Tanya Plibersek will be in conversation with Jane Caro and Wendy Harmer will lead a debate on freedom of speech.

There is also a schools program, a number of workshops and other events over the weekend of June 18-20 at venues in Milton, Mollymook and Ulladulla. For tickets and further details head to storyfest.org.au

May 25: In an ANU/Canberra Times Meet the Author event from 6pm to 7pm, ABC China correspondent Bill Birtles will be in conversation with Hugh White on Birtles' new book, The Truth about China, a compelling examination of Chinese-Australian relations. Cinema, Kambri Cultural Centre, ANU. Registrations at anu.edu.au/events

May 27: Poetry in Manning Clark House: Jerzy Beaumont, Anita Patel and Kimberly Williams. 11 Tasmania Circuit, Forrest, 7pm - 9pm. Online bookings essential on trybooking.com. Admission $10.

May 22: The picture book Dr Ouchy and Nurse Piggy: Baby Shark's Troublesome Tooth Fiasco - by Canberra surgeon Tetyana Kelly with illustrations by Cat Soper - will be launched on May 22 at Civic Pub at 3pm.

May 27: The Friends of the ANU Classics Museum will host a free public lecture by Associate Professor McComas Taylor of the ANU on India's great national epic, the Mahabharata. 6.30pm, Social Sciences Research Building Theatre, Ellery Crescent, ANU, opposite the Baldessin car park.

May 16: At 3pm, Anita Heiss will discuss her book Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray (River of Dreams), about a woman's search for lost family and country. musecanberra.com.au

May 23: At 3pm, Irma Gold will discuss her book The Breaking, about the bond between two women and the enduring cost of animal exploitation. musecanberra.com.au

May 25: At 8pm, the Translations Book Club journeys to the Congo in May with Fiston Mwanza Mujila's Tram 83 (trans: Roland Glasser). musecanberra.com.au

May 26: At 6.30pm, The OzLit Book Club will discuss Irma Gold's The Breaking. musecanberra.com.au

June 5: At 4pm, Krissy Kreen will discuss her book The Three Burials of Lotty Kneen, tracing her grandmother's early life. musecanberra.com.au

May 16: Text/ure is a collaboration between Canberra poet and artist Sarah Rice and community choir Oriana Chorale. Rice's poetry was the basis of six new choral compositions for the choir to sing, accompanied by visual art made in response to the music. It's on at Canberra Girls Grammar Hall at 3pm. trybooking.com

Entries are now open for the 2021 Australian Catholic University (ACU) Prize for Poetry, with a first prize of $10,000. The theme for 2021 is "resilience", reflecting on Jaeda DeWalt's supposition, "When we learn how to become resilient, we learn how to embrace the beautifully broad spectrum of the human experience", and Sharon Salzberg's thesis, "Resilience is based on compassion for ourselves as well as compassion for others". Entries close on July 5 and winners will be announced on September 7. Enquiries: prizeforpoetry@acu.edu.au. More information: artsandculture.acu.edu.au

The Canberra chapter of the Tough Guy Book Club will meet at 7pm at King O'Malley's, 131 City Walk, Canberra, on June 2. For more information, phone Darren Saffin on 0411 089 209.

For consideration for Litbits, email litbits@canberratimes.com.au by 5pm Monday.

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