Sydney Writers Festival: Lauren Groff and The Vaster Wilds

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Time & date

12:30pm - 1:30pm, 22nd May 2024

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Location

State Library of NSW View map

State Library of NSW, Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW 2000

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Tickets

Bookings Essential

Wednesday 22 May 12.30-1.30pm State Library of NSW, Library Auditorium All tickets $20 Hear from Fates and Furies author Lauren Groff on her latest New York Times–bestselling historical novel, The Vaster Wilds, which follows a spirited girl alone in the wilderness. In conversation with Melanie Kembrey. Unearthing the lives and writing of Clift, Hazzard and Harrower Wednesday 22 May 2-3pm State Library of NSW, Library Auditorium All tickets $20 Explore the literary histories of Charmian Clift, Shirley Hazzard and Elizabeth Harrower with the writers who are salvaging their stories from the archives. Featuring Brigitta Olubas, Nadia Wheatley and Susan Wyndham, with host Caroline Baum. Examine the power, influence and complexity of friendship Wednesday 22 May 3.30-4.30pm State Library of NSW, Library Auditorium All tickets $20 Interrogate and celebrate friendship with Susan Wyndham (Hazzard and Harrower: The letters) and Gyan Yankovich (Just Friends). Susan delves into the intimate correspondence between two literary luminaries over a lifetime, while Gyan explores the joy, power and influence of friendship today. In conversation with Spectrum’s Melanie Kembrey. Snaps and stories capturing our city’s changing face Wednesday 22 May 5.30-6.30pm State Library of NSW, Library Auditorium All tickets $20 Celebrate Sydney through the decades at this slide night and talk by Nathan Mete, whose popular Instagram account @retrosydney_ has become a book detailing the city’s Golden Age. Discuss the hotly anticipated follow-up from bestselling crime writing comedian Wednesday 22 May 6-7pm Epping Library Australia’s answer to Richard Osman. Jane Harper’s favourite outback noir talent. Benjamin Stevenson (Everybody in My Family Has Killed Someone) is back with another hilarious romp of a murder mystery. Creator of The Great Women Artists podcast interviews an Australian icon Wednesday 22 May 6-7pm Art Gallery of New South Wales, Meers Hall Tickets from $20 Legendary Australian contemporary artist, photographer and filmmaker Tracey Moffatt chats with art historian Katy Hessel, whose brilliant podcast won British Vogue’s seal of approval. Pack your bags for literary adventure Wednesday 22 May 6-7.30pm Carriageworks, Bay 17 Tickets from $45 Open the Festival with a special performance by poet and artist Jazz Money, before literary luminary Ann Patchett talks to Annabel Crabb about this year’s Festival theme, Take Me Away, and the essentials for any writer and reader: curiosity, courage and an open mind. Sit down with the City of Parramatta’s inaugural Laureate in Literature Wednesday 22 May 6-7pm PHIVE All tickets $10 The Parra local and laureate discusses Politica, her latest novel traversing a region shaped by war. Explore how Parramatta has shaped Yumna’s body of work, which Western Sydney writers to watch and, naturally, the Wanderers. With host Sarah Malik. A wonderfully wild collection of stories to spark your imagination Wednesday 22 May 6.30-7.30pm Woollahra Library at Double Bay All tickets $10 Suspend disbelief with Russell Prize for Humour nominee, Chris Flynn (Mammoth). Imagination is boundless in his latest world where grizzly bears run from the law and airline seats contemplate mortality. Tracks author journeys into uncharted terrain: her past Wednesday 22 May 6.30-7.30pm Gordon Library In 1977, Robyn Davidson walked 1700 miles across the Australian desert. Now, nearly 50 years later, she reflects on why. Robyn sits down to discuss her memoir a decade in the making, Unfinished Woman. Award-winning crime aficionado on making murder mysteries Wednesday 22 May 6.30-7.30pm Concord Library Her two most recent novels place the most unlikely protagonists at the heart of the murder mystery: the crime writers themselves. Join Sulari as she discusses subverting the genre she’s mastered. Test your bookish smarts at the State Library of NSW’s rooftop Library Bar Wednesday 22 May 6.30-8.30pm The Library Bar Test your bookish smarts and join us on for a special Sydney Writers’ Festival Trivia night at the State Library of NSW’s rooftop Library Bar. Chat about the Festival book of the month among (new) friends Wednesday 22 May 7-9pm Chaotic Social All tickets $35 Hosted by Heather McNab, join fellow book lovers to discuss the May book, Something Bad is Going to Happen, and hear from author Jessie Stephens in this exclusive in-conversation. Thursday 23 May Friday 24 May Saturday 25 May Sunday 26 May Sydney Writers' Festival Contact Us About Staff Board Media Internship Work with us Ambassadors Frequently asked questions Sign up to the Sydney Writer's Festival eNews #sydneywritersfestival GOVERNMENT PARTNERS NSW Government City of Sydney PRINCIPAL PARTNER ARA Group PREMIER PARTNER University Of New South Wales © Sydney Writers' Festival 2024 Copyright Privacy Terms & Conditions Refund Policy Made by Bravo! Lauren Groff (photo credit Eli Sinkus) Previous Next Lauren Groff: The Vaster Wilds Can we adapt to save ourselves? Wednesday 22 May 2024 12.30-1.30pm Event Code: 12 State Library of NSW, Library Auditorium Tickets Terms & Conditions After smash-hit Fates and Furies, the modern-day marriage story that was Barack Obama’s book of the year in 2015, Lauren Groff’s novels have looked to the past to understand the present. Her latest historical novel, The Vaster Wilds, is set on the edge of the New World at an unnamed British settlement in the Americas. Fleeing violence, disease and starvation, a servant girl enters the wilderness alone. This spirited survivalist story has been critically acclaimed as “exhilarating” (The Guardian), “visionary” (The Observer) and “timeless” (The Times). Join Lauren and host Melanie Kembrey as they explore this prophetic novel, which encapsulates the story of America in miniature.