Summary of Christos Tsiolkas in conversation with David Marr (Sydney Writers' Festival)

00:00:00 - 00:50:00

Christos Tsiolkas discusses his new book, Barracuda, and how it relates to his earlier novels. He also discusses his fascination with religion and how it has shaped the world.

• 00:00:00 Christos Tsiolkas discusses his writing, which often tackles difficult topics such as hatred and rage, and how these emotions have helped him cope with difficult experiences in his life.
• 00:05:00 Christos Tsiolkas talks about the importance of writing, how it saved him, and how his parents reacted when they read his work. He says that he didn't want to write polite books, and that his parents responded negatively when they read his work.
• 00:10:00 Christos Tsiolkas discusses his writing process and how he uses brutal and vulgar language to communicate concepts such as masculinity and femininity. He also discusses the importance of communication between parents and children and how he strives to create a similar relationship with his mother in Greek.
• 00:15:00 Christos Tsiolkas discusses his novels' themes of parental obligation, male identity, and engagement with politics. He explains that, despite his reluctance to live by his parents' values, he never completely turned away from them.
• 00:20:00 Christos Tsiolkas discusses the various challenges and pleasures of writing, including Dead Europe, which tackles racism and anti-Semitism. He also discusses how writing is a process of constantly renegotiating and adapting to the ever-changing landscape of society.
• 00:25:00 Christos Tsiolkas discusses how moving from Melbourne suburbs to Box Hill at the age of thirteen transformed his life. He credits literature, specifically the novels and films he loved when he was young, with inspiring his political engagement.
• 00:30:00 Christos Tsiolkas discusses his novel, Barracuda, and the role of women in gay male lives. He describes the friendships he formed in high school and the importance of female friends in those years.
• 00:35:00 <could not summarize>
• 00:40:00 Christos Tsiolkas discusses his new novel, Barracuda, and how it examines the question of what it means to be good in the world. Tsiolkas' friend, Angel Savage, challenges him to write a novel about this topic. Tsiolkas revisits some of his favorite books and finds that they all explore the question of what it means to be good.
• 00:45:00 Christos Tsiolkas discusses his new book, Barracuda, and how it relates to his earlier novels. He also discusses his fascination with religion and how it has shaped the world.
• 00:50:00 The video features Christos Tsiolkas in conversation with David Marr. Tsiolkas discusses his book, "The Ruined City," and Marr points out that Tsiolkas' book is different from other novels because it is based on true events. Marr also discusses how Tsiolkas' book has helped him learn more about Christianity.