The Rebel’s Book Club: Risks, Revolution, and Resistance
“Reading Matters, it’s the most concentrated form of experience we have.” – Vivienne Westwood
From 8.00–9.00pm
Level 4 – part of the Closing party: A luxe rebellion
As part of the Closing party: A luxe rebellion for Vivienne Westwood & Jewellery, join writers Michelle Duff, Whiti Hereaka (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa, Ngāti Whakaue, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Tumatawera, Tainui and Pākehā), and Una Cruickshank with Verb Wellington’s Claire Mabey for a conversation about the power of reading, writing, and art.
Four avid readers and writers take Vivienne’s cue and discuss why reading has mattered to them, and why they think it matters to the world.
What books have shaped their lives?
What risks and leaps of faith have they taken in their own writing?
Who are their literary champions, activists and influencers?
Michelle Duff is a journalist and writer from Te Whanganui-a-Tara. She was the winner of the 2023 Fiction Prize from the International Institute of Modern Letters. Her journalism has appeared in Aotearoa and internationally, including in the Guardian, Stuff, New Zealand Geographic, the Melbourne Age and the Sunday Times. Her first book of fiction is the short story collection Surplus Women (2025).
Una Cruickshank is the author of The Chthonic Cycle, a collection of essays that take gemstones as their starting points. From there her writing explores intrerwoven, often surreal histories of culture, class and capitalism. The Chthonic Cycle is a finalist in the General Nonfiction category of the 2025 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. Una loves antique jewellery and John Waters movies.
Whiti Hereaka is a novelist and playwright of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa, Ngāti Whakaue, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Tumatawera, Tainui, and Pākehā descent. She teaches Creative Writing at Massey University and is currently working towards her PhD. She is the author of four novels: The Graphologist’s Apprentice, Bugs, Legacy, and Kurangaituku. Her latest book You Are Here is a collaboration with artist Peata Larkin.
Claire Mabey is founder of literary organisation Verb Wellington, books editor at The Spinoff, and curator of bookish events. Her first novel, The Raven's Eye Runaways, was published in 2024 by Allen & Unwin. The sequel is coming in 2026. Claire lives on Wellington’s wild South Coast and is mum to son, Charlie, who shares her love of spooky tales, Beatrix Potter, and making up stories.
From top right: Clare Mabey (photo by Andrew Laking), Una Cruickshank (photo by Troy Coutts), Whiti Hereaka (photo by Tabitha Arthur), and Michelle Duff (photo by Ebony Lamb)
