Sydney Writers' Festival: Dark Materials

Writing realism from the light and dark sides of life

The old adage – it’s not what happens but how you handle it – doesn’t hold when the damage goes deep.

In this panel discussion, writers Michael Mohammed Ahmad (Bugger), Florence Knapp (The Names) and David Szalay (Flesh) discuss the dark themes that were the impetus for their new novels. How do they thoughtfully represent abuse on the page and how do their protagonists navigate great trauma that will forever impact them?

Hear Mohammed, Florence and David as they discuss the darker side of life, with host Jacqueline Maley.