Books

What is the difference between a story and a scientific explanation? How do the two fit together, and how can we use both in our attempt to make sense of the world? These are the big questions… Audio

Australian novelist, short story writer, screenwriter and journalist, talking about her first novel for 15 years. Audio

The British born science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke has died in Sri Lanka at the age of ninety. Audio

British novelist David Mitchell has been described as Britain's reigning master of postmodern fiction. Audio

Lee Prichard has written a book about Napier's legendary Cabana Hotel, one of NZ's classic live music venues - you hadn't done a national tour unless you'd played there! Trevor Reekie talks to Lee… Audio

"Haven't they got anything better to do?" is the ironic subtitle of this encounter between a group of very different travel writers. Travel stories from the USA are recounted by Jo and Gareth Morgan… Audio

A panel discussion tracing the extraordinary growth in popularity of locally-produced non-fiction. Two publishers (Peter Dowling from Reed, and Mary Varnham from Awa Press) and an expert in creative… Audio

The international publishing scene depends on translation, as it opens books to new markets and audiences. Three writers who have an intimate knowledge of translation consider the complexities and… Audio

Nightmare childhoods and damaged lives are laid bare in the very different work of Lionel Shriver, author of the award-winning 'We Need to Talk About Kevin'; and Paul Broks, whose study of… Audio

Chaired by Festival co-director Peter Wells, this lively session includes extensive reading by three very different authors whose autobiographical work provides different perspectives on growing up… Audio

The final programme in the coverage of the Press Christchurch Writers' Festival session brings together four writers who have taken very different approaches towards representing the Second World War… Audio

Chaired by Kate de Goldi, this session brings together the celebrated New Zealand writer Margaret Mahy and Australian writer Marcus Zusak, discussing a wide range of issues about writing for older… Audio

This session brings together the New Zealand writers Rachael King, and Philip Temple, and British writer Emma Darwin to talk about why we can't get enough of historical fiction. Barbara Larson from… Audio

Chair Owen Marshall brings together a group of writers to discuss how they make their living from writing long-form fiction. The panellists discussing the business of writing novels are Emily Perkins… Audio

Sweetwaters organizer Daniel Keighley says there was a gang contract out on his life after the music festival Sweetwaters collapsed in 1999, leaving creditors millions of dollars out of pocket and… Video, Audio

The universe is not symmetrical and nor is common sense necessarily sensical - in Catalogue of the Universe, New Zealand's most loved children's author Margaret Mahy catalogues her own fascination… Audio