WHO to see at this year's Melbourne Writers Festival, running from August 22 to September 1. Boris Johnson. The irrepressible London Mayor delivers the opening night address. He plans to talk about literature, not politics, but good luck with that a fortnight before the federal election. Johnson is doing several other events. Laurent Binet. A rising star of French literature, his remarkable debut novel HhHH is about the assassination of Nazi leader Reinhard Heydrich. Peter Singer. The globally recognised Australian philosopher discusses effective altruism. Nicolas Rothwell. The Australian's Darwin correspondent takes a break from the heat to talk about his cool novel, Belomor. Sarah Dunant. The English novelist on the misunderstood Lucrezia Borgia. See main story. Junot Diaz. One of America's hippest writers talks about his work - and about love, we are promised - with resident hipster Jennifer Byrne. A new culture war? What would a change of government mean for the nation's arts policy? Julianne Schultz, George Megalogenis, Marcus Westbury and Esther Anatolitis ponder just that. Mark Latham. Speaking of cultural warriors, the former federal Labor leader and acerbic writer delivers the John Button Oration. His subject? That's a no brainer: the future of the ALP. Michelle de Kretser. The Miles Franklin and Prime Minister's Literary Award winner takes us on a tour of her novel, Questions of Travel. John Burnside. The Scottish poet and author does good grim, so it will be interesting to hear him explain his new collection, Something Like Happy. Anne Summers. Australia's feminist-in-chief explores the misogyny factor and the dumping of Julia Gillard. War wounds. Former Australian Army commander John Cantwell and Sydney-born English writer Margaret Evison, whose soldier son was killed in Afghanistan, share their personal experiences of war and loss. Mrs Eliot. London Review of Books editor Mary-Kay Wilmers and local novelist Steven Carroll consider the life of TS Eliot's first wife and muse Vivienne. Chaired by Chris Wallace-Crabbe. Inside the London Review of Books. The LRB has a large contingent in town. Wilmers, publisher Nicholas Spice and other editors and writers reveal the workings of the prestigious literary journal. Nothing is surer than they will be grilled about the lack of women in its pages. Henry Reynolds. The eminent historian makes his case that the frontier conflict between indigenous peoples and white settlers should be recognised as a war. Lloyd Jones. The masterful New Zealand storyteller talks to Ramona Koval about his new memoir, A History of Silence. Alexis Wright. The Miles Franklin winner has just published a new novel, The Swan Book, which imagines a frightening Australian future. Colm Toibin. Part of the LRB posse, the Irish writer is a star attraction. His powerful new novel, The Testament of Mary, has been longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Shereen El Feki. The British-Egyptian academic, author of Sex and the Citadel, lifts the veil on sex in the Arab world. Shaun Tan. The Oscar-winning Australian artist presents an illustrated talk that charts the creation of picture books. Ruth Ozeki. The acclaimed Canadian-American novelist is also a Zen Buddhist priest, which must come in handy during the audience Q&A. Andrew O'Hagan. Another LRBer and quite simply one of the smartest, sharpest and funniest writers in the world. Alex Miller. The dual Miles Franklin winner unveils his 11th novel, Coal Creek, which will be on sale at the festival, a month before it hits the stores. Full program at mwf.com.au