Perth Writers Festival - the story so far...

Last night Perth Writers Festival kicked off with a great talk by Lionel Shriver: on Literature and Religion, in which she commented on the dearth of serious (or reliable) religious figures in her own fiction. Seems she tends to kill them off but has them lose their faith first. Lionel Shriver is an accomplished speaker, witty, mind like a steel trap, and a great performer. She treated the audience to excerpts of her novels - some of the sections that related to religion - read expertly, and causing at least this audience member to suspect that more of her preacher father has rubbed off on her than she might acknowledge. Her father is, by the author's own account, a very good orator.  Wouldn't it be great to see Lionel Shriver in conversation with Martin Amis, who is another star of the Festival this year?

And the impressive names don't stop there. Today the highlights for me were and interview with Dame Margaret Drabble, the wonderful Liz Byrski in role of interviewer this time round, and another where Hannah Kent (the amazing young author of Burial Rites) was interviewed by Julia Lawrinson.  Great for gaining a perspective regarding the beginning of the writer's Journey in Hannah Kent's case, and not at the end (thankfully) but well along the way for the erudite Margaret Drabble. How generous these gifted and hard-working writers were with sharing their writing process, absolute (pure) gold for writers and readers alike.

All I can say is that we are very, very lucky to be able to listen to all of these generous writers, some of the best in the world, and to have them come to us.