With America in the grips of an economic recession, Ernest Hemingway did what any artist might to revive oneself: invent the perfect cocktail. ‘Death in the Gulf Stream’, to be enjoyed anytime from 11am onward, was a “reviving and refreshing” concoction that “cools the blood and inspires renewed interest in food, companions and life” – the…
A tribute to the myriad ways that words move and inspire us, our music stream features live performances from some of Australia’s most powerful young singers and songwriters, followed by conversations with fellow musicians on their craft and creative practice. To get in a musical mood for MWF18, we’ve pulled together a playlist of our…
Ahead of our full program release on 17 July, we are elated to unveil some of the key international guests that will bring the City of Literature to life for ten days from 24 August to 2 September. In his only Australian speaking engagement, heavy metal musician and existentialist self-help guide Andrew W.K. will launch…
In Martini: A Memoir, Frank Moorhouse wrote, “Every time it is served, the martini represents a journey towards an unattainably ideal drink”. It’s a concept that writers are only too familiar with, but it’s also something Melbourne Gin Company holds close to their hearts. In the pursuit of the ‘unattainable ideal drink’, the folks over…
By Andreas Å Andersson I haven’t always seen myself as a reader and a writer, but I have – for a very long time – seen myself as a runner. That was until I in my early 20s realised I wasn’t running much anymore. In just a matter of months I had transitioned from a…
For MWF 2017, we’ve engaged six exciting voices to be our Digital Storytellers. Not only will they get to report on this year’s Festival in new and innovative ways, but welcome us into the digital spaces they inhabit so well. Here, Chami of ReadLikeWildFire tells all about her channels, and what she’s most excited to see at this…
The Festival is almost upon us – you can now count down on two hands. You’ve re-read all your favourite authors and dipped into some new works in preparation. You’ve got a well-thumbed copy of the program with red circles and stars all over it. You’ve booked your tickets… All that’s left is to go…
Grief, tigers and parkour – they may not seem like likely bedfellows, but they expertly weave their way through Myfanwy Jones’s dynamic novel, Leap. Joe, driven by the need to atone for his role in the accidental death of his first love, is unmotivated by almost everything except a desire to train his body and…
There’s a particular moment in Zadie Smith’s On Beauty that has remained with me for years. Zora Belsey, an intellectual, earnest and often conflicted young woman, is standing on a street partially flooded by a burst water main, waiting for her friends to arrive. She’s parked the car a few blocks away so it looks…
Melbourne Writers Festival has teamed up with Victoria University once again for the Reviewer for a Day program. Discover more MWF15 reviews on the VU Blog. This is Brian Howley’s review for Good Muslim Boy, Good Greek Girl, edited by April Newton. Howley is an educator working in secondary education. He has been writing poetry and short…
Melbourne Writers Festival has teamed up with Victoria University once again for the Reviewer for a Day program. Discover more MWF15 reviews on the VU Blog. This is Daniella Mattiuzzo’s review for Reader, I Married Him, edited by Rupa Ramanathan. Mattiuzzo is a Melbourne writer, reviewer, and radio doco enthusiast. She recently completed a Master of Journalism and has…
Melbourne Writers Festival has teamed up with Victoria University once again for the Reviewer for a Day program. Discover more MWF15 reviews on the VU Blog. This is Sarah Halfpenny’s review of Aussie Bestsellers, edited by Vanessa Wiltshire. Halfpenny has a name that sounds like it’s straight out of a Bond movie (but is really annoying to spell…