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Universality: Natasha Brown
in Conversation
Wednesday 4 March | 6pm
National Library of Australia
One of the most exciting voices in contemporary British fiction, Natasha Brown joins us for a special In Conversation event exploring her bold new novel Universality.
Sharp, unsettling, and darkly funny, Universality probes the slippery boundaries between truth and fiction, reality and performance. Through a cast of characters expertly wielding language for power, profit, and influence, Brown exposes how cultural narratives are shaped and who gets to control them.
Set on an abandoned Yorkshire farm occupied by a group of hippie-anarchists, the novel begins with a shocking act of violence. An ambitious young journalist’s exposé goes viral, but as the story fractures into multiple perspectives - a disgraced banker, a secretive columnist, a dream-driven cult leader, and a fugitive with nothing left to lose - the truth becomes far more elusive.
Join Natasha Brown in conversation with Nicole Abadee for an evening examining storytelling, media, power, and the dangerous seduction of a good narrative.
“One of the most intelligent voices writing today” – The Guardian
“A powerful new voice in British literature” – The Times
Bob Carr:
Bring Back Yesterday
Friday 20 March | 6pm
National Library of Australia
A powerful love story and grief memoir from one of Australia’s most respected public figures.
Former New South Wales premier Bob Carr speaks candidly about love, loss and the partnership that shaped his life, in conversation with journalist Alex Sloan, as he discusses his deeply personal memoir Bring Back Yesterday.
Written with honesty and emotional clarity, Carr’s memoir chronicles one of the darkest periods of his life following the death of his wife, Helena. It is an unflinching account of grief, and a testament to resilience, tenderness and the defiant hope that emerges even in profound loss.
Bring Back Yesterday is, at its heart, a love story: an intimate portrait of a long marriage, and of an author finding his footing again after devastating loss.
Raw, reflective and deeply moving, Carr’s insights will resonate with anyone who has loved deeply, shared a life with another, or experienced the ache of grief.
Join Bob Carr in conversation with Alex Sloan for a poignant discussion on love, loss, and the courage it takes to carry on.
“A memoir of raw and extraordinary power” – David Marr
“This scorching book burns with passion and pain, but also with resilience and a defiant hope” – Greg Sheridan
Lisa Wilkinson: The Titanic
Story of Evelyn
Thursday 30 April | 6.00pm
National Library of Australia
An epic and untold true story.
The Titanic Story of Evelyn reveals the extraordinary life of Evelyn Marsden, a brave Australian nurse and the only Australian-born survivor of the Titanic disaster. Through Evelyn’s eyes, this unforgettable story captures both the best and worst of humanity on one of the most tragic nights in modern history.
When the Titanic sank, Evelyn was not only a survivor - she was a hero. Amid the chaos and terror, she worked tirelessly to help others reach safety, placing herself at the heart of one of the world’s greatest maritime tragedies.
Exhaustively researched and beautifully written, Lisa Wilkinson’s first work of historical non-fiction brings new depth and humanity to the Titanic story, uncovering Evelyn’s remarkable and uniquely Australian journey.
In conversation with journalist Amy Remeikis, Lisa Wilkinson shares the powerful story of a courageous woman whose legacy deserves to be remembered.
Sarah Wilson: I Eat The Stars
Friday 8 May | 6.30pm
The Street Theatre
From New York Times bestselling author and award-winning journalist Sarah Wilson comes a powerful, hopeful exploration of how to live with meaning in a world that feels like it’s coming undone.
Catastrophic fires and floods. Record heat. Political instability. AI and nuclear anxiety. Rising inequality and unrest. It’s hard to shake the sense that something is deeply wrong, that the systems we depend on are wobbling, or even collapsing altogether. In I Eat the Stars, Sarah Wilson argues that what we’re experiencing isn’t unique, but part of a pattern every complex civilisation has faced: systemic collapse.
So how do we keep living, loving, choosing, creating, when the ground feels unstable beneath our feet? Should we have children? Plan for the future? Invest, prepare, or opt out? And how do we stay open-hearted without tipping into doom and despair?
In conversation with HerCanberra’s Emma MacDonald, Sarah Wilson invites us into a courageous, compassionate discussion about how to live fully, beautifully and wisely through uncertain times—and why joy, meaning and tenderness still matter now more than ever.
“A beautiful and uplifting book” – Liam Neeson