Author and journalist, Jonathan Ancer talks through politics and other topics.
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Local and international authors will gather for a one-day celebration of stories, ideas, humour, politics, film, history, and more at the 5th Jewish Literary Festival on Monday April 28 in Gardens.
Meet popular local authors such as Paige Nick and Diane Awerbuck as they discuss the humour in their new books. The story I had to write is revealed by authors Angela Miller-Rothbart, Joelle Searle, Debi Rozowsky and Irene Berman, while Jonathan Ancer, author of Bullsh!t, talks through politics and other issues. Former leader of the opposition, Tony Leon brings the back stories from the political front from his new memoir Being There. Exploring the world of film sees Ari Kruger, Gabriella Blumberg and Hylton Tannenbaum speak to Film as Text, emphasising the place film has in literary history. Labour lawyer Michael Bagraim chats to Michael Cardo about Harry Oppenheimer: Life and Legacy.
The line-up of international authors includes Richard Zimler, Peter Friedland, Zibby Owens, Peter Godwin and more, in a new virtual venue. They will be interviewed by experienced and well-loved local literary luminaries such as Gus Silber and Nancy Richards.
paige nick Novelist Paige Nick is set to discuss the humour in her new book.
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Highlight of the day is the plenary session when visiting international author British comedian David Baddiel speaks to ex-South African author, speaker and presenter Nadia Bilchik. Baddiel is author of a number of children’s books, the seminal Jews Don’t Count about anti-semitism and has recently written a memoir called My Family, about his North London childhood.
Subjects range from Artificial Intelligence; October 7th and its effect on the Jewish community; the history of the original Jews of Cape Town; the frightening statistics of domestic violence; cherished animal species that are dying due to climate change and why; ripples of the Holocaust in South Africa; a high-flying Jewish drug peddler; and lessons for the living with forensic pathologist Ryan Blumenthal.
Prelude to the Festival is a virtual event on Thursday April 24 when Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland, author of The Escape Artist: The man who broke out of Auschwitz to warn the world, co-hosts with Israeli news anchor Yonit Levi of a podcast called Unholy: Two Jews on the News, to talk about this book, his upcoming book, and what it is like being a Jewish journalist in the world today. Tickets for this event are included in the price of festival tickets, however individual tickets at R150 can be purchased on Quicket.
The festival consists of 25 sessions plus a plenary session at the end of the day. Your day ticket entitles you to attend any five sessions as well as the plenary, lunch, a complimentary coffee, fruit and water. Registration starts at 8.30am with the first sessions starting at 9.30am.
The day ticket costs R475 with a special price for students and pupils at R150. To view the full programme, visit www.jewishliteraryfestival.org.za Book through Quicket.
Former politician Tony Leon will be a speaker at the event.
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