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Cheltenham Literature Festival 2011
10 October 2011
The Cheltenham Literature Festival sponsored by The Times is one of the most important literary festivals in the world. The list of those appearing at the festival reads like a Who's Who in the literary world, including poets, biographers, travel writers, novelists and children's authors.
Attracting thousands of visitors the Cheltenham Literature Festival is a celebration of reading, a celebration of books. There is something for everyone in the world of literature regardless of age or interests and the list of acclaimed and esteemed writers appearing at the festival illustrates this.
| Ben Fogle. Intrepid, accidental and very unlikely adventurer. Fogle has walked to the South Pole, rowed across the Atlantic, survived life threatening events and illnesses and written this un-missable account of how he did it and more importantly why he did it. | |
| Ben Okri. The acclaimed Nigerian poet and writer won international recognition and the Booker Prize in 1991 for his book "The Famished Road". It's a unique novel, beautifully written full of imagery and pathos, depicting the fight for survival through the eyes of a child, amidst the poverty and wretchedness of life in an African village. | |
| Lee Child . "The Affair" is his latest book in the Jack Reacher series. Fans of the series will love this one. It's a fast paced explicitly sexy thriller. As usual the plot is complex but the writing is sharp and focussed and the protagonist as tough and uncompromising as ever. A great read. | |
| Joe Simpson. One of the most talked about books in recent years "Touching the Void" is Joe Simpson's harrowing and gut wrenching story of his fight for survival after a mountaineering accident. This is a compelling and moving account of courage and determination. | |
| Carol Ann Duffy. In 2009 she was the first woman to be appointed Poet Laureate. In 2011 she wrote the poem "Rings" to celebrate the Royal wedding. She is immensely popular and perhaps most importantly very accessible by her use of everyday language. Duffy is passionate about promoting and encouraging a love of poetry in children. | |
| Malorie Blackman.This award winning and prolific writer of books for children and young adults is famed for her "Noughts and Crosses" series in which she explores the torment of racial prejudice, but uniquely through the medium of science fiction. In 2008 she received an O.B.E. for her outstanding contribution to children's literature. | |
| Jo Shapcott English poet and Winner of the Costa Book of the Year 2010 for her collection of 45 poems entitled Of Mutability, where she explores the inevitability of change in life and in relationships. The judges described the book as "very special and unusual and uplifting" |
The list of writers appearing at the Cheltenham Literature Festival is almost endless, but the one immutable fact which emerges when one is considering the talents, the imaginations, the width and depth of subjects covered is the miracle and impact of language and the joy of reading. Find your favourite author or try something new and immerse yourself in a good book by taking a look at our book categories. You are sure to find a gem.
