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50. River Readings SOLD OUT Simon Williams & Friends with Tom Fort The Hibernia 11.00, boarding from 10.30 £9 See the Thames at its bewitching best as you listen some of the most beautiful literature in the English language. Today actor Simon Williams and friends are accompanied by writer Tom Fort, who celebrates the mystery and magic of our rivers in Downstream: Across England in a Punt. Tom will talk about his books and its successor, Against the Flow, published next year. Coffee, provided by Henley’s favourite coffee house Hot Gossip, is included in the price.
51. Carol Thatcher SOLD OUT I’m the PM’s Daughter, Get Me Out of Here! Town Hall 11.00 £6 She became best known as the daughter of a famous mother, but Carol Thatcher has forged her own career through the force of her own personality. As a contestant in TV’s I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, her down-to-earth good humour won the day, and the country’s hearts. Rivetingly funny and endearingly frank, she talks today, about growing up as the Milk Snatcher’s daughter and her own occasional brush with controversy. Based on her revealing memoir A Swim-On Part in the Goldfish Bowl, you will warm to her and her honesty. Sponsored by Octopus Design
52. Gavin Esler & Ian Jack SOLD OUT Proud to be British? Phyllis Court 11.00 £5 The nation that gave the world parliamentary democracy and the industrial revolution now has a government mired in scandal and the biggest overdraft in history. So how did we get from there to here – and what do we still have to offer? Travel from Great to Little Britain with two brilliant minds. In his taut political thriller Power Play, Newsnight presenter Gavin Esler explores the mistrust implicit in our ‘special relationship’ with the US. Ian Jack’s new book, The Country Formerly Known as Great Britain, investigates how contemporary blights – national disasters, obesity and ‘chavs’ – have their roots in the past. They will discuss the state of the nation and read extracts from their books. Have your questions ready... Gavin Esler and Ian Jack will be interviewed by Julia Langdon.
53. India Knight & Jojo Moyes Shops, Shoes, Horses and Cake Kenton Theatre 11.00 £7 From sex and shopping to dieting and making ends meet, India Knight’s best-selling books home in on the stuff of women’s lives. Her column in the Sunday Times, which holds the subjects of the day up to the light of common sense, is a must-read for thousands of admirers while her latest book, The Thrift Book, is a timely testament to the art of living well on less. Here she talks to award-winning romantic novelist Jojo Moyes whose buoyant and perceptive writing proves that fine books can have a happy ending. Her latest, The Horse Dancer, provides one of the topics for today’s amusing and entertaining romp through what’s dearest to women’s hearts: shops, horses, shoes and cake. A welcome chance to forget the bad news and listen to what really matters discussed with quicksilver wit.
Spears Debate Bonfire of the Bonuses King's Arms Barn 12.00 Free
56. Patrick Bishop & Hala Jaber Reports from the Front Line
River & Rowing Museum: Thames Room 12.30 £5 What are we achieving in the Middle East? No is better placed to answer that question than these two foreign correspondents. Patrick Bishop has had exclusive access to the elite 3 Para battle group and his electrifying report reveals the reality of their mission. It’s a sombre picture but, says the author of Ground Truth: 3 Para Return to Afghanistan, shining out from it are stories of incredible courage. Award-winning foreign correspondent Hala Jaber describes the fall-out of the war in Iraq in her intimate memoir of her quest to find an child to head a fundraising campaign, The Flying Carpet to Baghdad: One Woman’s Fight for Two Orphans of War. To find an orphan to head a fundraising campaign, her heart-rendingly honest account describes how two little girls, stole her heart, and her objectivity. An opportunity to hear two distinguished war reporters talk about life on the front line, and why good intentions are not always enough.
54. Stanley Johnson Stanley, I Presume? Town Hall 12.30 £6 Father of Boris, Henley’s affectionately remembered ex-MP, Stanley’s story begins with a bang - when his father, an RAF pilot, crash-lands in a Devon field. A few years later, his parents buy a farm on nearby Exmoor, which shapes his passion for the natural world and where he still has a home. A sparkling raconteur, the original blonde bombshell tells the story of his life and times in great style. Find out how he traced his roots to Turkey where his journalist grandfather Ali Kemal was assassinated, discovered the gene that links him with George II, and became one of our first environmentalists, in this rumbustious memoir based on his best-selling book. Sponsored by Thought by Design
55. Nicci Gerrard & Sean French When Marriage Means Murder Phyllis Court 12.30 £5 The novels of Nicci French are unrivalled for psychological suspense but their creator is the biggest mystery of all. Few readers of these best-selling chillers know that the crime writer is not one person but two, the husband and wife team Nicci Gerrard and Sean French. Both are writers with their own distinctive style but as a duo, their tautly plotted books (What to do when Someone Dies is their 11th) speak with one, invariably female, voice. In this revelatory session filled with wit and laughter, they talk about the way Nicci French gatecrashed their marriage, what it’s like being partners in crime, and what keeps them awake at night. Get ready for some hair-raising insights into sinister mind games, the secrets of survival, and the temptation to rub out your better half. Irresistible.
57. River Readings Simon Williams & Friends with Jane Draycott The Hibernia 13.00, boarding from 12.30 £9 Join us for a wonderful hour on the water as our star performers bring a fabulous selection of poetry and prose to life. On this lazy afternoon, Simon Williams and friends are joined by Jane Draycott, prize-winning poet-in-residence at the River and Rowing Museum. Her last poems were acclaimed as ‘the finest collection I’ve read for ages’ by the Guardian and her new book, Over, based on the 26 letters of phonetic alphabet (alpha, bravo, charlie) is equally dazzling. Listen to her read from her evocative work as the boat heads home in an unforgettable finale to our 2009 river readings. A welcome cup of coffee is included in the price.
60. Gervase Phinn SOLD OUT A School Inspector Calls Phyllis Court 13.30 £5 Everyone loves Gervase Phinn’s endearing tales of life as a schools inspector in the Dales. In his no-nonsense style (not to mention a broad Yorkshire accent) tempered by a shrewd eye for character and irrepressible sense of fun, Phinn introduces us to the cast of characters who people his life. Meet the mad bureaucrats at County Hall, the anxious, overworked teachers, and the children whose blunt observations embarrass the staff with innocent ease. The author of the massively successful Dales books, including the top-selling A Wayne In A Manger, has an extraordinary talent to move and entertain. His wry and touching accounts of adult self-deception and children’s resilience are guaranteed to make you laugh out loud. Gervase Phinn will be introduced by Chris Boffey, News Editor of The Observer. Sponsored by BookRabbit.com
58. Dan Snow The Conquest of America River & Rowing Museum: Thames Room 13.30 £5 ‘History is the most exciting thing that has happened to anyone on this planet,’ says TV presenter and historian, Dan Snow, and you won’t take much convincing as you listen to his analysis of one of the most thrilling campaigns of the past. Dubbed ‘the history boy’, he has already presented three TV programmes on 20th century war and now goes further back in time to focus on the siege of Quebec. Writing about the battle on its 250th anniversary for his new book, Death or Victory: Wolfe, Quebec and the Birth of Empire has been a project dear to the heart of Snow, a Canadian citizen and son of veteran BBC journalist Sir Peter. Snow is an inspiring speaker who has the gift of making warfare come alive in all its terror and glory. Book now to see a master at work. Dan Snow will be interviewed by Dr Dave Musgrove, Editor of BBC History Magazine.
59. Jenni Murray in conversation with Gillian Reynolds The Other Woman Kenton Theatre 13.30 £6 As presenter of Woman’s Hour for more than 20 years, Jenni Murray’s honeyed voice is as much a part of radio as the chimes of Big Ben. One of our most perceptive interviewers, her empathy and common sense have won her a host of admirers. Now, in this frank discussion with Daily Telegraph radio critic Gillian Reynolds, she turns the spotlight on herself to explain how the woman she became – broadcaster, campaigner and feminist – is everything her mother disliked. Murray’s touching book, Memoirs of a not so Dutiful Daughter, is based on the diary she kept as she struggled to nurse her dying mother and bridge the gulf between them. In an hour filled with courage, laughter and heartbreak, she speaks candidly about family tensions and the burdens of caring. An unmissable event that will appeal to every mother and daughter (and many sons) dutiful or not.
61. Ken Bruce The Morning DJ Town Hall 15.00 £5 For 6.6 million listeners, mid-morning on Radio 2 is Ken Bruce time. His long-running show is a top-notch mix of dry wit, live music sessions and the stunningly popular Tracks of my Years, where musicians choose their favourite songs. It’s also the title of his autobiography, which sees Ken emerge from his wilderness years in accountancy to talk his way into Radio Scotland. Soon after he is lured away by Radio 2 and the rest is 25 years of broadcasting history. In this riotous hour, he recalls a career littered with screw-ups and screwballs, amazing talent and unforgettable music. Hear his verdict on Ella Fitzgerald and Victoria Beckham, his encounters with Elvis Costello and Tom Jones, how he failed to stop Donny Osmond – just some of the highlights of a hilarious showbiz career. Ken Bruce will be interviewed by Gillian Reynolds.
63. Lucy Cavendish & Miranda Glover Stranger Than Fiction Phyllis Court 15.00 £5 The popular duo, Lucy Cavendish and Miranda Glover, return to the Henley Literary Festival for the third year to talk about writing from personal experience. Both of them have used their lives as the starting point of their novels but in different ways. Cavendish, whose third novel, Storm in a Tea Cup, is published next year, writes domestic comedy using her alter-ego Samantha Smythe as her sounding board. Glover, whose recently-published novel, Meanwhile Street has been hailed as a ‘significant piece of fiction about our society,’ takes contemporary life and transforms real events into fiction. Should you, they ask, use your life to get at truths? Or should fiction be purely fictitious? Find out in this lively debate. This event will be moderated by Lesley Ebbetts. Sponsored by The Lamb at Satwell
62. Fay Weldon SOLD OUT My Imaginary Life Kenton Theatre 15.00 £7 One of the pre-eminent writers of our times, Fay Weldon has seen and lived it all. As an impoverished single mother, advertising copywriter, author, feminist, and occasional spag-bol cook, there are few roles she has left unfilled. An icon to many, a thorn in the flesh for a few for four turbulent decades, she never fails to excite, madden, and interest. She continues to do so in latest provocative novel, Chalcot Crescent, set in 2013, when the debt crisis has come home to roost. Prophetic, insightful, and sparkling with wicked humour, this powerfully imaginative book is vintage Weldon. Book now to meet one of Britain’s finest novelists in her prime. Fay Weldon will be interviewed by Eleanor Mills, Sunday Times columnist.
64. Blake Morrison & Tim Lott Parent and Child
Phyllis Court 16.30 £6 Two of our finest literary talents, Blake Morrison and Tim Lott shot to fame with immensely moving personal accounts of their childhood. Both are known for powerfully evocative novels which draw on their past – Morrison’s latest, The Last Weekend, is published next spring. The author of the compelling memoir, And When Did You Last See Your Father, the subject of an acclaimed film with Colin Firth and Juliet Stephenson, is joined by Lott, who remembers his mother and his troubled youth in The Scent of Dried Roses, newly reissued as a Penguin Modern Classic. Its sequel, To Perish As Fools, will be published next year. Skilfully entwining past and present, the two reveal their own feelings while touching on the universal themes of connection and loss. Poignant, funny and true, this is a wonderful opportunity to hear two of the best writers of our time. Blake Morrison and Tim Lott will be interviewed by Tom Horan, Review Editor of The Daily Telegraph. Sponsored by the Regal Picturehouse
65. Jonathan Tulloch What Makes a Great Writer?
Town Hall 16.30 £4 Award-winning novelist Jonathan Tulloch hit gold when his first novel, The Season Ticket, won the Betty Trask Prize for works that are traditional or romantic in style. Since then he has won the J B Priestley Award and has featured on the TLS list of the 20 best young writers. Today he will read a short passage from his latest book, A Winding Road, which spans the Chelsea art scene, wartime Ukraine, and the last days of Vincent Van Gogh and discuss what triggers his creativity. Whether you’re a thoughtful reader or an aspiring writer, come armed with plenty of questions to this illuminating and entertaining event - a must for all book clubs.
66. William Dalrymple with Clive Limpkin SOLD OUT The Mystery of India
Kenton Theatre 16.30 £6 Acclaimed for his spellbinding histories of the British in India, The White Moghuls and The Last Moghal, William Dalrymple flies in from Delhi to give us a preview of his exquisite new book, Nine Lives: in Search of the Sacred in Modern India. With almost biblical simplicity, he traces the lives of nine people following their traditional faith in a time of rapid change. The three brothers driven by poverty to become monks, the temple dancer, the idol maker, the tantric, the holy prostitute and the nun will take you deep into worlds you never knew existed. Talking to Dalrymple is Clive Limpkin, whose images of modern India in India Exposed are a photographic tribute to the country. Come early to see some of his pictures, have tea in the glorious Grandstand at Phyllis Court and feel India in all her heat, dust and majesty. Sponsored by The Head Partnership
68. Poetry at Hot Gossip The Free Range Poets of Barn Galleries Hot Gossip Coffeehouse 19.00 £5 Round off the day with a drink as you listen to a sparkling selection of new poetry by the Free Range Poets of Barn Galleries in Remenham. The seven, led by Bridget Fraser, Director of Artspace, have very different voices but all have one thing in common – they love writing poetry and want to share it with you. Book now; you’ll be moved, amused, and even inspired to join one of their monthly poetry workshops.
69. Rick Wakeman Grumpy Old Rock Star Kenton Theatre 18.00 £6 Rock legend Rick Wakeman has made a last minute change to his schedule to appear at the Henley Literary Festival to talk about his new book, Further Adventures of a Grumpy Old Rock Star. An iconic former Strawbs and YES band member, he was a pioneer in the use of electronic keyboards and in combining a rock band with orchestra and choir. His hilarious new book, the second volume of ‘wondrous stories’, is full of tales of violinists falling out of trees, being mauled on live TV by a German Shepherd, playing golf with kangaroos, amputations sound-tracked by prog rock classics, a concert played to a solitary canine and signing autographs on the toilet . And of course there were the severe leg injuries received on the set of Mastermind, as well as extreme profanity live on radio at Wimbledon, berating Pike from Dad's Army and much, much more.
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