Truth is stranger than fiction. Can fiction be stronger than truth? Geraldine Brooks and Mark Colvin

In a society seemingly obsessed with (and overcome by) stories, where should we look for truth? Is ‘emotional truth’ a valuable tool and vehicle for reflection, or is it a foolhardy conceit? What does literature offer a world abundant with decadence and despair?

Geraldine Brooks is perfectly placed to consider these questions. Across two decades, the exceptionally accomplished writer has crafted a distinguished career as a foreign correspondent as well as a bestselling author of fiction and non-fiction, winning awards for all three – including the Pulitzer Prize for her novel March. Her far-reaching work has reached topics including rebellion, desire, geopolitics and distant history, augmented by her personal commitment to environmentalism and conversion to Judaism.

Brooks will investigate reality and imagination with a fellow traveller – highly respected journalist, filmmaker and veteran ABC broadcaster Mark Colvin, whose foreign reporting work includes the American hostage crisis in Tehran, the Cambodian peace process and the Ethiopian famine.

Tickets to this event are available at the door. Arrive at least twenty minutes prior to the event to purchase.

Note to early bookers: if you booked tickets to this event prior to Thursday 19 November, some details may have changed. Please check theinterrobang.wheelercentre.com/#important-info for details.