HISTORY OF THE NOVEL – AT THE AUCKLAND WRITERS & READERS FESTIVAL

This panel, chaired by Fiona Kidman, and featuring three illustrious novelists, (as Kidman rightly described them), promised much but in the end ran badly out of time because one of the authors read for far too long.

Things started promisingly with an excellent introduction by the Chair followed by interesting comments and an electrifyingly, and very sexy read from Aussie author Luke Davies, God of Speed.

Then came Sarah Hall, a hugely accomplished young British novelist for whom I have the highest regard.

I first met Sarah when I was a judge of the Commonwealth Writers Prize the year she won Best First Novel for Haweswater. Since then she has written two further fine novels including The Electric Michelangelo from which she read from tonight. Sadly she read a piece that was far too long and then went ahead and read a second excerpt..

This threw the whole schedule for the hour into chaos and I felt very sorry for Chair Kidman.

The noble Simon Montefiore , our third panelist, (Sashenka), whose books are published in a remarkable 33 langauages, read the situation skillfuly and selflessly, cut short both his comments and his reading thus kindly enabling Kidman to take three questions from the floor and still finish not too far over time.

Each of these speakers are featured later in the Festival in the popular An Hour with format.