100 Years of Charmian Clift: A Life and Legacy with Kate Forsyth

The legacy of Australian writer Charmian Clift has come increasingly into focus. A trailblazer for women in the male-dominated world of journalism whose novels, essays, and memoirs were marked by their lyrical prose and fearless honesty. Clift remains a source of inspiration for many writers - especially women. She was the nexus of the famous artistic community on the small island of Hydra, where she lived with her family during the 1950s and 60s. Her works from this time, Mermaid Singing and Peel Me a Lotus, beautifully capture the essence of the Greek landscape, its people and their struggles, and offer readers profound insights into her own experiences. These works, along with Clift’s own life, continue to captivate audiences today and contribute to the ongoing allure of Greece, and above all Hydra, as a literary and cultural destination.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Charmian Clift’s birth, join award-winning author and poet Dr Kate Forsyth for a literary talk on Clift’s life, legacy and connection to Greece. Kate will also share some information about her upcoming literary tour to Greece, which includes a pilgrimage to Hydra to learn about Clift’s life and community there.

Dr Kate Forsyth is an award -winning author, poet, and storyteller.  Her most recent novel is The Crimson Thread, a reimagining of ‘The Minotaur in the Labyrinth’ myth set in Crete during the Nazi invasion and occupation of World War II. Other historical novels include Beauty in Thorns, a reimagining of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ told in the voices of four women of the Pre-Raphaelite circle of artists and poets; The Wild Girl, the story of the forbidden romance behind the Grimm brothers’ fairy tales which was named Most Memorable Love Story of 2013; and Bitter Greens, a reinvention of ‘Rapunzel’ which won the 2015 American Library Association award for Best Historical Fiction.