It’s no coincidence that the final day of Melbourne Writers Festival lands on Mother’s Day – it’s a recipe for a memorable day of literary events, thoughtful conversation and, of course, quality time for you and mum to share.
You can explore the full program here, or if you want a cheat-sheet for the ultimate literary outing, check out our recommendations!
Stephanie Alexander: 30 Years of The Cook's Companion
Hear first-hand from culinary pioneer Stephanie Alexander as she celebrates the 30th-anniversary reissue of her iconic kitchen bible, The Cook’s Companion.
Spend a joyful Mother’s Day morning with Alexander as she reflects on what’s she’s learned as an author, a cook, philanthropist and educator, shares her thoughts on the evolution of home cooking over the past three decades, and discusses what truly makes a good meal and a good life.
Sunday 10 May, 10.30am | Find out more and book tickets
Sunday Afternoon Book Club
Join beloved local literary taste-makers Marieke Hardy, Jason Steger and host Michael Williams, along with Booker Prize-winner Yann Martel, for a very special book club event.
Our panel of passionate readers have each selected a book for discussion – be it a surprise bestseller, literary prize magnet, overlooked recent release, or favourite underappreciated classic. Together, they’ll dive in for an afternoon of no-holds-barred book chat as they dissect each other's choices.
Sunday 10 May, 12.00pm | Find out more and book tickets
Susan Choi: Flashlight
Discover a sweeping generational saga about ordinary people facing extraordinary, often malevolent forces with literary luminary Susan Choi.
In this unmissable session, Choi sits down to discuss her 2025 Booker Prize–shortlisted novel and the themes that animate it – from the immigrant experience, to the complicated bonds between parents and children, to questions of memory, language and identity.
Sunday 10 May, 2.30pm | Find out more and book tickets
Closing Night Address: Tony Birch on The Ethical Imagination
In the 2026 MWF Closing Night Address, activist, historian and author Tony Birch considers the ethics of being a reader, and of being a writer.
How can we read and write with courage? How do writers and poets whose experiences and perspectives differ from those of their readers foster empathy, and embrace specific and universal differences? How can we all develop an ethical imagination?
Birch will consider these questions through the lens of stories and poetry by First Nations and other writers whose creative work enlarges our collective and individual imaginations.
Sunday 10 May, 6.30pm | Find out more and book tickets
