Sherborne Literary Festival is taking place this month, which celebrates authors from here in Dorset and further afield – and there is an exciting line-up of talks and workshops that need to be in the diary of every discerning book lover.
23 OCTOBER
RAYNOR WINN:THE SALT PATH
Just days after Raynor learns that Moth, her husband of 32 years, is terminally ill, their home is taken away and they lose their livelihood. With nothing left and little time, they decide to walk the 630 miles of the South West Coast Path, from Somerset to Dorset. A life-affirming true story of coming to terms with grief and the healing power of the natural world (2pm).
KIRSTY WARK:THE HOUSE BY THE LOCH
Inspired in part by Kirsty's own childhood memories, this is a story, that begins in 1950s Scotland, about the bonds between generations and the devastating consequences of family secrets (11am).
MAX HASTINGS: CHASTISE, THE DAMBUSTERS STORY
The critically acclaimed military historian explores one the RAF's greatest feats of arms of 1943 (7pm).
24 OCTOBER
WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY FROM THE EDGE
Paul Williams reveals how he combatted PTSD by taking up wildlife photography, saving his life one frame at a time (11am).
JONATHAN SCOTT:THE VINYL FRONTIER
In 1977, a group of scientists, artists and writers gathered in a house in Ithaca, New York to work on the most important mix tape ever conceived, from Earth to the Cosmos. Jonathan Scott tells the story of the Voyager Golden Record (2pm).
ZIAUDDIN YOUSAFZAI:LET HER FLY
For over 20 years, Ziauddin Yousafzai has been fighting for equality - first for Malala, his daughter who was shot for standing up to the Taliban by continuing to go to her father's school - and then for all girls throughout the world living in patriarchal societies. Let Her Fly looks at what it means to love, to have courage and why we must keep fighting for the rights of girls and women everywhere (7pm).
25 OCTOBER
PRAVDA HA HA:TRUE TRAVELS TO THE END OF EUROPE
An unsettling, poignant and darkly comic exposé of Putin's Russia and European disintegration from the acclaimed author of Stalin's Nose. MacLean explores how opportunists - from Putin to Home Counties populists - have made a joke of truth and examines the veracity of historical narrative from reportage to fiction to fake news and chronicles the collapse of the European dream (11am).
LIBBY PAGE: THE LIDO
One of the books on The Sunday Times Top Ten best-seller list, this novel, by local author Libby Page, revolves around the community who use the local lido. It is a place which brings together Rosemary, 86, and Kate, 26: dreamers, campaigners and outdoor swimmers who make a stand when their lido is threatened with closure (2pm).
PEOPLE OF THE RAINFOREST:THE VILLAS BOAS' BROTHERS EXPLORER AND HUMANITARIANS OF THE AMAZON
The three dashing Villas Boas brothers became Brazil's most famous explorers. They used their fame, throughout the second half of the 20th century, to champion a series of indigenous tribes (four of which they contacted for the first time). They achieved the first gigantic reserve to protect them and their Amazonian rivers and rainforests. John Hemming knew the brothers well, and has visited and written about tribal peoples all over Brazil. Like the Villas Bôas, he has cut into unexplored forests and been at first contact of four tribes (7pm).
WORKSHOPS
24 OCTOBER
DIANA CAMBRIDGE: WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE
The award-winning journalist and author Diana Cambridge is the Literary Festival's Writer-In-Residence for 2019, offering a 30 minute pre-booked writing clinic.
10am - 6pm, tickets £25 for a 30 minute session.
25 OCTOBER
MINDFULNESS WORKSHOP
Learn to free your natural creativity at this unique writing workshop lead by writer and musican Tom George, who has a special interest in wellbeing and mental health. The workshop includes guided meditation and advice on incorporating mindfulness into your life and creative practice. Any sharing of work is voluntary and non-judgemental. 10am to 4pm, tickets £40 / max 20 people.
LET'S GO!
Sherborne Literary Festival runs from 23 - 25 October. All events take place at The Merritt Centre at Sherborne Girls School. Buy tickets for individual events from £8 or opt for a day ticket £25 or three day ticket £70. Buy tickets online sherborneliterarysociety.com/festival
or at Sherborne Tourist Information Centre on Digby Road.
