The Sydney Writers' Festival is back for another year of wordy wonder, and their first out of season event for 2011 is a pretty spectacular double bill featuring Scottish writer Andrew O'Hagan and famed American lady of letters Annie Proulx, together for one night at City Recital Hall. O'Hagan is here in Sydney promoting his newest book, The Life and Opinions of Maf the Dog, and of his Friend Marilyn Monroe. Told through the voice of Monroe's dog, gifted to her by infamous ladies' man Frank Sinatra, the book explores the radical social and political changes of the 1960's. The unique take on a fascinating period comes at just the right time, what with renewed obsession with pencil skirts, zippo lighters and all things Mad Men. Annie Proulx, the celebrated author of The Shipping News and Brokeback Mountain, both of which have won a slew of literary and film awards, is here promoting her latest book Bird Cloud, her first non-fiction book in more than twenty years. The book has been described elsewhere as "real estate porn," and depicts the author's pained attempts at trying to build her dream home in the wild's of Wyoming. Want to win a double pass to Annie Proulx's talk at City Recital Hall on March 10? For a chance to score tickets, email the Sydney Writers' Festival at offers@swf.org.au with 'Concrete Playground Proulx Pass' in the headline by 5pm Friday February 25.
