Robyn Davidson will be in conversation with Virginia Haussegger on her memoir, Unfinished Woman, the story of a mother and daughter, of love, loss and the pursuit of freedom.

In 1977, 27 year-old Robyn Davidson set off with a dog and four camels to cross 1,700 miles of Australian desert to the sea, documented in her international bestseller Tracks. A life of almost constant travelling followed. From the deserts of Australia, to Sydney's underworld; from Sixties street life, to the London literary scene; from migrating with nomads in Tibet, to 'marrying' an Indian prince, Davidson's quest was motivated by an unquenchable curiosity about other ways of seeing and understanding the world.

In Unfinished Woman, Davidson turns at last to explore that long avoided country- her past. Through this brave and revealing memoir, she delves into her childhood and youth to uncover the forces that set her on her path, and confront the cataclysm of her early loss. Unfinished Woman is an unforgettable investigation of time and memory, and a powerful interrogation of how we can live with and find beauty in the uncertainty and strangeness of being.

‘This is a beautiful story about finding a home wherever you go and understanding your own narrative’. Australian Books and Publishing

Tracks international success launched an extraordinary career for Robyn Davidson as a writer, explorer, filmmaker and cultural commentator. Robyn has lived with and written about nomads worldwide, gaining unique insights into ways of thinking that have relevance to our Western life. She has written extensively for National Geographic and other magazines, and is also the author of Desert Places, the novel Ancestors, and the essay collection Travelling Light.

Virginia Haussegger AM is an award winning journalist, broadcaster & former ABC News anchor in Canberra. Virginia is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Canberra and Deputy Chair of the media think-tank PIJI , the Public Interest Journalism Initiative. In 2014 she was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to the media and gender equity

The vote of thanks will be given by author and former diplomat Mark Pierce .

This event is in association with Harry Hartog Bookshop. Books will be available for purchase on the evening in the Cultural Centre foyer. Pre-event book signings will be available from 5.30pm, and available again after the event.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

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A podcast will be made available after the event.

Symposium by University House Wine bar (Shop 13, 152 University Avenue, Acton, which is just next to the Kambri cultural centre) will now be open for dining after meet the author events. Food and wine details at https://unihouse.anu.edu.au/eat/symposium/. No bookings necessary.

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