Marlborough Literature Festival 2012

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2011 Literary Quiz: Answers

Some feedback from the 2011 LitFest

'Overall, pretty brilliant! Well organized. St John's were a big bonus and most helpful.'

' Helen Castor- very good. such a good speaker and was interesting. The hour just flew by. Nick Fogg - wonderfully entertaining - a joy to listen to.'

' Lemn Sissay - simply brilliant. David Edgar - interesting content..., Deb Moggach had me spellbound. Nick Fogg - was fascinating ...'

'Keep the standard this high. Avoid at all costs dumbing down. I love it. Look forward to next year.'

Diarmaid McCulloch - excellent speaker but knew I would never get through the book, sadly'

'Very well run. Great venues.'

' Poetry Cafe and Nick Fogg - very interesting, polished and enlightening.

'Anne Sebba was inspiring - to look behind the public face of famous people.'

'Judy Golding - was insightful, interesting and was excellent in challenging thought.'

'M Holroyd, D Moggach, J Golding - 3 different events but all brilliant. How lucky we are!'

'Wonderful to have such culture on our doorstep.I hope to come again and often. Workshops would be welcome too.'

more photographs from the festival...

'Slightly Foxed - interesting concept of literary magazine. Would now like to visit the shop.'

'Adult Writing Workshop - excellent. Richard Kelly - thoroughly enjoyed his talk and the readings.'

'Poetry Cafe - well run and well hosted. Good to see the children's Slam winners.'

'Keep the focus on literature and writing and away from celebrity. To sample the unknown is rewarding.'

'Kerry Young - excellent and particularly because so well chaired by Bidisha. E Hogan and E Wyld - very enlightened pairing of young writers - well chaired - really enjoyed the session. C Jensen - excellent husband and wife team event.... The Merchant's House is a perfect venue for creating a rapport between the author and audience.'
'M Holroyd - absolutely delightful, erudite and witty! D Edgar - interesting lecture with much to think on. F Blake and E Buchan - entertaining. D Moggach - thoroughly enjoyable, entertaining and informative.'

' H Castor - Excellent! I could have listened to Helen all day. Interesting, informative. A wonderful speaker.'

'Highly enjoyable. Child - my daughter's favourite author. Lovely juxtaposition of authors for Non- Britishness ( Petrucci and Shukla) Judy Golding - very warm and engaging and learnt much.'

' Keep up the good work! Looking forward to next year.'

' Very enjoyable. Wonderful experience to listen to high quality lectures'

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The Marlborough Litfest
Where literature comes alive!

Even bigger, our festival brings the best of every type
of writing to our beautiful market town.

Friday 28 September - Sunday 30 September 2012

Now in its third year, Marlborough's LitFest goes from strength to strength.

The range of writers, subjects and events continues to be of the highest quality and in 2012 our
Festival will concentrate on fiction - with a few interesting asides on the way.

We're very proud to welcome Howard Jacobson, Man Booker winner 2010 for the Finkler
Question, the first comic novel to win the price since Kingsley Amis's The Old Devils in 1986.
Howard will be our first Golding speaker.

Michael Frayn, whose Noises Off is currently running again at London's Old Vic, is one of our most
respected playwrights and a highly successful novelist. Nicola Upson will appeal to fans of classic
crime fiction from the "Golden Age" while Aminatta Forna's Memory of Love was selected as one
of the best novels of 2010 by The Financial Times, Sunday Telegraph and The Times.

There are many more to come, plus writing workshops, a poetry cafe and children's events.

LitFest authors for 2012: Friday 28 September - Sunday 30 September 2012

Howard Jacobson

Deborah Moggach

Howard Jacobson

won the 2010 Booker Prize with The Finkler Question, the first comic novel to win since Kingsley Amis's The Old Devils in 1986. With typical humour, as well as a modicum of seriousness, Howard has described himself as 'The Jewish Jane Austen'. Ever controversial, eloquent and enthusiastic, he is sure to delight audiences in Marlborough when he talks about his new book Zoo Time, published in time for the festival. We feel very privileged to be hosting him.Â

Iain Banks

Deborah Moggach

Iain Banks

was named by The Times as one of the 50 greatest writers since 1945. He is actually two fine writers in one. Firstly, the novelist who in 1984 shocked audiences with debut The Wasp Factory and gained a cult following with the likes of Complicity and The Crow Road (which became a highly successful TV series in 1996). Secondly, as Iain M Banks, one of the most intelligent and thought provoking science fiction writers to regularly grace the bestseller shelves.

Aminatta Forna

Deborah Moggach

Aminatta Forna

is a writer of steadily increasing reputation. Memory of Love was selected as one of the best novels of 2010 by The Financial Times, Sunday Telegraph and The Times. She was shortlisted for the Orange prize in 2011 and won Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best Book (previously won by Ian McEwan and Zadie Smith). Aminatta is also a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4 and is the driving force behind many educational and development projects in Sierra Leone.
.

Michael Frayn

Deborah Moggach

Michael Frayn

is one of our greatest contemporary playwrights and a highly successful author. Works such as 'Spies' are studied for A Level and GCSE. Copenhagen ran for over 600 performances at the National Theatre and on Broadway. Noises Off, which debuted at The Lyric in 1982 and was subsequently made into a film, is currently enjoying a resurgence at The Old Vic. Michael's new book, Skios, is out this summer. He is married to Claire Tomalin, one of our foremost literary biographers.

As well as many other authors there'll be a host of activities including children's events, poetry, creative writing workshops, emerging talent, cafe, music, audience questions, notable introducers, book signings and The Whitehorse Bookshop.

LitFest photographs for 2011: Thursday 22 September - Sunday 25 September 2011

Lemn Sissay Ellis Theatre, Marlborough College, Thursday 22nd: 7.30 PM		Photographs by Jean Roberts
Deborah Moggach Assembly Room, Saturday 24th: 7.30 PM see more photographs from the festival...		Michael Holroyd Assembly Room, Friday 23rd: 7.00 PM
Lauren Child Theatre on the Hill, St.John's School, Sat. 24th: 10.30 AM		Richard T. Kelly Assembly Room, Saturday 24th: 12.30 PM
Judy Golding Assembly Room, Sunday 25th: 2.00 PM		Anne Sebba Assembly Room, Sunday 25th: 5.00 PM
Helen Castor Assembly Room, Saturday 24th: 11.00 AM		Assembly Room, Marlborough Town Hall