Ideas need words

This is the publicity slogan for the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival and it is emblazoned in capital letters 3 inches high on the volunteers' t-shirts. As I was heading for the bus stop tonight after a day of ideas and words someone pointed at me and said "that's not true you know". Well, I hadn't actually thought about it until that moment but I do think that people need books and books contain ideas and words describe those ideas and so I am quite happy with the phrase. It's not exclusive; ideas need images too and art is included in the Festival. Perhaps I will stop to chat with the next person who contradicts my t-shirt.

Today I heard Elizabeth Smither reading some of her poetry and talking about Lola, a novel that I have already read but I enjoyed hearing about its genesis and background.

An excellent session followed, chaired by Kim Hill with Anne Salmond and Thomas Keneally discussing their various historical books. Much of the discussion concerned the "cultural faultline" - that space between the new settlers and the native populations in Australia and New Zealand. Thomas Keneally hopes that his writing affirms the humanity of our ancestors on either side of the race divide whilst Anne Salmond sees herself dancing on the line cherishing things from both sides. She is always curious to find out what happened in the past to create a richer story and expects a blur between fiction and non-fiction if imagination is brought into the explanation of an event. Thomas Keneally then stated that "fiction is trying to tell the truth by telling lies whilst history is trying to tell the truth by trying to tell the truth". Thomas Keneally was amusing, Anne Salmond was expansive and Kim Hill was well-prepared, perceptive and probing with her questions. Her radio interview with Thomas Keneally will be worth listening to - find it here if you missed the broadcast.