Paige Turner - September

Many times have I begun this column with a breathy incitement to get some bookish events into you. This month you’ll be struggling not to – what, with ingenious and lovely People’s Library, the Tamar Valley Writers’ Festival and a resounding swathe of other events, both north and south, I challenge you to stay by the hearth with a cat on your lap.

As well as the above two celebrations of the word, which you can read more about in these pages, I am really looking forward to hearing Sholeh Wolpe (Iran/US) discuss her translation of The Conference of the Birds by Farid ud-Din Attar. Originally written in Persian in the twelfth century it is considered one of Persian literature’s most celebrated masterpieces. Rumi (who is the number one bestselling poet in the United States today, all these centuries after he first penned his earthy and ethereal beauty) believed Attar to be “the Master” of Sufi mystic poetry. Sholeh will read from her translation and discuss the process of bringing this luminous, allegorical tale to a contemporary English translation. All this, at Fullers on September 19, 5.30pm. Make sure you drop Fullers a line to rsvp (@fullersbookshop.com.au).

You’ll also find her performing some of her own poetry – and a performance to behold it will be- (I’ve had the fortune to see her perform twice before, once in Guangzhou, China and once in Singharaja, Bali, I travel for beautiful words, I really do)– at The People’s Library on September 18 at 7pm. I hope she will also be delivering a workshop – check out Transportationpress.net for more details (Transportation Press is sponsoring her visit to our island, and yep, that’s me).

Ray Glickman is in the state for the Tamar Valley Writers’ Festival and after the festival he’s travelling south to deliver, with Ian Andrew, a special workshop on democratic publishing called Publishing Power to the People. This will take place on the afternoon of September 20. This workshop will cost $30, run for three hours and cover subjects such as they lay of the land in independent (self) publishing, what the merits of independent publishing actually are, especially compared to the traditional publishing space, and it will also include a panel discussion, as well as a Q & A opportunity for participants. Drop me a line for more details. 

Let’s jump ahead a little to October 2 at Fullers Bookshop, when I’ll be chatting withKrissy Kneen about her new novel, Wintering. This novel takes Queensland author Kneen, who has in the past delved deep into some transgressive erotica, pushed boundaries with futuristic imaginings and smashed paradigms with sexy blue goo to the deep south of Tasmania. Krissy makes for a generous interview subject – and this book is rich pickings for an entertaining conversation.

Margaretta Pos has edited Among the Willows and Wild Things: The Fingal Valley Nature Diary of a Young Girl in the 1930s. This was written by Ann Page, Margaretta’s mother and will be launched at the Tamar ValleyWriters Festival at the Tamar Valley Resort at Grindelwald, on Saturday, September 15^th at 1.15pm. It is a free public event and legendary raconteur and editor of the Tasmanian Times, Lindsay Tuffin, will be doing the launching honours. He will be in conversation with Margaretta Pos about the book. The Governor, Professor Kate Warner, has written a foreword, the preface is by Margaretta Pos, with illustrations by Sabina Gillett, who lives in Perth (Tasmania). The Hobart launch will be at the Hobart Bookshop, Salamanca Square, on Friday, September 21^st at 6pm. It will be launched by Don Knowler. Knowler writes the weekly column, On the Wing, for the Mercury. He is the author of The Shy Mountain, a year in the life of kunanyi/Mount Wellington and other books.

Among the Willows and Wild Things is a limited edition of 300 copies published by Forty South. It retails for $35. 

Poet Jane Williams will be bringing her work to an appreciative audience alongside Susan Austin at the next Republic Readings, on Sunday, 2nd September at 3pm. This will happen at the Republic Hotel in North Hobart. It’s a free event, with a welcoming open mic.

I’m super stoked to see Robbie Arnott’s book Flames shortlisted for The Readings Prize, and it is equally lovely to see playwright Finegan Kruckemeyer win the Brotherhood of St Lawrence’s national Hope Prizefor his short story ‘Like Dresses in a Tree’.
Robbie has also been shortlisted for the Queensland Literary Awards' University of Queensland Fiction Book Award. 

Silent Reading returns in September. In September it is coinciding Australian Reading Hour (some days I have a few of those) and is happening as part of the soon to be fabled People’s Library. For more details, check out the Island Facebook page.

You’ve read here about the progressive monthly gathering Reading For the Revolution, organised by Millie Rooney. These are now a regular instalment at 0730 on the second Tuesday of the month at the Food Store in South Hobart.

As always Fullers Bookshop is providing a buzzing space of culture, hosting book launches including Andrew L Urban’s Murder by the Prosecution on the 6^th of the month, and Clementine Ford discussing her new book Boys Will Be Boys on September 27.

If you’ve got any book news or interesting word related elements, drop me a line

Racheledwards488@gmail.com