On Saturday, as rather a spontaneous decision unlike me, I decided to go to the Melbourne Writers Festival. So, I went to see Clive James and, in another session, Cory Doctorow speak on a panel.
I was quite excited, as the last time I went to the MWF was four years ago, when I was in the early stages of pregnancy with Keira, and it was all I could do to stop vomiting all over the floor in the middle of a Sophie Cunningham session. So, as you can understand, it wasn’t an entirely happy day for me.
Unlike yesterday. Clive James, as I expected, was urbane, fascinating, and charming. He covered a gamut of topics from his love of Albert Camus, to his disdain of JP Satre, to Nazi Germany, to his television shows, Katherine Hepburn and lots more. The session went over time, and I don’t think anyone wanted it to end!
Then I went to a session about Creative Commons and the state of copyright in this digital age. It was educational. I learned a lot I didn’t know before, and Cory Doctorow was a bit of a revelation. So intelligent. So well spoken. He owned that panel. People were nudging each other in the audience, impressed.
To top it off, it was a glorious day, and I fully enjoyed my walk back to the train station, in the middle of the city, watching the scullers row up the Yarra in their little toothpicks of privilege.
Marvellous.
Thanks to all you who commented yesterday. I will get around to responding to them later in the day when I have time.
10:19 pm
I’ve been spending a day or two at the Melbourne Writers Festival each year for the last ten years or so. I’d had to reject the opening day this year because of a family birthday party, thanks for filling me in on it and wetting my appetite for my Friday bookings later this week. It’s good that equine flu doesn’t affect humans, a cancellation would be tragic.
5:46 am
The horses the way they are, spring carnival may be postponed. God forbid!!!! (reeking of irony). Let me know if you get there and what you see!
10:54 am
I attended the Schools program today and it was a hoot. I would love to go to a grown up session one day. Just not this year, so keep writing all about it so I can enjoy it through your eyes.
5:54 pm
That sounds lovely. I don’t get to many writers’ festivals myself, as I tend to shy away from large gatherings. But the one time I did go to a large poetry festival, I had a bang-up time.
6:52 pm
Clive James used to do a lot of work in British tv. It seems he has gone back to Australia now.
4:08 am
Cory did make the others look like 2nd rate speakers.