Author Talk with Tegan Bennett Daylight

Join local author Tegan Bennett Daylight in conversation discussing her latest young adult novel, “How to Survive 1985”.

The session is best suited for ages 13+. Tickets cost $5 per person and include tea, coffee and light refreshments. Bookings are essential.

Purchase a book from our Harry Hartog pop-up on the night to have it personally signed by Tegan.

Please advise us on 4732 7891 if you have accessibility requirements for this program.

About How to Survive 1985

‘How to Survive 1985’ is the follow up to Tegan’s acclaimed YA novel ‘Royals’, which was shortlisted for the Ethel Turner Prize for Young People’s Literature at the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and named a ‘Best Book of the Year’ in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Guardian. ‘Royals’ received glowing praise from Alice Pung, who described it as ‘A real page-turner of a book, full of vivid characters, intrigue and genuine warmth. The setting is so realistically unsettling, and the teenagers so likeable, that I was hooked from the beginning.’

‘How to Survive 1985’ is a warm, life-affirming story that follows four friends who find themselves thrown back in time to 1985. This sure-fire family conversation starter looks at how the teens of today would survive in their parents’ era – how do they manage the harsh attitudes and language, the lack of internet, and most importantly, their teenaged parents. Optimistic and heartwarming, this is Up-lit for today’s teens. In the face of a lot of pessimism about Gen Z and the world they’re inheriting, Tegan explores the positive aspects of Gen Z: their care for each other, their moral fibre, their resilience, and resourcefulness. Gen Z is surrounded by so many dystopian visions of their world and future (in the news as well as books), ‘How to Survive 1985’ is a wonderful demonstration of the ways many things have improved. Most notably, sexism, racism and ableism.

About Tegan Bennett Daylight

Tegan Bennett Daylight is a writer, teacher and critic. Her books include the Stella Award shortlisted Six Bedrooms and the novels Safety and Bombora. She lives in the Blue Mountains with her husband and two children.