New York writer brings bestseller to Coledale
Molly Crabapple will appear in conversation with Omar Musa at Coledale Community Hall, home of the South Coast Writers Centre
For anyone interested in how the past shapes the present, South Coast Writers Centre will host an unmissable conversation next month.
New York artist and writer Molly Crabapple will sit down with author, rapper and artist Omar Musa to talk about her new book, Here Where We Live Is Our Country: The Story of the Jewish Bund, on Thursday, 19 November at Coledale Community Hall.
"This is the first time the SCWC has had the opportunity to host a local event for an international author as part of an Australian tour,” SCWC director Dr Sarah Nicholson said.
“Molly Crabapple is a New York Times bestselling author and we're thrilled to have her in conversation with Omar Musa, who was this year's winner of the Miles Franklin Prize.
“Money raised from ticket sales, after tour costs, will go to supporting the work of The Jewish Council of Australia, who are committed to the Jewish values of tikkun olam (repairing the world), calling out injustice, challenging assumptions and promoting debate. They work towards ending antisemitism and all forms of racism and they support Palestinian freedom and justice.
“SCWC is proud to have the opportunity to partner with them and support their important work.”
Molly Crabapple is the author of Here Where We Live Is Our Country and Omar Musa is the author of Fierceland.
Here Where We Live Is Our Country covers an era of revolution, fascism and war from 1897 to 1945, telling the story of a mass socialist movement – the Jewish Bund – through its pivotal people, including Molly's great-grandfather.
Published in April, the book has had a string of stellar reviews, with The Guardian describing it as: "Lush, high-tempo, strikingly poignant ... The relevance for our present moment is impossible to ignore."
The Coledale conversation is expected to draw out these modern parallels, with organisers saying: "Molly and Omar will explore this extraordinary history and the remarkable political world of the Bund: revolution in the Russian Empire, mass worker organising, fascism and resistance — and what these political traditions can offer us in the present."
SCWC and the Jewish Council of Australia will present the event at Coledale Community Hall from 7-8pm on Thursday, 19 November. Admission is $30, or $20 concession, with tickets available here.
The Illawarra author talk will be followed by an Evening of Solidarity on 22 November in Sydney, featuring Molly in conversation with Sarah Schwartz, performances by the Vox Canvas choir and Palestinian poet Sara M. Saleh.
