Israeli novelist Hila Blum will speak to Tali Lavi about love and literature. Delving into How to Love Your Daughter, a masterful story of intense psychological suspense which dissects a fractured relationship between a mother and daughter, they will further explore the profound relationship between readers and literature and the ways upon which stories might work upon us.
Event Topic: Family & Relationships
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Modern Family: The ties that bind
Three authors, three very different books. But one common thread: families in the 21st century. From parenting together and apart, to how the concept of “family” has changed, to what happens when pregnancy doesn’t end with a baby, this session -featuring Katia Ariel, Isabelle Oderberg, Marina Kamenev, and Roz Bellamy as moderator – delves into familial themes, some comforting, some confronting and some unspoken.
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For the Love of Bubba
Oma, bubba, nanna, gran – whatever we know them by, our grand and great grandmothers leave an indelible mark. Yet their matriarchal reach and rich histories are often untold or defined by stereotype, undermining the complexity and vibrancy of their lives. In this panel, three writers re-imagine their grandmothers’ lives across genre, from poetry to prose vignette and theatre performance.
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Book Chat: Dennis Altman on ‘Unrequited Love’
Professor Dennis Altman AM is the son of Jewish refugees and a writer and academic who first came to attention with the publication of his book Homosexual: Oppression & Liberation (1971).
In Dennis’s book chat, the author discusses his memoir, Unrequited Love — exploring the American and Australian influences on his life and writing, and the cultural gap between generations in terms of gay social politics.
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Book Chat: Andy Mia Kranz on ‘The Secret Home’
The seed for Andy Mia Kranz’s first book, The Secret Home, was formed through a vivid story told to her many times by her grandfather when she was a child. Andy wrote, illustrated and self-published this book. She has also worked as a medical practitioner and maker of fine timber furniture, and currently works as a lecturer in health science.
In her book chat, Andy discusses the development of her unique visual style, and balancing tale, allegory and fable against the stark background of war and the Holocaust.
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Book Chat: Yaniv Iczkovits on ‘The Slaughterman’s Daughter’
Yaniv Iczkovits was a former lecturer in philosophy at the University of Tel Aviv. The Slaughterman’s Daughter, his third novel in Hebrew garnered top awards in Israel. Described by critics as ‘highly relevant and resonant today’ despite its 19th Century setting, Iczkovits was awarded the Wingate Literary Prize for The Slaughterman’s Daughter (translated into English by Orr Scharf) in 2021.
In his book chat, Yaniv explores what he was able to achieve by setting a narrative in late 19th Century Russia, and discusses the concept of ‘tikkun olam’ — ‘repairing the world’.
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Love, regardless
Love, regardless is a collection of poetic narratives that celebrate love that endures. As a culture we are inundated by romantic narratives which dramatise the passionate beginnings of young love and/or detail its devastating, torturous endings. But what about couples who survive the years together and remain committed, devoted? What do we know about their stories outside stereotypes of the stale, faithful or boring? Written by Barbara Kamler and directed by Romi Kupfer, Love, regardless presents a theatrical reading of three narratives taken from Barbara’s collection, exploring these intimate stories of passion and pathos in live performance. Following the readings, there will be a Q and A with Tali Lavi and Barbara Kamler.
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Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch: A Conversation With Novelist Rivka Galchen
Join Elissa Goldstein as she chats with Canadian-American novelist, essayist and New Yorker contributor Rivka Galchen. Her range as a writer is vast and brilliant, encompassing everything from wry, psychological literary fiction to ruminations on motherhood, to reporting from the COVID frontlines in a New York City hospital. Galchen’s most recent novel, Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch, explores the life of Katharina Kepler (mother of the astronomer Johannes Kepler), who was accused of witchcraft in the early 17th century. Set during a time of turmoil — as a plague is spreading and the Thirty Years’ War is about to begin — the story is replete with meaning for this moment in the 21st century.
Rivka Galchen is an international guest and will be appearing via live video-link.
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Colum McCann in conversation with Mark Raphael Baker
Broadcast live from New York to Melbourne, Melbourne Jewish Book Week — in partnership with Plus61J — is thrilled to bring you Colum McCann, the international award-winning author of Let the Great World Spin, discussing his new book Apeirogon with Mark Raphael Baker.