The program, which was revealed this week, features more than 230 writers in more than 150 sessions, including 11 ticketed events at Adelaide Town Hall and the Drill Hall at the Torrens Parade Ground.
“It’s an incredible privilege to curate what is widely regarded as Australia’s best literary festival,” says Louise Adler AM, Adelaide Writers’ Week Director.
“This year, writers from across the globe will join us for six days of engaging conversations on topics that matter, from the state of the world to personal reflections. We’ll hear from novelists, poets, scriptwriters, journalists, and more as they share their latest books and the ideas that keep them up at night.”
Confirmed authors include Sir Simon Schama, Waleed Aly, Susan Carland, Dava Sobel, Howard Jacobson, Tim Winton, Anita Heiss, Kara Swisher, Rachel Kushner, and many more.
The Book of Nerd’s Quiz of Quizzes, hosted by Julia Zemiro, is already sold out, but there are plenty of other ticketed events to look forward to, including Podfest. This new initiative offers live recordings of popular Australian podcasts such as True Crime, Book Cheat, and Ladies, We Need to Talk.
Highlights include Marcus Zusak celebrating 20 years of The Book Thief, Tim Winton discussing climate change and the fate of the planet, and Anthony Horowitz and Andrew Knight talking about the art of writing mysteries.
One of the major events, The AWW Great Debate, will feature captains Annabel Crabb and David Marr debating whether “true friends stab you in the front,” inspired by Oscar Wilde. The debate will include political figures and journalists such as Christopher Pyne, Nick Ryan, Louise Milligan, and John Crace.
David Remnick, Editor of The New Yorker, will join ABC’s Sarah Ferguson to discuss Trump and the U.S.’s place in the world.
Two keynote events at the Town Hall will focus on the importance of words: Islamophobia: What’s the Problem? with Waleed Aly and Susan Carland, and an oration on antisemitism by Sir Simon Schama.
Other sessions include discussions about history, race, and racism, with experts like Tobias Buck, Geoffrey Robertson, and Wesley Lowery, as well as sessions on global topics such as the Middle East, the challenges of Russia, and the impact of corporations on free speech.
For those who prefer to watch from home, the Director’s Choice series offers live or on-demand access to a wide range of topics for just $15 per session.
Local favourites like Breakfast with Papers, hosted by Tory Shepherd and Jonathan Green, return to the Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden each morning to discuss the latest news.
Thanks to the support of the Office for Ageing Well and Seniors Card, select sessions will also be live-streamed to libraries, community centres, and retirement villages across the state from 3 to 6 March.
In an exciting first, Adelaide Writers’ Week will host Schools Day on Friday 28 February, offering special sessions for primary and secondary students, followed by Young Readers’ Day on Sunday 2 March, where kids can enjoy interactive storytelling and meet authors like Amie Kaufman and Peter Carnavas.
Here’s a quick look at Adelaide Writers’ Week by the numbers:
- 6 days
- 231 writers, 37 of them international, both live and livestreamed
- 140 free sessions and 11 ticketed events
- 8 Podfest sessions
- Schools Day on 28 February
Adelaide Writers’ Week runs from Saturday 1 March to Thursday 6 March at the Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden.