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Paul Auster was a true giant of American literature. Acclaimed for his best-selling works of fiction, nonfiction and poetry, including The New York Trilogy, Invisible, and The Brooklyn Follies, Auster wrote complex and daring tales of humans experiencing, anticipating or searching for something lost, something they are struggling to comprehend. 

In his 2021 book, Burning Boy, he turned his eye to the 19th-century bad boy of American literature, Stephen Crane. Crane is known for popularising American naturalism, a literary movement that has influenced generations of writers (including Auster himself). But he was as daring off the page as he was on it. 

Throughout his short life, Crane cavorted from one high-stakes situation to the next: from engaging in political journalism that disrupted the course of the 1892 presidential campaign, to entering a common-law marriage with the proprietress of Jacksonville’s most elegant bawdyhouse, to surviving a shipwreck that nearly drowned him, and eventually relocating to England, where Joseph Conrad became his closest friend and Henry James wept over his tragic, early death. 

In November 2021, Auster joined host Corrie Perkin for a conversation about Burning Boy and the nature of creative legacy. What are the questions one master chooses to ask of another? And what is there to learn from a life lived so bright it burned?

This conversation was originally released as a digital event as part of The Wheeler Centre’s 'Postcard’s From Abroad' series on Wednesday 3 November 2021.The official bookseller was Hill of Content bookshop.

Featured music is 'Traveling again' by Sarah the illstrumentalist.
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Fern Brady, one of the UK’s most exciting stand-ups, visited The Wheeler Centre to discuss her bestselling book Strong Female Character as part of the 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Hosted by Australian stand-up comedian and writer Laura Davis, Brady discussed her writing process, Catholic upbringing and late diagnosis of autism.This event was recorded on Wednesday 3 April 2024 at The Wheeler Centre.It was presented in partnership with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. The official bookseller was Mary Martin Bookshop.

Featured music is ‘Lucy’s Trail’ by Sarah the illstumentalist.
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Chanel Contos has led a powerful movement to include consent education in the national curriculum, and was recently appointed by Julia Gillard to chair the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership’s Youth Advisory Committee.

Her debut book, Consent Laid Bare: Sex, Entitlement & the Distortion of Desire, is a battle cry from a generation no longer prepared to stay silent. In it, Contos explores the political, legislative and cultural changes required to combat Australia’s culture of misogyny and normalisation of sexual violence, and outlines steps to achieve true gender equality. Consent Laid Bare advocates for intimacy, consent and enjoyment to be centred in all sexual relationships.

At this exclusive Melbourne event hosted by Madison Griffiths, Contos discussed the vital role of consent amidst a culture influenced by porn, the patriarchy and male entitlement.The event recorded on Tuesday 5th March 2024 at The Wheeler Centre. It was presented in partnership with the Victorian Women's Trust. The official bookseller was Readings.Featured music is 'Different Days' by Chill Cole.

Content note: This event includes references to sexual abuse and assault. If you need support relating to these topics, you can learn more and seek advice via the below resources.

Lifeline: 13 11 14Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36Headspace: 1800 650 890Sexual Assault Crisis Line: 1800 806 292
Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donate
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Origin of You by Mindy Meng Wang 王萌 and Sui Zhen is a highly personal musical exploration of lived experiences of migration, motherhood, grief and reconnecting with identity.  

The album uses three central motifs: 空 (Kōng), or Emptiness; 疼 (Téng), or Pain; 气 (Chi), sometimes known as ‘Energy’ to explore these stories.  

Live at The Wheeler Centre, Wang and Zhen came together with host Eugenia Lim to talk about their craft, the origins of their collaboration and the importance of storytelling.

This event was recorded on Tuesday 26 March 2024 at The Wheeler Centre.Origin of You is out now via Music in Exile: https://musicinexile.bandcamp.com/

Featured music is ‘Watch My Mum Dance’ by Mindy Meng Wang 王萌 and Sui Zhen  (Recorded live at The Wheeler Centre)
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Richard Flanagan’s masterful new novel Question 7 is his most personal book yet: a tribute to his parents and to his island home of Tasmania, and a hypnotic melding of dream, history, place and memory.

Beginning with Flanagan’s father’s imprisonment near Hiroshima when the atom bomb was dropped, Question 7 traces a chain reaction of events, from the turbulent romance between literary giants H.G. Wells and Rebecca West, to the intricate world of 1930s and 40s nuclear physics, to a young Flanagan trapped on a perilous Tasmanian river rapid.

One of Australia’s most revered novelists, Flanagan was awarded the Man Booker Prize for The Narrow Road to the Deep North and the Commonwealth Prize for Gould’s Book of Fish.

He joins host Astrid Edwards to discuss Question 7’s unique blend of history, fiction and autofiction, and its examination of the stories we construct about ourselves and others.

This event was presented in partnership with RMIT Culture.It was recorded on Thursday 9 November 2023 at The Capitol. The official bookseller was Readings.Featured music is ‘Different Days’ by Chill Cole.
Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donate
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Join co-hosts and co-creators Maria Birch-Morunga and Kate Robinson for a special live recording of their hit podcast Being Biracial, coinciding with International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Along with special guests, comedian Aurelia St Clair and AFLW champion Darcy Vescio, they discuss navigating the world as a mixed-race person and the dualities of living across multiple cultures. St Clair also shares a very special stand-up set.

The event was presented in partnership with The Wheeler Centre, The Round and Being Biracial.It was recorded on Thursday 21 March 2024 at The Round.Featured music is ‘Take It Slow’ by Green Twins.

Listen to more episodes of Being Biracial here: https://beingbiracialpodcast.com/listen-now
Support the Wheeler Centre: https://www.wheelercentre.com/support-us/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.