Chris Gordon shares her top picks for MWF Digital: Week 2

Our head of events and programming, Chris Gordon, shares her top picks for the second weekend of this year’s Melbourne Writers Festival. The 2020 festival runs from 7-16 August, and will be entirely online.


As we all settle into our ‘country retreats’ – albeit our homes – I have decided that the way forward through this global pandemic is to first, wrap myself in other people’s stories and, next, wear fluffy socks the entire time. This coming weekend I plan to cosy up with writers from across the seas and replace the dread in my heart with tales of how other people live, read and write.

On Saturday, I just know Mikki Kendall will light a fire in me as she discusses feminism with Santilla Chingaipe. This lunchtime session promises to provide attendees with practical guidance on how to be more considered feminists. I’ll be listening with my daughter and my hope is that we broaden our knowledge and perspective. The fight is not over for women and we need to gather more experiences to ensure continual and progressive change.

Later on, I will snuggle up on my couch (and I understand that this is the only time I will write these words…) to spend my Saturday evening with Elizabeth Strout. I have read and loved every novel that Strout has written. She will be in conversation with the State Library Victoria’s Kate Torney -– a perfect match for a discussion that will span writing technique and my dear companion, Olive Kitteridge.

My Sunday afternoon will be spent eavesdropping on friends and writers Charlotte Wood and Tegan Bennett Daylight as they chat about the refuge found in novels. Hopefully host Nicole Abadee will ensure we find out what they have been reading so that I can add to my TBR pile. I can’t think of two people more qualified to give reading advice and will have my paper and pen ready to jot down ideas.

To end my day, I’m looking forward to hearing journalist Patrick Radden Keefe chat with Raf Epstein about how he transforms complicated, outlandish stories into gripping narrative journalist.

So, as another Melbourne weekend slides into another week of staying home and doing the best we can, I am grateful to the Melbourne Writers Festival for lessenin feelings of isolation and fear. And for giving me new fodder for conversations with friends.


This is just a small sampler of what’s on offer this weekend at MWF Digital. You can browse the full program and book tickets here.