ABOUT THE EVENT:

On Wednesday 30th September at the Red Mill Distillery, Balmain, join Malcolm Knox in conversation with Michelle de Kretser.

Set in 1945 between Hitler's death and Hiroshima, The Second Child is a satirical thriller about one young woman's plot to outsmart the supreme dictators in a world on fire. From the critically acclaimed, bestselling author of The First Friend

'Knox at his most ambitious, scathing, hilarious best.' CHARLOTTE WOOD

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ABOUT THE VENUE

Red Mill is based in the historic White Bay Steelworks, just across from the inner-west icon, the White Bay Power Station. Red Mill makes small batches of high-quality Rum to age in a special barrel program, blended and bottled in their wonderful, industrial home. Visiting Red Mill is a chance to see the workings of an artisanal distillery, in the historic surrounds of this remarkable building. Refreshments available to purchase include wine, beer and a signature Red Mill cocktail. We look forward to welcoming you to this unique venue.

Attendees are asked to arrive at 6.30pm for a 7pm start. Seating is unallocated – another reason to arrive early to secure an optimal spot.

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Malcolm Knox’s latest book, The Second Child, delves into autocracy and how its far-reaching tentacles can not only dismantle and corrupt a whole society and its institutions, but also impact the generations that follow.

The novel focuses on Beria, Stalin’s dangerous and brutal secret police chief, and his mentee, a seemingly naive teenage girl called Melor. It’s set in the rarefied world of Stalin’s top echelon of politicians with their lavish lifestyle, which sits uncomfortably alongside fear and power.

As Knox says; ‘I think a lot about the dictators in our world, and look to history for keys to understanding them. What dictators have in common is their desperation to invent and impose a new reality. What they also have in common is the tragi-comedy of their inevitable failure. I wanted to tell a story about one such tragi-comic failure, brought about by the dictators’ ultimate judges: the next generation.’

Written as a searing satire, it’s an exploration, not only of the Soviet Empire but our own democratic political systems and how easily they can be co-opted and moulded to fit bad faith regimes. Knox is sounding a sharp warning about our times by looking back at recent history.

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ABOUT MALCOLM KNOX

Malcolm Knox grew up in Sydney. Since 1994 Malcolm has written for the Sydney Morning Herald and has won three Walkley Awards and a Human Rights Award. His novels include Summerland; A Private Man, winner of the Ned Kelly Award; Jamaica, which won the Colin Roderick Award and was shortlisted in the 2008 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards; The Life; The Wonder Lover; Bluebird; and The First Friend, which was shortlisted for the ARA Historical Novel Prize and longlisted for the Sir Walter Scott Prize. His many non-fiction titles include Boom: The Underground History of Australia, From Gold Rush to GFC, which won the 2013 Ashurst Business Literature Prize; and Bradman's War, shortlisted in the 2013 Prime Minister's Literary Awards.

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ABOUT MICHELLE DE KRETSER

Michelle de Kretser was born in Sri Lanka. She lives in Warrane/Sydney on unceded Gadigal land. An honorary associate of the English Department at the University of Sydney, she has won several awards for her fiction. Theory & Practice is Michelle's most recent novel.

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TERMS & CONDITIONS

Refunds

Please note that tickets are non-refundable unless the event is cancelled or postponed due to extenuating circumstances. Refunds are not issued within 48 hours notice of event date. Humanitix fee is nonrefundable.

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This event is presented by Roaring Stories Bookshop Balmain.

With thanks to our venue partner Red Mill and Allen and Unwin.

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Contact the host of Malcolm Knox in conversation with Michelle de Kretser