Relax, have a cup of coffee, admire the view and enjoy the wonders of the spoken word. Nothing typifies the values and traditions of the Festival more than the River Readings. Some of the greatest poetry written is about love and war and this year Nansi Diamond has made her evocative selection of prose and poetry from this rich creative seam. Simon Williams, Helen Lederer, Richard Howard and Sally Nesbitt are our hosts as the boat gently drifts downstream and be moved by some of the greatest lines ever written.

You’ve read the books, you’ve seen the film, now meet the author of the books that have become a serious children’s cult. The latest book, the eighth in the series, stars Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, a truly extraordinary Viking Hero, warrior chieftain, awesome sword-fighter and amateur naturalist known throughout Vikingdom as “the Dragon Whisperer”, for his power over the terrifying beasts. For 7 to 12 year olds.

How to Train Your Dragon - Hodder Children’s Books

Barbara Trapido combines South Africa, the country of her birth, with Oxford - the town she has made her home – in her latest novel. A highly acclaimed writer who has been nominated three times for the Whitbread Award, her latest novel displays the sharpness of mind and dryness of humour that has brought her such success. It follows two relationships from the 1970s to the present day that take Josh from his wife in Oxford back to Hattie, his first love back in South Africa. Sex and Stravinsky - Bloomsbury

This remarkable man is the first senior commander to provide an account of the fighting in Afghanistan. Colonel Tootal led 3 PARA, the first unit into Helmand in 2006, but frustrated with the Government’s treatment of its soldiers, he resigned from the Army. What began as a peace mission became a level of combat not experienced by the British Army since the Korean War. Danger Close captures the essence of that combat, the risks involved and the bloody and controversial aftermath as 3PARA fought undermanned and suffering from equipment shortages. Andrew Trotman will introduce Colonel Tootal.

Danger Close: The True Story of Helmand from the Leader of 3 Para - John Murray

The last of the legendary Mitford sisters has led a life so full that one book hardly seems sufficient. The six sisters were by turn talented, outrageous and fun-loving, Nancy and Jessica becoming well-known writers while Unity and Diana became infamous for their visits to Nazi Germany. Now aged 90, Debo’s life has ranged from having tea with Hitler in Munich in 1937 to turning the family seat, Chatsworth, into a profitable commercial concern. In an interview she was asked if she would have preferred to have tea with Hitler or Elvis Presley. An astonished Debo replied: ‘Well, Elvis of course! What an extraordinary question.’ This is your opportunity to hear the last of the Mitfords, a remarkable woman who will be interviewed by Daily Telegraph Literary Editor Gaby Wood.

Wait for Me! - The memoirs of Deborah Devonshire - John Murray

Feminism changed women’s lives - but was it for the better? Fifty years after the 60s burst upon the world, authors Irma Kurtz, Rosie Thomas, and Linda Kelsey who lived through that revolutionary decade discuss its pros and cons. Kurtz is a legendary agony aunt who has been handing out advice through the pages of Cosmopolitan for over 35 years. In her latest book About Time: Growing Old Disgracefully – John Murray she explains why, at the age of 74, she believes that her generation of old people are unique: ‘There’s never been anything like us before.’ In Rosie Thomas’ new novel, Lovers and Newcomers - Harper Collins, Miranda Meadowe attempts to escape lonely widowhood by inviting five of her oldest friends to live with her and stave off the prospect of old age. They each have their reason for accepting but they discover that the clock can’t be put back. Linda Kesley’s latest book, The Twenty -Year Itch – Hodder, tells what happens when Julie’s husband of 20 years announces that he is leaving work to go on a gap year. Find out how fiction reflects reality in a debate - chaired by Jane Reed - that’s bound to appeal to every woman who lived through that remarkable decade - and their daughters.

Relax, have a cup of coffee, admire the view and enjoy the wonders of the spoken word. Nothing typifies the values and traditions of the Festival more than the River Readings. Some of the greatest poetry written is about love and war and this year Nansi Diamond has made her evocative selection of prose and poetry from this rich creative seam. Simon Williams, Helen Lederer, Richard Howard and Fiona Hayden-Cadd are our hosts as the boat gently drifts downstream and be moved by some of the greatest lines ever written.

Look, learn, and hopefully taste the best in Italian cooking brought to you by the experts. For a girl brought up in Eastbourne, Katie Caldesi is an unusual flag-bearer for Italian food. But together with her husband Giancarlo, she owns Caffé Caldesi in Marylebone and Caldesi in Campagna, Bray. Katie also runs the La Cucina Caldesi cookery school, so knows how to pass on her knowledge. In researching her book, Katie travelled the rice fields of Italy’s northern provinces and the lemon groves of the south, creating the techniques and ingredients for 400 recipes. They will be interviewed by leading chef Paul Clerehugh of The Crooked Billet at Stoke Row.

Cook Italy, The Italian Cookery Course- Kyle Cathie

It was supposed to be, in the words of Lloyd George, ‘the war to end all wars’. But instead of relief and optimism at its close, the mood after the Great War was sombre, as people began to realise that the men they loved were never coming home. Nearly a third of all men aged between 20 and 24 in 1911 were dead and some 2.5 million Britons had been killed or seriously wounded. Those who had danced through settled Edwardian times faced the task of coming to terms with the years of war, while others were anxious to move towards a new future.

The Great Silence, 1918-1920, Living in the Shadow of the Great War - John Murray

Alexei Sayle, comedian, actor, and presenter, has added a rare talent to his skills - writing. Tonight, the father of modern stand-up talks about his memoir that takes us from his birth on the day egg rationing came to an end through his truly strange upbringing in Liverpool. His parents were different. They ate salad. And they read the Soviet Weekly. They travelled to seaside towns to attend union conferences, and crossed Europe to see Communism in action. A very special interview as he answers questions from author Lesley Garner about this brilliantly funny account of a personality, a family, and a country in flux.

Stalin Ate My Homework - Sceptre
Sponsored by The Head Partnership

Listen to Thames valley poets Kate Noakes, Victoria Pugh and Peter Robinson
in the atmospheric surroundings of this cafe in Friday Street. Two Rivers Press is
Reading-based, specializing in finely-produced books of poetry and local history,
in collaboration with local artists and designers. Kate will mix poems from her
2009 collection The Wall Menders with new poems, Victoria will read from Mrs
Marvellous, and Peter from his new book English Nettles and Other Poems, beautifully
illustrated by Wargrave artist Sally Castle.