From Malcolm Gladwell to Jane Urquhart, Vancouver Writers Fest gives sneak peek at 2024 lineup

More than 120 international and local writers will appear in over 85 events in fest running October 21 to 27

By Gail Johnson

Jane Urquhart.

Malcolm Gladwell.

VANCOUVER WRITERS FEST has released a sneak peek at its 2024 programming. More than 120 local and international scribes will take part in over 85 events at the festival running October 21 to 27 across Granville Island and in Lower Mainland schools.

Featured authors include Jane Urquhart, Ann Cleeves, Tanya Talaga, Adam Pottle, Nita Prose, Andrey Kurkov, Gabor Maté, Dionne Brand, Elizabeth Renzetti, Rumaan Alam, Murray Sinclair, Liane Moriarty, Jody Wilson-Raybould, Thuận, Ian Williams, Malcolm Gladwell, Louise Erdrich, Rachel Kushner, Beverley McLachlin, Roddy Doyle, Richard Powers, Drew Hayden-Taylor, Daniel Levitin, and more.

It all kicks off with A Grand Opening: Finding Joy Amid Turmoil. The gathering features Andrey Kurkov; Heather O’Neill; Bill Richardson; Tanya Talaga; John Vaillant; and this year’s guest curator, Kim Thúy, who will share their thoughts on where they find happiness in difficult times.

There are numerous other events, such as The Mystery Queens featuring Ann Cleeves, Beverley McLachlin, and Nita Prose together on stage for the first time to discuss their bestselling works; Romancing the Page, in which Holly Gramazio, Yulin Kuang, and Leanne Toshiko Simpson delve into why the romcom genre has doubled in readership since 2020; Science and Fiction featuring James Bradley and Pulitzer-winner Richard Powers, who will discuss the intersections of literature and nature; The Knowing with Tanya Talaga, who shares a retelling of Canadian history through a personal, Indigenous lens; and Roddy Doyle in Conversation, wherein the Booker Prize–-winning author of The Women Behind the Door explores the concealed truths of domestic violence and its aftermath.

Food for Thought makes a comeback with a continental breakfast, signature mimosas, and topical conversations with six non-fiction authors; then there are The Poetry Bash, The Literary Cabaret, and The Afternoon Tea.

Kern Carter, Marty Chan, Alison McCreesh, Linh S. Nguyễn, Adam Pottle, Adam de Souza, and Kevin Sylvester are among the children’s authors and illustrators including taking part this year’s youth lineup.

Thúy, the author of Ru, Mãn, and Em makes several appearances, including one in Thuận in Conversation, a discussion with the Vietnam-born author about her new release, Elevator in Sài Gòn; and What I’ve Done For Writing, in which Heather O’Neill, Brandon Taylor, and Jenny Heijun Wills delve into what it means to write honestly. 

The fest is also hosting four special events this fall: on September 18, there’s Liane Moriarty in Conversation with Eddy Boudel Tan for the Vancouver launch of her new novel, Here One Moment. On October 6, it’s Louise Erdrich in Conversation with Carleigh Baker about books that focus on modern-day Native American experiences. Intellectual Malcolm Gladwell in Conversation with CBC’s Ian Hanomansing on the topic of social epidemics and tipping points happens on October 14. And on November 19, Chor Leoni performs in a night of music with Daniel Levitin.

Full program details will be released on September 10, and tickets go on sale to the public on September 17. Keep an eye on the fest site here for details. 

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