This spring, the City of Literature is fertile ground for grand ideas and compelling conversation.
Marking the end of a huge first year for Melbourne’s Centre for
Books, Writing and Ideas, the Wheeler Centre’s third programme offers
big ideas, intimate conversations and everything in between.

Programme three tackles the big issues: the internet, the environment, identity and race, homophobia, gender, education, parenting and the ethics of advertising and medicine:
• Groundbreaking thinker Nicholas Carr (23 Sep) wants to rewire the internet and our brains
• Three of the world’s most important environmental thinkers David Suzuki (18 Oct),
Tim Flannery (7 Oct) and 2010 Sydney Peace Prize winner Vandana Shiva (5 Nov) examine life’s fundamental questions
• Christian Lander (4 Oct) looks at the serious issues of identity that underpin his funny business in Stuff White People Like
• Intelligence Squared (22 Sep) asks has feminism failed
• Ray Moynihan (28 Oct) challenges the merging of medicine and marketing and Ethically Speaking looks at truth in advertising
• Plus, there’s free-range parenting advice from Lenore Skenazy (5 Oct)

And examines extraordinary lives:
• Paul Kelly (30 Sep) in conversation with Robert Forster promises insight into one of Australia’s most significant singer/songwriters
• Comedian Anh Do (14 Sep) tells his own tale of tragedy, humour and heartache
• Journalist Ian Brown (10 Sep) shares the inspiring and devastating story of his son Walker, born with a genetic mutation so rare that doctors call it an orphan syndrome

And wonderful storytellers:
• Blockbuster novelists Monica McInerney (1 Oct) and Kate Morton (8 Nov) visit the Wheeler Centre for the first time, revealing the secrets of their storytelling
• International best-selling authors Lloyd Jones (18 Nov) and Salley Vickers (20 Oct) reflect on writing the human condition
• Graphic novelist Nicki Greenberg (7 Nov) reworks Hamlet and talks about the thrills and spills of turning a classic into a comic with Shaun Tan
• And much-loved comedian, actor and television host Shaun Micallef (22 Nov) discusses the challenges of being a famous first-time novelist

The September to November programme includes a number of one-off series: A Matter of Life & Death; Words and Music; Critical Failure; and What a State We’re In celebrating Victoria 175. Popular regular series like Lunchbox/Soapbox and Debut Mondays also return with new voices and fresh perspectives.

The majority of events are free, held at the Wheeler Centre and start at 6:15 pm.
For bookings and other details visit wheelercentre.com