2026 Festival

Speaker Profile

Geraldine Brooks

Geraldine Brooks AO is a journalist and author who worked for the Sydney Morning Herald and the Wall Street Journal. In 2006, she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in fiction for her novel March. Novels Caleb’s Crossing, People of the Book and The Secret Chord were New York Times bestsellers, while Year of Wonders was an international bestseller. She is also the author of non-fiction works Nine Parts of Desire and Foreign Correspondence. Her novel, Horse, won multiple awards. Her latest book, Memorial Days, was published in 2025.

On Grief And Loss: Transforming trauma into words

Friday April 24
Sorrento Community Centre
3.00pm / 60 mins

Geraldine Brooks, Bob Carr and Madeleine Grummet

Special Event
Saturday April 25
Halcyon Hall, The Continental
4.00pm / 60 mins

Geraldine Brooks, Jennifer Byrne, Annabel Crabb and Marian Wilkinson with Tom Wright 

This session is supported by Pitcher Partners

This is a Special Event

Trump And Us: What is #47’s impact on Australia’s politics and our future?

Sunday April 26
Sorrento Community Centre
1.30pm / 60 mins

Geraldine Brooks and Bruce Wolpe with Cameron Stewart  

Donald Trump’s second administration presents huge policy challenges to Australia’s political and business communities. Pulitzer Prizewinning author and journalist Geraldine Brooks joins Bruce Wolpe, Senior Fellow (non-resident) at the United States Studies Centre in Sydney, and The Australian’s Chief International Correspondent to discuss.