Litbits: What's on in the Canberra literary scene from June 26, 2021

July 21: In an ANU/Canberra Times meet the author event from 6-7pm, Dr Norman Swan will be in discussion with Laura Tingle on Norman's new book, So You Think You Know What's Good For You, everything you want to know about health and wellbeing. Manning Clark Auditorium, ANU. Registrations at anu.edu.au/events.

July 29: Join Alison Booth as her novel The Painting is launched by Professor Frank Bongiorno, with Dr Lucy Neave as MC. At the Street Theatre Foyer 6-7.30pm. This is a free event but registrations with name and phone number essential: rsvp@thestreet.org.au

June 27: At 3pm, Janine Burke will discuss her book My Forests: Travels with Trees, about the role of trees in contemporary life, with Inga Simpson. musecanberra.com.au.

June 30: At 6.30pm, OzLit Book Club will discuss Claire Thomas's The Performance, in which three women's stories unfold while they watch a Beckett play. musecanberra.com.au.

July 4: Meet Larissa Behrendt in conversation with Michael Lavarch for the launch of After Story. Behrendt's book is an ambitious and engrossing story which celebrates the extraordinary power of words. From 3pm. musecanberra.com.au

July 18: Join bestselling author Peter Rees and Sue Langford as they discuss the extraordinary tale of Doug Heywood and his internment as a POW on the infamous Burma Railway. Their book, A Week in September, reflects on the power of love and optimism. In conversation with Canberra Times features editor Sally Pryor. From 3pm. musecanberra.com.au

August 18-22: The Canberra Writers Festival is on from August 18 to 22. The launch is on Wednesday, July 14. Most of the festival will be held at the Kambri Culture precinct at ANU and MoAD at Old Parliament House. canberrawritersfestival.com.au

The Canberra chapter of the Tough Guy Book Club will meet at 7pm at King O'Malley's, 131 City Walk, Canberra, on July 7 and August 4. For more information, phone Darren Saffin on 0411 089 209.

Canberra writer Theodore Ell has won the 15^th Calibre Essay Prize. Dr Ell was living in Beirut on August 4, 2020 when a port explosion devastated the city and shook a nation already teetering on the brink of economic collapse. Ell and his diplomat wife were badly affected, but survived. His essay, Faades of Lebanon, represents reportage and reflective essayism at their very best. The prize is worth $7500, of which the winner receives $5000. Faades of Lebanon will appear in the July issue of Australian Book Review. Ell is an editor, translator, and author of A Voice in the Fire (2015). After working in public service and foreign policy at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, he accompanied his wife in 2018 on a diplomatic posting to Lebanon. His poetry and translations have been published in Australia, Lebanon, Italy and the UK. He is an honorary lecturer in literature at the Australian National University

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. Inquiries: prizeforpoetry@acu.edu.au. More information: artsandculture.acu.edu.au

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

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