumbimby, two parallel love stories play out two centuries apart. In both the colonial era and the present day, no one knows how far legacies will reach into modern lives. 

Sit down with this celebrated author as she is joined on stage by ABC RN’s Kate Evans to discuss her critically acclaimed novel, described by The Weekend Australian as being “as heart-warming as it is heart-breaking”.

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

Melissa Lucashenko describes her latest novel, Edenglassie, as her “big book” – a multigenerational epic that torches Queensland’s colonial myths and reimagines Australia’s future. Set in Brisbane and rivalling the romances of Too Much Lip and Mullumbimby, two parallel love stories play out two centuries apart. In both the colonial era and the present day, no one knows how far legacies will reach into modern lives. Sit down with this celebrated author as she is joined on stage by ABC RN’s Kate Evans to discuss her critically acclaimed novel, described by The Weekend Australian as being “as heart-warming as it is heart-breaking”.
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>

Melissa Lucashenko: Edenglassie

Following broadcaster and author Julia Baird’s multi-award-winning international bestseller, Phosphorescence, comes a beautiful and timely exploration of that most mysterious but necessary human quality: grace. 

Bright Shining: How grace changes everything asks what grace looks like today, how we recognise it, nurture it within ourselves and express it. For Julia, grace can be found by being kinder, bigger and better with each other. 

Sit down with Julia to discuss this luminous work, which The Guardian described as “a book the world needs now”. In conversation with journalist Jacqueline Maley.

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

Following broadcaster and author Julia Baird’s multi-award-winning international bestseller, Phosphorescence, comes a beautiful and timely exploration of that most mysterious but necessary human quality: grace. Bright Shining: How grace changes everything asks what grace looks like today, how we recognise it, nurture it within ourselves and express it. For Julia, grace can be found by being kinder, bigger and better with each other. Sit down with Julia to discuss this luminous work, which The Guardian described as “a book the world needs now”. In conversation with journalist Jacqueline Maley.
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>

Julia Baird: Bright Shining

As conflict plays out across an unnamed region, the protagonist in Parramatta Laureate of Literature Yumna Kassab’s Politica imagines how she will later narrate her experiences: “We hadn’t spoken for years but then the war broke out...” 

Sharing difficult stories is also at the heart of Miles Franklin Award winner Shankari Chandran’s Safe Haven, which follows a refugee threatened with deportation when she speaks out for other detainees. Sit down with Yumna and Shankari as they discuss their poignant and timely novels, which ask how, if possible, we can measure the cost of war and what lengths we will go to in the search for safety. With host Ashley Hay.

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

As conflict plays out across an unnamed region, the protagonist in Parramatta Laureate of Literature Yumna Kassab’s Politica imagines how she will later narrate her experiences: “We hadn’t spoken for years but then the war broke out...” 
Sharing difficult stories is also at the heart of Miles Franklin Award winner Shankari Chandran’s Safe Haven, which follows a refugee threatened with deportation when she speaks out for other detainees. Sit down with Yumna and Shankari as they discuss their poignant and timely novels, which ask how, if possible, we can measure the cost of war and what lengths we will go to in the search for safety. With host Ashley Hay.
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>

Richard Flanagan: Question 7

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