Louisa goes for a walk along the beach with her father, but only she returns.

The new novel from Susan Choi, multi-award-winning writer including the National Book Award and a Lambda Literary Award, is a sweeping, international family drama that was shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize. Flashlight, described by The Guardian as a return to the great American novel of the 20th century, beguiled readers for its examination of absence and silence in a small family rocked by the assumed death of Louisa’s father.

Listen to Susan as discuss relationships and alienation in her new novel, in conversation with Beejay Silcox.

This episode was recorded live in May at the 2026 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

Louisa goes for a walk along the beach with her father, but only she returns.
The new novel from Susan Choi, multi-award-winning writer including the National Book Award and a Lambda Literary Award, is a sweeping, international family drama that was shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize. Flashlight, described by&nbsp;The Guardian as a return to the great American novel of the 20th century, beguiled readers for its examination of absence and silence in a small family rocked by the assumed death of Louisa&rsquo;s father.
Listen to Susan as discuss relationships and alienation in her new novel, in conversation with Beejay Silcox.
This episode was recorded live in May at the 2026 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.
After more? Follow Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival on social media:
Instagram: @sydwritersfest Facebook: @SydWritersFest TikTok: @sydwritersfest

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.

Susan Choi: Flashlight

Longlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize, Endling is an inventive, bold and original debut which follows three angry women and one endangered snail on a road trip across contemporary Ukraine.

Named a Best Book of 2025 by The Guardian, The Observer, The Washington Post, The New Yorker and NPR, Maria Reva’s debut novel Endling took the world by storm, delighting readers with its playfulness, dark humour, gripping plot and heartfelt message.

Hear Maria discuss her wildly successful debut in conversation with Beejay Silcox.

This episode was recorded live in May at the 2026 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

Longlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize,&nbsp;Endling&nbsp;is an inventive, bold and original debut which follows three angry women and one endangered snail on a road trip across contemporary Ukraine.
Named a Best Book of 2025 by The&nbsp;Guardian, The&nbsp;Observer, The Washington Post,&nbsp;The New Yorker and&nbsp;NPR, Maria Reva&rsquo;s debut novel&nbsp;Endling took the world by storm, delighting readers with its playfulness, dark humour, gripping plot and heartfelt message.
Hear Maria discuss her wildly successful debut in conversation with Beejay Silcox.
This episode was recorded live in May at the 2026 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.
After more? Follow Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival on social media:
Instagram: @sydwritersfest Facebook: @SydWritersFest TikTok: @sydwritersfest

Maria Reva: Endling

His deeply researched and intricately crafted non-fiction has captivated the world.

Award-winning staff writer at The New Yorker and bestselling author Patrick Radden Keefe is known for his international bestsellers, including the Baillie Gifford Prize–winning Empire of Pain and National Book Critics Circle Award–winning Say Nothing. His newest work, London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth, starts with the tragic death of a teenager, swiftly revealing modern London’s terrifying underworld.

Listen to Patrick unpack his riveting catalogue of true stories of greed, power and violence, in conversation with Walkley Award-winning writer Sarah Krasnostein.

This episode was recorded live in May at the 2026 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

His deeply researched and intricately crafted non-fiction has captivated the world.
Award-winning staff writer at The New Yorker and bestselling author Patrick Radden Keefe is known for his international bestsellers, including the Baillie Gifford Prize&ndash;winning&nbsp;Empire of Pain&nbsp;and National Book Critics Circle Award&ndash;winning&nbsp;Say Nothing. His newest work, London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family&rsquo;s Search for Truth, starts with the tragic death of a teenager, swiftly revealing modern London&rsquo;s terrifying underworld.
Listen to Patrick unpack his riveting catalogue of true stories of greed, power and violence, in conversation with Walkley Award-winning writer Sarah Krasnostein.
This episode was recorded live in May at the 2026 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.
After more? Follow Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival on social media:
Instagram: @sydwritersfest Facebook: @SydWritersFest TikTok: @sydwritersfest

An Evening with Patrick Radden Keefe

The story of the Trojan War, like so many wars real and imagined, is a story most often told by the victors, the princes and the powerful.

In this new imagining of the ancient legend, Son of Nobody, Yann Martel tells the familiar tale from an unheard perspective: that of a commoner and goatherd who becomes a soldier, Psoas, the son of nobody. Acclaimed for his Booker Prize–winning Life of Pi, adapted into an Oscar-winning film, Yann’s first novel in a decade sings a universal song about the power of story.

Unravel ancient traditions with Yann, in conversation with ABC Radio National’s Claire Nichols (The Book Show).

This episode was recorded live in May at the 2026 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

The story of the Trojan War, like so many wars real and imagined, is a story most often told by the victors, the princes and the powerful.
In this new imagining of the ancient legend,&nbsp;Son of Nobody, Yann Martel tells the familiar tale from an unheard perspective: that of a commoner and goatherd who becomes a soldier, Psoas, the son of nobody. Acclaimed for his Booker Prize&ndash;winning&nbsp;Life of Pi, adapted into an Oscar-winning film, Yann&rsquo;s first novel in a decade sings a universal song about the power of story.
Unravel ancient traditions with Yann, in conversation with ABC Radio National&rsquo;s Claire Nichols (The Book Show).
This episode was recorded live in May at the 2026 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.
After more? Follow Sydney Writers&rsquo; Festival on social media:
Instagram: @sydwritersfest Facebook: @SydWritersFest TikTok: @sydwritersfest

Susan Choi: Flashlight

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