2 October 2016 Marlborough the Golding Speaker Welcome to Litfest 2016 Lionel Shriver
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marlborough literature festival 30 september – 2 october 2016 Marlborough The Golding Speaker Welcome to LitFest 2016 Lionel Shriver …and thank you to all our sponsors, friends libraries. While politicians may be apathetic author and teacher. This year we’ve widened Chaired by literary journalist Alex Clark between dysfunctional parenting and and volunteers who have supported us over about these bastions of education and social and deepened our programme for young mass murder. the past six years. If you are new to LitFest, a cohesion, we back Lionel. readers to include events for all ages. Lionel Shriver continues in a long line of very warm welcome. We’d especially like to eminent Marlborough LitFest speakers Shriver does not believe that a central thank Brewin Dolphin, who has committed to Peter James, the multi-million selling crime Other themes in our programme include sponsored by the William Golding estate. protagonist needs to be likeable and has continuing as our lead sponsor for the next writer is a great supporter of the work conservation, books as therapy, human described her characters as ‘difficult three years. conducted by The Reading Agency which rights, writing as a cathartic process, We Need To Talk About Kevin won the Orange to love’, although the humour, however helps give disadvantaged people better holding power to account and the bridging of Prize for Fiction in 2005. It was Lionel black, is ever present in her work. LitFest has always been about great life chances. Every year we put on a Big diverse cultures. Shriver’s seventh novel and followed years writing. This year we are aware of another Town Read event in conjunction with this of professional Her latest novel, The Mandibles, is set thread running through our programme: organisation to involve the town and local Perhaps the greatest advantage of all is the disappointment in 2029 and depicts a family forced to the power of books for social good and the reading groups. This year we welcome back way literature shapes us as a people. In this and virtual survive the crippling ramifications of an transforming effect of reading. We think it’s Elizabeth Buchan to discuss her book I Can’t 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death obscurity. economic earthquake besides which 2008 our most exciting programme yet and hope Begin to Tell You. there can be no better way to celebrate the Despite the was only a minor tremor. you’ll agree. Here are some events to look glory of the English language than with merits of her forward to: Lionel Shriver, this year’s Golding Michael Morpurgo, author of War Horse Simon Russell Beale. other books The author was born in North Carolina Speaker and author of We Need to Talk about and one of the nation’s favourite children’s this was the and has subsequently lived in Bangkok, Kevin, will talk about her latest book The authors has brought joy to countless kids Great writing comes to your door again! one which Nairobi, Belfast and London. She is Mandibles. She is a great advocate of public through his wonderful storytelling both as an Best wishes from the LitFest committee. caught the recognised as a highly accomplished public mood journalist on both sides of the Atlantic. Tickets £10 with its chilling Venue Town Hall allusions to the Date Friday 30 September 7.30pm Photo: Sarah Lee Sarah Photo: relationship Box Office 01249 701628 3 Primary School The Big School Reading 21st Children Read Century Style As part of our educational programme Following last year’s huge success we What makes for a gripping graphic novel? Under 5s providing free events to local school are bringing back The Big School Read, How do e-books compare with traditional Storytelling children, Abi Elphinstone will talk to Year a free event for invited students from books? Come and hear a panel of St 5 and 6 students invited from schools. Abi local secondary schools. This time it’s John’s sixth formers share their opinions Educational LitFest Storyteller Teresa Masterson has delighted specialises in teaching creative writing Sally Nicholls, author of five highly on literature. Marlborough LitFest is one young children at previous bookshop and is author of acclaimed books of the few literature festivals that values ‘If only they would read a little Dickens or a 2012 Department for Education report readings and will be running two sessions two books for 9-12 for teenagers. She the views and contributions of younger Kipling they would soon discover there ‘Reading enjoyment has been reported as due to anticipated demand. year olds, The has won both the readers. was more to life than cheating people and more important for children’s educational Dreamsnatcher and Orange New Voices watching television’. So says Matilda of her success than their family’s socio-economic No Tickets Required The Shadow Keeper. and Waterstone’s This interactive session follows last year’s philistine parents. status’. Venue Library, Marlborough High Street We’ve had great Children’s Book highly successful and enlightening video- Date Friday 30 September 11am feedback from prizes. based event. LitFest strongly endorses the sentiments This year we have an exciting programme teachers and children expressed by the late Roald Dahl who for young readers featuring experienced No Tickets Required attending these The featured book No Tickets Required frequently alluded to the social benefits of and captivating writers including Michael Venue White Horse Bookshop events in the past, will be her latest Venue White Horse Bookshop children’s reading. The educational benefits Morpurgo (see page 28) with events for all Date and Abi’s talk is set to title, An Island Of Our Date Saturday 1 October 10.30am Sunday 2 October 12.30pm are similarly dramatic and according to ages from the under fives to teenagers. xxx Photo: be just as inspiring. Own. 4 www.marlboroughlitfest.org Box Office 01249 701628 5 Children’s Authors Sarah McIntyre & Philip Reeve Athelstan Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre create set is essential in order to create visuals enthralling and zany illustrated books for that will captivate young imaginations. Tom Holland children, their latest being a visual feast with stunning two-colour illustrations on Children’s Event – Philip and Sarah bring The formation of England happened tells the story of Alfred (Athelstan’s every page. There will be two sessions, for you Jinks & O’Hare, the brilliant repair against the odds - the division of the grandfather) and Wessex, as well as two very different audiences. team who keep Funfair Moon running country into rival kingdoms, the assaults Athelstan’s own reign. Warren Dave Photo: smoothly. Could you handle a VIOLENT of the Vikings, the precarious position Book Illustration – with Sarah McIntyre FUDGESPLOSION, a GRAVITY INVERSION of the island on the edge of the known Tom is the author of several novels and This session will have wide appeal for or a MARAUDING CANDYFLOSS world. But King Alfred ensured the revered historical works together with anyone with an interest in art as well CREATURE? From the dynamic team who survival of Wessex, his son Eadweard short fiction, as those studying art, media or graphic brought you Oliver and the Seawigs, Cakes in expanded it, and his grandson Athelstan drama and design for GCSE, A Level or IB. In this Space and Pugs of the Frozen North this event finally united Mercia and Wessex, documentaries fascinating talk Sarah divulges some is set to be hilarious and slightly mad. The conquered Northumbria and became and he is a of the practical and creative skills she event is suitable for children aged 7-12. Rex totius Britanniae. presenter of uses as a children’s book illustrator and Radio 4’s Making artist including craft tools, materials and The winners of our children’s short story Tom Holland recounts this History. He served technology. She also demonstrates how and illustration competitions will also be extraordinarily exciting story with relish as chair of the understanding your target audience’s mind announced at this event. and drama, leading us to understand Society of Authors Tickets £8 the often confusing history of the and is a member Tickets £5 Tickets £5 Venue Town Hall Anglo-Saxon Kings better than ever of the Authors XI Venue White Horse Bookshop Venue Town Hall Date Saturday 1 October 10.30am before. Athelstan goes back to the very cricket team. Date Date Saturday 1 October 11.30am Saturday 1 October 1.30pm beginning of the British monarchy and Charlie Hopkinson Photo: 6 www.marlboroughlitfest.org Box Office 01249 701628 7 City of Thorns City of Thorns is the second book by Ben Rawlence. The title refers to Dadaab in northern Kenya, the world’s largest Ben refugee camp and ‘city’ whose houses are constructed from mud, thorns and bits of Rawlence plastic. The thorn bush is the only plant that grows in this desert. Dadaab takes on different associations dependent on your standpoint - for the inhabitants it’s a last resort and, just about, a home. For the government it’s nothing but a terrorist breeding ground. Rawlence interweaves the stories of nine Publishing Unbound Books individuals including a barrow trader, a youth leader and a child soldier. The democratisation of publishing - is it a book that fails to fit the cookie-cutter gets to publication, and is thus particularly good thing, or will it dumb down writing? rejected. Could the long term result of this qualified to judge between them. The author has worked as a speech approach be less choice, less eccentricity writer for the Liberal Democrats and The internet now allows authors to pitch and a ‘blanding’ of literature.