Page 15 - Auckland Writers Festival

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THE ROLE OF THE CRITIC
FRIDAY MAY 15 – 2.30-3.30pM LOWER nzI, AOTEA CEnTRE
Critics occupy an uncomfortable position, often finding themselves in the firing line from all sides: too harsh, too fawning, not constructive enough. But just what is the job of a critic? What value do they add? And what makes a good or a bad critic? International Shakespeare critic Peter Holland and New Zealand
art critic Wystan Curnow man-up for a discussion with Rosabel Tan, editor of the NZ online magazine The Pantograph Punch, about the place of the critic in the cultural conversation.
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FREE EVEnT
FOuR FOR FIFTY READInGS SESSIOn
RITES OF pASSAGE
FRIDAY MAY 15 – 2.30-3.20pM LIMELIGHT ROOM, AOTEA CEnTRE
Poet John Dennison (NZ), YA writer Whiti Hereaka (NZ), memoirist Helen Macdonald (UK) and novelist Catherine Robertson (NZ) read from work that explores rites of passage, introduced by Ian Wedde.
18 HACk ATTACk
FRIDAY MAY 15 – 4.00-5.00pM ASB THEATRE, AOTEA CEnTRE
One of the world’s leading investigative journalists, Nick Davies broke the phone hacking story in the UK, worked with Wikileaks’ Julian Assange to publish classified material in the Guardian and has recently authored the bestselling Hack Attack. He joins New Zealand Herald columnist Toby Manhire to discuss media ethics, journalistic malpractice and more besides. Supported by Platinum Patrons Rosie & Michael Horton.
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TRAnSLATIOn GYMnASTICS
FRIDAY MAY 15 – 4.00-5.00pM LOWER nzI, AOTEA CEnTRE
Daniel Mendelsohn and Anna Jackson share an enthusiam for the classics and for translation. He’s an acclaimed US memoirist, critic and translator of the Greek poet CP Cavafy; she’s a New Zealand poet whose latest collection
I Clodia and Other Portraits is indebted to the scandalous Roman aristocrat Clodia, the beautiful addressee of searing and racy poetry by the poet
Catullus. Join them in a conversation about old and not so old poets, and the challenges of translation, with Tom Bishop.
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FREE EVEnT
FOuR FOR FIFTY READInGS SESSIOn
HISTORY’S SHADOW
FRIDAY MAY 15 – 4.00-4.50pM LIMELIGHT ROOM, AOTEA CEnTRE
Recent histories provide the searing backdrop for the acclaimed work of Airini Beautrais (NZ), Laurie Halse Anderson (US), Zia Haider Rahman (Bangladesh/England) and Fiona Sussman (South Africa). Readings introduced by 2011 Michael King Fellow Peter Wells.
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THE WORLD MADE VISIBLE
FRIDAY MAY 15 – 5.30-6.45pM ASB THEATRE, AOTEA CEnTRE
Consummate science writer Philip Ball has an extensive beat – he’s written books on pattern formation in nature; how we hear music; invisibility; curiosity; colour in art;
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