Charlotte Wood - The Weekend

The book we've all been waiting for! The Weekend is the brilliant new novel from Charlotte Wood, acclaimed author of The Natural Way of Things. Sharply observed & excruciatingly funny, it explores growing old and growing up, and what happens when we're forced to uncover the lies we tell ourselves. 

Charlotte is in-conversation with Susan Wyndham, Literary Editor of The Sydney Morning Herald. 

About the Book

Four older women have a lifelong friendship of the best kind: loving, practical, frank and steadfast. But when Sylvie dies, the ground shifts dangerously for the remaining three. Can they survive together without her?

They are Jude, a once-famous restaurateur, Wendy, an acclaimed public intellectual, and Adele, a renowned actress now mostly out of work. Struggling to recall exactly why they've remained close all these years, the grieving women gather for Christmas at Sylvie's old beach house - not for festivities, but to clean the place out before it is sold.

Without Sylvie to maintain the group's delicate equilibrium, frustrations build and painful memories press in. Fraying tempers, an elderly dog, unwelcome guests and too much wine collide in a storm that brings long-buried hurts to the surface - and threatens to sweep away their friendship for good.

The Weekend explores growing old and growing up, and what happens when we're forced to uncover the lies we tell ourselves. Sharply observed and excruciatingly funny, this is a jewel of a book: a celebration of tenderness and friendship.

Praise

"A compelling and vivid look at the friendships we make as women. Honest, unsettling and, like all good literature, had me asking questions about life and myself."  - Heather Rose, author of The Museum of Modern Love, winner of the 2017 Stella Prize.  

"A super sharp, wry, touching and witty portrayal of the bedrock of friendship that underpins us as we age. Charlotte has done such justice to her characters - Wendy, Jude and Adele are so real, their emotions so powerful, it was a wrench to leave them behind after I’d finished the book."  - Lucy H, Better Read Than Dead.  

About the Author

Charlotte Wood has been described as 'one of our most original and provocative writers'. She is the author of six novels and two books of non-fiction. Her bestselling novel, The Natural Way of Things, won the 2016 Stella Prize, the Indie Book of the Year and Indie Book Award for Fiction, was joint winner of the Prime Minister's Literary Award for Fiction, and was published throughout Europe, the United Kingdom and North America. 

She has been twice shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award, as well as many others for this and previous works. Her non-fiction books include The Writer's Room, a collection of interviews with authors about the creative process, and Love & Hunger, a book about cooking. She lives in Sydney with her husband. 

A Note on the Venue

The Vanguard is a strictly adults only venue.