Owning history – WORD Christchurch Shifting Points of View, Saturday 31 August 1pm

Many years ago I had tickets to see Simon Winchester at an earlier incarnation of the WORD Christchurch Festival. Then some earthquakes happened and venues were few and far between and I got a refund because that event never went ahead.

So whether or not to attend one of his upcoming WORD Christchurch appearances was something of a no-brainer for me. Winchester's story of the development of the Oxford English Dictionary, The Surgeon of Crowthorne, is one of the most enjoyable, riveting history books I've ever read.

And then if you add in Vincent O'Malley, a man who is articulate and passionate about the history of our own country and improving our collective understanding of the colonial context it was born from - well, that's a combination you won't want to miss.

And then if you included academic Sacha McMeeking, who was one of my favourite things about last year's Art we there yet? WORD Christchurch event... well,  wild horses couldn't keep me away. 

I have heard McMeeking speak on a couple of occasions now and she is always keenly intelligent, thoughtful, and inspiring. So these three all together will be a treat. I'm keen to hear what they have to say on how we understand our history, and what effect it can have on how we make decisions today. How do you foster a deeper understanding of complex, multi-layered stories, as surely all histories are? The challenges facing us today are great - can history show us the way forward? Or are we merely doomed to repeat it?

Maybe some of my various questions will find answers during this session. In any case, I'm looking forward to the conversation.

Find out more

• Find out more and buy tickets.
• Read Kate's blog post about Simon Winchester.
• Read Kate's blog post about Vincent O'Malley.
• Find books in our collection by:
  • Simon Winchester
  • Vincent O'Malley
• Subscribe to the Facebook event.

WORD Christchurch Shifting Points of View

WORD Christchurch presents Shifting Points of View — a spectacular line-up of New Zealand and international speakers to warm you up and get you thinking. Shifting Points of View runs from Sunday 18 August to Saturday 14 September 2019. Visit our page on WORD Christchurch Shifting Points of View for more information, previews, reviews, and WORD reading.