It’s thinking season at Sydney Writers’ Festival

The great thing about books is that the good ones always make you think and leave an impression in your mind. Since Sydney Writers’ Festival is a celebration of the written word it made me think and made me even more passionate about books and ideas.

After flying in to Sydney on a “Red Eye” and dumping my stuff I immediately made my way to Welsh Bay for my first session which was with Australian political Journalist Paul Kelly. Kelly’s Triumph and Demise is another book on the drama of Australian politics during the last Labor Government and since I am a political geek, I never tire of such books even of there have been dozens already published. 

The rest of the day was spent enjoying sessions on looking at WWI from the benefit of hindsight and stories from power women in Australia just to name a few.

The next couple of days were jam packed full of sessions that covered so many different topics, from the effects of the internet on the brain to the rise of the Australian political drama. I really enjoyed hearing former Queensland Premier Anna Bligh speak as well as seeing Dan Mori in a panel discussion on Government control.

My strategy for booking tickets for sessions was just to book a whole lot of different ones. Some were better than others but I always learnt something. Some writers were more verbally articulate then others and some were more animated. Some facilitators were more skilled at teasing out ideas from the panellists and encouraging debate and discussion between them.

I loved the venue although it does get a little packed. It does take a little while to order coffee and lunch choices are a little limited.

But honestly, with the Harbour Bridge in the background adds beauty to the festival. Being around other book lovers in such a lovely location was such a joy and is what brings me back every year.