As the evenings get chillier, autumn is a great time to curl up on the sofa with a book. For those willing to venture a little further from home, there’s still time to attend one of the UK’s excellent literary festivals. These jam-packed events offer plenty of opportunities to connect with other book lovers from across the country and attend star-studded readings, talks and signings. Here are our top picks.
Stratford Literary Festival
Stratford Literary Festival returns at the end of October with another fantastic line-up. Dr Rachel Clarke will be discussing her extraordinary book, “The Story of a Heart”, which follows a human heart through the organ donation system; Mick Herron, creator of “Slow Horses”, will be giving a talk on the ninth book in his bestselling “Slough House” series, and Nicola Sturgeon will be discussing her memoir “Frankly”, in which she reflects on her journey from a working-class family in Ayrshire to becoming the First Minister of Scotland. Other highlights include a series of workshops, including one with the puzzlers behind the YouTube channel “Cracking the Cryptic”, and a hands-on session with historian Julie Summers on how to write an engaging memoir or biography.
stratfordliteraryfestival.co.uk, 30 October – 2 November
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Durham Book Festival
One of the country’s oldest literary festivals, Durham Book Festival’s three-day line-up this year includes journalist and debut murder-mystery writer Jeremy Vine, Jonathan Coe, Pat Barker, Natasha Brown and poet Andrew McMillan. Durham-born former US presidential adviser Fiona Hill will be also launching her podcast series, “Forged in the North”, exploring how the Northeast has shaped the lives of successful people, from Sting to “Dragons’ Den” star Sara Davies.
newwritingnorth.com, 10-12 October
London Literature Festival
This two-week celebration of the written and spoken word at London’s Southbank Centre features big names and rising literary stars. Highlights from the programme include an afternoon with the Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, a conversation with Kamala Harris, reflections on a foodie life from restaurant critic Jimi Famurewa, a book launch from Sebastian Faulks, and a discussion with Zadie Smith about her new collection of essays.
southbankcentre.co.uk, 21 October-2 November
Cliveden Literary Festival, Berkshire
There’s not much to match lively literary debate in a stunning stately house setting. This year’s star-studded line-up includes Salman Rushdie, Marlon James, Tina Brown, Richard E Grant, Jonathan Freedland, Marina Warner and Andrew Davies. Plus Emily Maitlis, who will be hosting Cliveden’s version of “Question Time”.
clivedenliteraryfestival.org, 11-12 October
Yeovil Book Festival, Somerset
This renowned festival has been running for over a decade, and returns this year with Damien Boyd and Claire Douglas. Harriet Evans will also be talking about her new family trilogy, and food writer Felicity Cloake will be showcasing her new book, “Peach Street to Lobster Lane”, about her coast-to-coast search for real American cuisine.
yeovilliteraryfestival.co.uk, 17-27 October
Wigtown Book Festival, Dumfries and Galloway
Wigtown is Scotland's National Book Town, and its 1,000 population swells to more than 13,000 when its book festival opens each year. The landscape is stunning and the event has a cosy hometown feel, beginning the week with fireworks and a hog roast before a sophisticated programme of literary discussion including such names as Damian Barr, Jeremy Hunt, Reeta Chakrabarti and Helen Lederer.
wigtownbookfestival.com, 26 September-5 October
Henley Literary Festival, Oxfordshire
There’s a huge range of literary topics on offer at this riverside town festival – from history, politics and nature to sport, food and memoir – and a great selection of conversations, talks, performances and workshops (some free). This year’s line-up includes Mary Beard, Graham Norton, Raymond Blanc, Sathnam Sanghera, Michael Morpurgo and Cressida Cowell.
henleyliteraryfestival.co.uk, 4-12 October
Cheltenham Literature Festival, Gloucestershire
First held in 1949, this annual event from The Times and Sunday Times welcomes more than 500 speakers and 100,000 visitors each year. There are over 400 events to choose from, including Michael Palin on Venezuela, Hamza Yassin on wildlife, A.C.Grayling and Paul Dolan on culture wars, Natalie Haynes on Medea, Tim Spector on fermented food, Jung Chang on her “Wild Swans” sequel, and Mick Herron on his Slough House spies.
cheltenhamfestivals.org, 10-19 October
