Zadie Smith: Dead and Alive

Zadie Smith returns to Melbourne to explore how literature and imagination trace the unseen fractures of our existence, showcasing her unrivalled ability to think deeply and compassionately about the challenges of our times.

From her beloved novels – White Teeth, On Beauty, The Fraud – to her wide-ranging essay collections, including Changing My Mind, Zadie Smith has captivated readers and critics alike with her singular literary voice and boundless intellectual curiosity.

Now, in her exhilarating and keenly awaited new essay collection, Dead and Alive, Smith takes readers on a journey through the passions that have shaped her life: the artists that move her, the writers who’ve shaped her and the city she calls home. With a sharp eye on both past and present, she explores what it means to live thoughtfully in our contemporary moment while remaining connected to the histories that shape it.

In this rare and unmissable event, Smith sits down with host Benjamin Law for an evening of conversation about art, politics, memory, compassion and the enduring question of what makes us human.