Culture
Books
Arts
Literature
‘Censorship is never the answer’: Writers festival organisers call for braver spaces after Bendigo boycott
Festival organisers around the country have expressed dismay over the Bendigo Writers Festival code-of-conduct push, saying such codes stifle freedom of expression.
- by Kerrie O'Brien
Latest
The cult author who refuses to play by the book world’s rules
Yellowface author Rebecca F. Kuang won’t stick to anyone’s pigeonhole.
- by Melanie Kembrey
Arts
Literature
Letter to Bendigo Writers Festival flagged concern over Palestinian author
A note warning about the appearance of Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah was sent to event organisers by lobby group 5A in July.
- by Kerrie O'Brien
‘Inflammatory, divisive, disrespectful’: Bendigo Writers Festival founder speaks out
Rosemary Sorensen founded the event 13 years ago. What has happened in the past week has left her in despair.
- by Karl Quinn
Searching for something to read? Here are 10 new books
Our reviewers cast their eyes over new fiction and non-fiction releases
- by Cameron Woodhead and Steven Carroll
‘Heartbreaking’: Bendigo Writers Festival opens, barely, with dozens of events cancelled
The festival has gone ahead despite a growing cohort of authors withdrawing from scheduled events.
- by Hannah Hammoud
Opinion
WordPlay
Melbourne’s most famous coffee is magic. But who gets to claim it?
A Frankensteined flat white, a global hit, and a trademark tale to pour over.
- by David Astle
‘Not a time for silence’: More than 30 authors quit Bendigo Writers Festival
The festival started on Friday, but the opening night gala and the closing event have been cancelled along with a number of other sessions.
- by Kerrie O'Brien
Cat with a murky history takes author to prestigious children’s book prize
The winners of the much-loved Children’s Book Council of Australia awards have been revealed.
- by Kerrie O'Brien
Authors ditch Bendigo Writers Festival over freedom of speech concerns
The festival’s code of conduct says speakers must “avoid language or topics that could be considered inflammatory, divisive, or disrespectful”.
- by Kerrie O'Brien
This biography does fullest justice to the maddest stories imaginable
Frances Wilson explores of the early life and work of the late Scottish novelist and poet Muriel Spark.
- by Peter Craven