When Fact Becomes Fiction: Bringing history to life

The scale of history can be overwhelming. Fiction allows us to focus on the individual. Our panel of Australian Jewish authors has recently published four acclaimed novels all with Jewish protagonists. A life in middle-class Vienna upended by the Great War; a woman leading an extraordinary spy ring in Palestine; a self-effacing Japanese diplomat saving Jews in the next war; a thriller set during the Cold War in the Soviet Union.

Supported by Golda's Girls - in memory of Golda Isaac

Speakers:

Diane Armstrong: Child Holocaust survivor and award-winning author of historical novels set during World War II, including "Mosaic," "The Voyage of their Life," and "Winter Journey"; her latest work, "The Wild Date Palm," delves into a Jewish family's story in Ottoman Palestine during World War I.

Julia Levitina: From Moscow to Sydney, Julia is a theatre designer turned author whose debut novel "The Girl from Moscow," shortlisted for the ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize, draws from her family's Holocaust-survivor background; she resides in Sydney's east with her husband and their toy poodle, Honey.

Linda Royal: Sydney-born author of "The Star on the Grave," inspired by her family's Holocaust rescue through Chiune Sugihara's visas; initially a film script, now in development with support from Screen Australia and NSW, Linda dedicates her life to sharing this historical fiction labor of love.

Dr. Joe Reich (moderator): Author of five novels and a co-written biography, Dr. Reich's recent historical fiction includes "Ein Stein" (2021), exploring the life of an elderly Holocaust survivor, and "Beyond Berggasse" (2023), set in Vienna at the turn of the century; Chair of MJBW, he received an Order of Australia for contributions to ophthalmology and is currently working on a second biography.

Want to pre-order your lunch for the Festival Sunday? Just pick 1 of our 3 delicious options via:
 🔗 Pre-order your lunchbox