Best of the Fest: 10 to catch at the Bookworm Literary Festival
This year's line-up is packed full of unmissable talks and events
The Bookworm Literary Festival is back for 2019 with a crackin' line-up. Covering topics as far-flung as feminist awakenings to Chinese hip-hop and women in sci-fi, you'll be out of breath before you know it on this intellectual whirlwind. Here are just ten of the best talks and events to catch at this year's festival. For the full list, as well as links to each ticket page and full event details, extract the QR code below.
Sat 16 Mar. 60RMB.
Through interviews with the Feminist Five and other leading Chinese activists, Hong Fincher illuminates both the difficulties and joy women face in her thought-provoking work Betraying Big Brother. Tracing the rise of a new feminist consciousness now finding expression through the #MeToo movement, and describing how the current regime has suppressed the history of its own feminist struggles, Betraying Big Brother is a story of how the movement against patriarchy could reconfigure China and the world. The author, Leta Hong Fincher, joins Yuan Yang, Beijing correspondent for the Financial Times in discussion.
Sat 16 Mar. 60RMB.
Writers, movie stars, journalists, minor royals, poets, artists and even the founder of Scientology: From around the world a fascinating range of people, at one time or another, called China home in the first half of the twentieth century. Writers and China historians Jeremiah Jenne and Paul French discuss some of them and their time and travels in the Middle Kingdom.
Sun 17 Mar. 60RMB.
With its products and services deployed in more than 170 countries around the world, Huawei has come a long way since Ren Zhengfei founded the company in 1987. Discussing the latest developments and what may lie ahead for the Shenzhen tech giant, Joe Kelly, vice president for corporate communications at Huawei, Josh Chin of the Wall Street Journal, Shen Ji of Guanghua School of Management and technology columnist and consultant Elliot Zaagman join together in conversation. Moderated by Ian Lahiffe.
Mon 18 Mar. 60RMB.
Chinese-American journalist Helen Zia weaves together the stories of four young Shanghai residents who wrestled with the decision to abandon everything for an uncertain life as refugees in Hong Kong, Taiwan and the United States. The lives of these men and women are marvellously portrayed, revealing the dignity and triumph of personal survival. Herself the daughter of immigrants from China, Zia is uniquely equipped to explain how crises like the Shanghai transition affect children and their families, students and their futures, and, ultimately, the way we see ourselves and those around us. In conversation with Ching-Ching Ni, editor-in-chief of The New York Times Chinese-language website.
Wed 20 Mar. 60RMB.
Once an underground subculture, hip-hop has recently entered mainstream Chinese youth culture, thanks in part to shows like Rap of China and artists like the Higher Brothers. With rap music gaining mainstream credibility in China, is the genre in danger of being co-opted? What does the future hold? Writer Yi-Ling Liu, who reported on Chengdu rap and profiled rappers such as Bohan Phoenix, will lead this discussion with Wes Chen, founding member, host and DJ of China’s first and only hip-hop radio show The Park. They are joined by Harikiri, a British-born music producer, sound designer and DJ who has worked with musicians such as Higher Brothers, as well as Shuhong (Rita) Fan and Lauren Teixeira, who has written extensively on Chinese hip-hop.
Sat 23 Mar. 60RMB.
Born from the Spittoon Arts Collective, Spittunes is a project that sets up a band or musical artist with a poet for collaboration on a special musical piece inspired by the poet’s poetry. This year sees an amazing line up: A vast array of musical styles that would suffice to be a brilliant gig alone, except that now the bands will play a special collaboration song in their sets that they have worked on together with their poets, complete with a small reading from each collaborating poet.
Sun 24 Mar. 60RMB.
With China hosting the FIBA Basketball World Cup in August and September, a dream for China to host – and win – the FIFA World Cup one day, and the 2022 Winter Olympics fast approaching, which sport reigns supreme over fanatics in China? Mark Dreyer, author of the SupChina 's Sports Column, will lead a discussion with industry insiders to sort it all out.
Sun 24 Mar. 60RMB.
Documentary filmmaker Hao Wu will discuss the making of a People’s Republic of Desire, a real-life Black Mirror story about searching for fame, fortune and human connection online. The film follows the online journeys of three live-steaming 'celebrities' in China. Hao Wu will be in conversation with Beijing Newsweek correspondent Melinda Liu.
Sat 30 Mar. 60RMB.
Samantha Shannon is a young British writer taking the publishing world by storm. She started writing when she was twelve. By the time she was 15, she was sending her first-completed novel out to agents. At the age of 21, she signed a six-figure book deal with Bloomsbury who agreed to publish the first three books in her seven-book series, beginning with The Bone Season. Sound impressive? Hear more from her and perhaps gain a few life tips.
Sun 31 Mar. 60RMB.
Launched last year at the Bookworm Literary Festival, the Beijing women’s collective NüVoices returns this year in to record a special live NüVoices Podcast. Author Alice Xin Liu will host a spirited discussion with authors Tang Fei and Ji Shaoting, two up-and-coming writers in China’s burgeoning sci-fi scene.
There are many, many more events than we could list here. For the full line-up and links to more details on each one, extract the QR code below.
Don't like QR codes? Hit 'Read more' below for the full list of events.
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