For this 36th Philo Bistro, we welcome Professor James Curran, a long-time Francophile and leading historian at the University of Sydney specialising in modern Australian history and foreign policy. His latest book "Grand Ambition: Paul Keating's Global Vision for Australia" (Simon & Schuster) is an unflinching portrait of the former Australian Prime Minister and his vision of an Australia resolutely engaged with the world.
But behind the statesman lies another, more intimate passion: France. From his house, entirely reimagined to evoke different French eras and
regions, to his pronounced taste for French furniture, architecture and art de vivre, Paul Keating has never hidden a fascination that
borders, at times, on obsession.
Olivier Vojetta is a French author, literary critic, and creative strategy consultant based in Sydney. A former finance professional, he now advises senior executives and writes novels exploring themes of escape and transformation. His contribution to cultural dialogue through Philo Bistro was recognised with the 2024 French Australian Excellence Award in Arts and Culture (Prix Yves Hernot).
