15/02/08 Michael Palin confirms for Co-operative Bank Henley Literary Festival

We can now confirm that television star and writer Michael Palin will be one of the leading names at our 2008 event, scheduled to take place September 19–21.  Mr Palin will appear on the first day of the festival, now in its second year.

The actor, who made his name in Monty Python, has agreed to give a talk on his traveling experiences gained through his progammes with the BBC.  The popular series has taken Palin as far as the Himalayas, the Sahara and across Europe.  A range of books and guides have been published to accompany the series.

His most recent series ‘New Europe’, which was shown last year, was a huge critical success and it took him to 20 countries charting the change in the map of the continent since the fall of communism.

'My account of New Europe is made up as ever from the contents of hand-scribbled note-books which are my most precious traveling companions. For the first time in seven series I lost one of my books, stolen, together with my shoulder bag at Budapest airport.  It contained my notes on the Baltic states. But the experiences were so vivid in my memory that I was able to piece most of them together, and with the help of impressions recorded into my personal recorder( as used by Jack Bauer in 24), the damage was not fatal!' recalls Palin.

The success of his travel programmes has meant that Palin has a whole new audience, although even in some of the most remote spots that he has traveled to he is recognised as one of the Python team.  His easy-going style and his inquisitiveness have helped make his travel work an immense success. From Pole to Pole and Hemingway's Adventure, each programme has had a distinct and different flavour.  The first programme was Around the World in 80 days, of which he says: 'I'm still very fond of this trip.  It started the ball rolling.  I can't quite believe that three people had already turned it down before me. When the BBC asked if I wanted to go round the world, all expenses paid, there seemed only one answer.

'Not until dawn on the day of departure did a full-blown, gut-tightening panic set in.  I had volunteered to deliver six fifty-minute documentaries, (having only done one in my life before), against the clock, with absolutely no script at all, on a route that might change without warning.  Nothing like it had been attempted before.’

Festival Director Sue Ryan said: 'I am delighted that Michael has agreed to come along. He is a hugely popular figure and I am thrilled that he has found time in his busy diary to come and talk. I have no doubt it will be one of the most sought-after tickets.'

This year's festival will feature more than 50 events being held at a range of venues across Henley including the Town Hall, the Kenton Theatre and the River and Rowing Museum. 

01/02/08 Co-operative Bank Henley Literary Festival exclusive Friend of the Festival opportunity

For those of you who were disappointed not to be able to get tickets for some of last year’s events you may wish to become a Friend of Henley Literary Festival, which is a non profit making organisation. In return for £100 you get priority booking two weeks before the tickets go on sale to the public, plus we are planning a café area during the festival to which you will be entitled to free drinks.

To join please email info@henleylitfestival.co.uk

23/01/08 Co-operative Bank Henley Literary Festival confirmed for second year

Following the success of the inaugural 2007 event, the Co-operative Bank Henley Literary Festival has confirmed that it will be holding its second festival in the town on September 19–21, 2008. The final programme of events will be firmed up in the coming months, but the organisers anticipate a line-up to rival the dazzling array of authors on offer in 2007.Last year’s event attracted such names as varied as General Sir Mike Jackson, Irvine Welsh, Jeremy Paxman, John Mortimer and Mike Atherton.

Festival Director Sue Ryan said: "We had a terrific postbag afterwards asking us to do it again. The comments received prove that we created exactly the buzz we had hoped for. We have a lot to live up to but even at this early stage everyone I have spoken to is full of enthusiasm both within the town and the publishing industry. Henley is right there on the Literary Festival map.
I am also delighted to announce that the Festival will continue to be supported by its title sponsor, The Co-operative Bank and the Bank’s local staff based at their Reading branch will be actively involved in the Festival over the months to come.
We are also thrilled that the River and Rowing Museum and the Kenton Theatre have once again been generous in offering their facilities. Both writers and audience loved those venues.”

The three-day festival will take a similar format to last year’s event, with around 60 events, consisting of talks, debates and performances, held across a range of venues in the town centre. New developments in the pipeline for 2008 include: an extended children’s programme; a tribute dinner to a well-known author; events celebrating the centenary of the publication of Wind in the Willows; an online booking service; and something to mark the 60th anniversary of Henley staging the rowing events of the 1948 London Olympics. As in 2007, local authors will feature strongly. The programme will once again cover rich variety of topics, aiming to provide ‘something for everyone’.

Aileen Walters, Sponsorship Manager for The Co-operative Bank, commented: ‘We are delighted to offer our continued support to the festival. Last year’s inaugural event was a huge success. We aim to help Sue and her team build on that success to create an even better festival in 2008.’