2-5 July 2015 at the Crown Hotel, Harrogate Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival was picked by Harper’s Bazaar as one of the UK’s Best Literary Festivals
Hosted over one long weekend in the grandeur of Harrogate’s Crown Hotel, you’ll experience inspiring talks and stimulating debate. Socialise with fellow book lovers, relax in style, and soak up our eclectic programme designed to entertain and inspire.
Some big names in fiction are appearing this year: Sadie Jones, whose prizewinning novel The Outcast is being screened on the BBC this year, literary heavyweight Louis de Bernières with a timely romance of the First World War, and there’s a witty foray into Norse mythology from the multi-talented Joanne Harris. Meanwhile, those with a taste for beautiful things will delight in the appearance of Ultimo founder and general superwoman Michelle Mone at the Raworths Literary Lunch (more on which can be found below), followed by priestess of pottery Emma Bridgewater, and Guardian beauty guru Sali Hughes. Here to tickle your funny bones we have prize winning authors and comedians Jenny Eclair and Viv Groskop.
From the world of politics, the guests include long-serving Labour MPs Dennis Skinner and Alan Johnson, both of whom present their memoirs, and Sam Delaney, whose book Mad Men and Bad Men is a hugely entertaining behind-the-scenes tour of the election campaigns of the last four decades. Former Newsnight journalist Gavin Esler also throws light on how major players operate, revealing the leadership techniques of celebs from Bill Clinton to Angelina Jolie – many of whom he’s interviewed himself.
Other familiar faces and voices include musicians Noddy Holder of Slade and Tracey Thorn of Everything But the Girl. Tracey will focus on singing, but Noddy will speak on everything from showbiz and beyond, as will comedian Dom Joly, and BBC broadcaster Edith Bowman, exploring our Great British Music Festivals, and the very British television institution that is Bill Oddie! Media darlings Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan are back for a second year, promoting Judy’s new novel on the disappearance of a son while sailing. In an odd coincidence, we also have Countrywise presenter Paul Heiney speaking about his moving journey to reconnect with his son who committed suicide, by going on a sailing trip they had planned together.
In the ever-muddied field of relationships, we have Robert Sackville West with his family history that rivals the best in costume drama (and ties in with a new life of Vita Sackville West coming out this year) and Oxford muse Theodore Zeldin, who will explore our relationships to tell us how we can find the Hidden Pleasures of Life. Also, dive down the rabbit hole with Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, whose Story of Alice reveals how Alice Liddell’s relationship with Lewis Carroll influenced the stories we all know and love for the 150th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland. Cathy Retzenbrink will appear to discuss her moving memoir on her brother, The Last Act of Love, In Conversation with Matt Haig, who will be opening the lid on mental health, exploring how to live better, love better and feel more alive.
2015 also marks the 150th year since the death of Admiral Robert Fitzroy, whose revolutionary work on weather forecasting finally gave every Englishman something to talk about. Peter Moore tells the rather swashbuckling story of how it became a science for the first time. Lastly, from gale forces to market forces, political economist Will Hutton has a plan to change the way we do business for everyone’s benefit. As the Guardian put it, it’s not socialism – just better capitalism. Come along and you could literally profit from his advice!
SPECIAL EVENT IN ASSOCIATION WITH YORKSHIRE LIFE
Raworths Literary Lunch in association with Yorkshire Life
Thursday 2 July 2015 | The Crown Hotel | 12pm
Tickets £35 including lunch
Enjoy a delicious three-course lunch in the congenial surroundings of Harrogate’s Crown Hotel with special guest Michelle Mone. Ultimo lingerie founder Mone is one of the most successful businesswomen of her generation. She overcame a tough childhood in Glasgow and near bankruptcy to develop the Ultimo brand into the foremost accessory for women, all while bringing up three children, battling with her weight and going through a tumultuous divorce. She was awarded an OBE in 2010, and is now a highly sought-after motivational speaker. My Fight to the Top is a wonderful tale of how an enterprising spirit, determination and savvy know-how combined to create the UK’s most successful intimates brand.
For the full programme, times and ticket sales visit www.harrogateinternationalfestivals.com
or call the Box Office: 01423 562 303
Win a pair of tickets to the Raworths Literary Lunch
Thursday 2 July 2015 | The Crown Hotel | 12pm-2.30pm
Enjoy a delicious three-course lunch in the congenial surroundings of Harrogate’s Crown Hotel with special guest Michelle Mone. Ultimo lingerie founder Mone is one of the most successful businesswomen of her generation. She overcame a tough childhood in Glasgow and near bankruptcy to develop the Ultimo brand into the foremost accessory for women, all while bringing up three children, battling with her weight and going through a tumultuous divorce. She was awarded an OBE in 2010, and is now a highly sought-after motivational speaker. Her latest book is a wonderful tale of how an enterprising spirit, determination and savvy know-how combined to create the UK’s most successful intimates brand.
To enter to win a pair of tickets to the lunch (worth £70) fill in the blank to complete Michelle Mone’s new book title – My … To The Top
A. Journey
B. Fight
C. Struggle
Competition closes Friday 26 June and the winner will be announced Monday 29 June, and tickets will be available to collect from the box office at the Crown Hotel on Thursday 2 July.
To see the eclectic Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival programme, including Jenny Eclair, Joanne Harris, Sali Hughes, Dom Joly and Noddy Holder, visit www.harrogateinternationalfestivals.com
