Catch your favourite authors in conversation in the ANU Meet the Author series – now from the comfort of your home!

With over two dozen events and counting, the ever-popular Meet The Author series has been drawing some of the biggest names in literature, history, politics, science and current affairs to Kambri since the precinct’s opening 18 months ago.

It’s a highly successful partnership between ANU, the Canberra Times, Kambri, and Harry Hartog Booksellers, and is part of the larger ANU/Canberra Times Meet The Author series that has been captivating the Canberra community for almost three decades.

Prior to the mandatory restrictions on social gatherings caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the Meet The Author events were held in T2, the multi-use event space located on the upper level of the Cultural Centre. Events attracting larger crowds of over 500 – such as the ‘In Conversation’ featuring comedian and writer Shaun Micallef discussing his book ‘Mad as Hell and Back’ – were held in the spacious Manning Clark Hall.

Each event also gave members of the general public the opportunity to purchase the guest speaker’s book from Harry Hartog and have it personally signed either before or at the conclusion of the talk.

Stand-out events at Kambri have so far included: Australia’s favourite science guru, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki; award-winning writer and journalist, Jane Caro; Karen Viggars, the Canberra award-winning author of three international bestselling novels; the ABC Q&A host and one of Australia’s most admired journalists, Tony Jones; and Blanche d’Alpuget, whose latest book ‘Bob Hawke: The Complete Biography’ details the life of her late husband.

Although social gathering restrictions caused the cancellation of some Meet the Author events, ANU soon found a way to continue them in the virtual world, giving book lovers and knowledge seekers the chance to gain insights into their favourite authors, year-round. Signed copies of the books are still available to purchase online on the Harry Hartog website.

The first virtual event was held in April and was a conversation between former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who spoke about his recently released memoir, ‘A Bigger Picture’, with Katharine Murphy, the Guardian Australia’s political editor. You can view the conversation here. 

Upcoming virtual live events include appearances from:

• Marian Wilkinson discussing her new book ‘The Carbon Club’, the inside story of how a network of influential climate sceptics, politicians and business leaders fought to control Australia’s climate policy.
• Chris Wallace on her book ‘How To Win An Election’, which spells out the ten things a political leader and their party must excel at to maximise the chance of success, and against which they should be accountable between and during elections.
• Katharine Murphy with a timely exploration of her new Quarterly Essay, ‘The End of Certainty. Scott Morrison and Pandemic Politics’.
• Andrew Leigh and Nick Terrell on their new book ‘Reconnected. A Community Builder’s Handbook’.

Check here for the latest news on the Meet the Author series.

Meet the Author talks are also regularly podcasted and are available through Soundcloud.

As restrictions are eased, we look forward to once again hosting in-person gatherings for Meet the Author events at Kambri.

PARSA Cycles at Kambri is ready to help make your cycling experience better than ever!

After a three-month hiatus, PARSA Cycles is open for business again, assisting the ANU and Canberra community with all their biking needs. After having opened their doors in March – just as the COVID19 pandemic hit – and having to close almost immediately, the team are grateful to have received such a warm welcome for their reopening in June.

PARSA Cycles is a social enterprise that gives pre-loved bikes a second chance, as well as offering a limited number of new cycles for sale, with a focus on maintenance and repair for students, faculty, and Canberrans alike.

With campus reopening, many students and staff are getting their bikes serviced and ready for the coming warmer months, which means the workshop is getting busier too. Stock – including chains, brake pads and cables – is constantly being replenished to keep bikes running safe and smoothly.

Popular accessories, such as locks, lights, racks and helmets, are in constant demand, while other items like grips, pumps, and multi-tools are growing with the cycling boom that has accompanied the pandemic.

If you need anything to get your dream bike build finished or to replace old worn-out items, drop by the store and have a chat with the shop manager Zac or one of the team members. They’re open Monday to Friday from 10am until 3pm.

You’ll find Zac super friendly and easy to talk to – he’s an ANU student himself, finishing off a Bachelor of Design at the School of Art and Design. He might even show you his own bike – a Vivente Swabia frame that he built up with Campagnolo shifters, Salsa Cowchippers, and a Rawland Cycles front rack.

Don’t worry if all of that sounds like a foreign language to you – the PARSA Cycles team is happy to let you know as much or as little as you like about bike repairs and maintenance. In fact, when social gathering restrictions allow, they plan to host free workshops to educate students on the basics of bike maintenance and repair – they see it as an investment in students and the future by empowering them to be self-reliant and getting the most out of their bike.

There are several standard services on offer, including:

• $10 tube change
• $30 brake adjust
• $40 gear adjust
• $60 basic service
• $100 general service (which includes a wheel true, adjusting and lubricating the gears and brakes, and a clean). 

Staff from PARSA Cycles can also recommend some of their favourite areas to ride near Canberra, and in the future will start some casual group rides from the shop so locals can meet other people who love to cycle.

For more information you can visit @PARSACycles on Facebook or @parsa.anu on Instagram, search their website www.parsacycles.com or email them at [email protected]

What are you waiting for? On your bike!