Anna and Geoff discuss the cancellation of Adelaide Writers’
Week 2026 amid the controversy after the Adelaide Festival Board
disinvited
Palestinian-Australian writer Dr Randa Abdel-Fatteh.
Among the authors who withdrew from Writers’ Week was Richard
Flanagan, who wrote
this article (sorry for the paywall). Director Louise
Adler resigned with
this letter to the Guardian. Since we recorded this episode,
the new Board has retracted
the decision and apologised to Dr Abdel-Fatteh.
In other book news, Random House has dropped David Walliams,
as discussed on this episode
of The Rest is Entertainment podcast.
Our book of the week is
THE SAFEKEEP by Yael van der Wouden, a debut novel set in 1960s
Netherlands which was shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize and won
the 2025 Women’s Prize.