This year's Writers' and Readers' Festival in Auckland showcased 22 international writers and more than 100 New Zealand writers in a range of sessions at various venues. There were readings, conversations, debates, lectures, live drawing, music and film, poetry performance, play reading, a business breakfast, a lunch, afternoon tea, cocktails and a dinner; something indeed for everyone. It was impossible to be in three places at once and so I enjoyed some excellent blogging from Graham Beattie and the team from Christchurch Libraries who kept us well informed about what everyone was saying.
The finale, a new initiative Honoured New Zealand Writer, resulted in a standing ovation for Maurice Gee, appearing in public for the first time in 10 years and admitting that he has finished writing fiction. But we have an amazing body of his work to read and a biography from Rachel Barrowman to look forward to.
There was also a tweet wall working in real time offering amusing, philosophical, sublime quotes from writers and fascinating comments from readers and it was right over the Festival Bookstall where several books sold out. What a weekend.
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