DAUNT BOOKSFestival

Thursday 19th and Friday 20th March 2014

83 Marylebone High Street, London, W1U 4QW020 7224 2295 | www.dauntbooks.co.uk

NOTES & IDEAS

We are very excited to welcome you to the Daunt Books Festival 2015. It’s our twenty-fifth year of bookselling and the festival’s second year. We’ve kept some of the best bits from last year, such as a short stories event, the

walking book club, and a talk engaging with the idea of place – a subject close to our hearts as you can see from the way we arrange our books. You’ll also see some additions, like the afternoon recitals, and our

first talk for teenagers.

As you leaf through the following pages, I hope you find some inspiration in the range of talks. From heroines to spies, nature to politics, and women of the 1950s to Russian émigrés of the 1920s, we have tried to programme something – or indeed many things – for everyone. You can either purchase tickets for individual talks or there

are a limited number of festival passes which guarantee entry to everything.

We can’t wait for the festival to begin and look forward, above all, to seeing YOU here. For us, the best thing about last year was not the stellar talks, nor the delicious food, and not even the jolly yellow bunting, but having our shop full to the brim with readers, the air abuzz with enthusiastic conversations about books. A bookshop is not just a place to buy books, it’s a space to bring readers together, to foster a literary community, and to have a

great deal of fun in the doing.

Emily Rhodes

CHOOSING YOUR HEROINESSamantha Ellis & Anne Sebba talk to Alex Clark

10.00 - 11.00am - £6 including a morning snack from Honey & Co.

Thursday 19th March

Join us to learn about some extraordinary lives and revisit some favourite novels to find inspiration in heroines, both real and imagined. In Samantha Ellis’s charming memoir How to be a Heroine, she shows us how her favourite characters – from Jane Eyre to Esther Greenwood and the Little Mermaid to Lizzy Bennett – have served as good, or indeed bad, role models over the years. In contrast to these fictional women, icons such as Mother Teresa, Laura Ashley and Wallis Simpson, have been subjects of biographies by Anne Sebba. Samantha Ellis and Anne Sebba discuss the virtues of their favourite women with literary critic Alex Clark.

THE NATURE CUREWilliam Fiennes & Tim Dee12.00 - 12.45pm - £6 including a macaroon provided by The Monocle Cafe

Thursday 19th March

Why are we drawn to the outside, to birds, to nature? How can trying to understand our landscape help us better understand ourselves? In William Fiennes’ beautiful, thoughtful book The Snow Geese, he

follows the migration of snow geese and reflects on nature, travel and homecoming along the way. Joining him to discuss ‘the nature cure’ is naturalist and birdwatcher Tim Dee. Dee’s most recent book Four Fields is a lyrical exploration of four fields in different parts of the world: Cambridgeshire, Zambia, Montana and the Chernobyl exclusion zone. In telling the story of these different patches of land, he interrogates our relationship with the wild and makes us look anew at where we live and how.

PERFECT WIVES OR BRILLIANT CAREERS: WOMEN OF THE 1950sVirginia Nicholson & Rachel Cooke

1.30 - 2.15pm - £6 including a sausage roll provided by The Ginger Pig

Thursday 19th March

In Perfect Wives in Ideal Homes, Virginia Nicholson reconstructs the 1950s through the eyes of its women – the housewives with clean pinafores and gleaming coiffures, and also the students, diplomats, immigrants and teddy girls. In Her Brilliant Career, Rachel Cooke introduces us to ten trailblazing women of the era, whose pioneering professional lives paved the way for future generations. Packed with illuminating anecdotes and unexpected revelations, here are two fascinating, unusual guides to the real women of the 1950s.

A MUSICAL ALICE IN WONDERLANDRalph Wyld, Cecilia Bignall & ensemble from The Royal Academy of Music

3.00 - 4.00pm - Free (booking essential)

Thursday 19th March

To mark the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s dearly loved story Alice in Wonderland, Royal

Academy students Ralph Wyld and Cecilia Bignall were inspired to compose ‘All in the Golden Afternoon’, a musical interpretation of Carroll’s imaginative world. Combining traditional written composition, improvisation and electronics, the music mirrors the dreamlike nature and playfulness of the story. Elements of classical music and jazz are infused in this exciting musical adventure in Wonderland.

EMIL AND THE DETECTIVES & OTHER GERMAN CHILDREN’S CLASSICSMichael Rosen & Anthea Bell talk to Julia Eccleshare5.00 - 6.00pm - Free (booking essential)

Thursday 19th March

German writer Erich Kästner’s spirited stories have captured the imagination of children and adults alike for generations. Former Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen talks about

his fondness for Emil and the Detectives, Kästner’sother books and The Wicked Tricks of Till Owlyglass,his own retelling of one of his favourite German children’s books. Joining him is translator Anthea Bell, who has produced fantastic new renderings of Kästner’s The Parent Trap, The Flying Classroom and Dot & Anton. They talk to Julia Eccleshare, Children’s Books Editor for the Guardian.

THE ESTABLISHMENTOwen Jones talks to Owen Hatherley

7.00 - 7.45pm - £7 including a glass of wine

Thursday 19th March

In The Establishment, Owen Jones gives a biting critique of the British Establishment and makes a passionate plea for democracy. Hailed by Russell Brand as ‘our

generation’s Orwell’, Jones exposes the vested interests which bind the lobbies of Westminster to the newsroomsof Fleet Street and the trading rooms of the City. He talks to political and architectural writer Owen Hatherley.

‘Owen Jones displays a powerful combination of cool analysis and fiery anger in this dissection of the profoundly and sickeningly corrupt state that is present-day Britain. He is a fine writer, and this is a truly necessary book.’ Philip Pullman

MY HISTORYAntonia Fraser talks to Valerie Grove8.30 - 9.30pm - £7 including a glass of wine

Thursday 19th March

In her new memoir, acclaimed biographer and historian Antonia Fraser describes how she fell in love with history, the subject that would define her life. Fraser takes us back to her wartime childhood, a season as a self-made

debutante, her studies at Oxford, a job in publishing, and the moment when her first book Mary Queen of Scots became an unexpected worldwide bestseller. Written with her trademark wit and panache, this is a magical account of one person’s journey towards becoming a writer and an historian. Antonia Fraser talks to biographer and journalist Valerie Grove.

‘A delight from start to finish.’ The Spectator

EMILY’S WALKING BOOK CLUBSetting off from the Marylebone shop at 10.00 and returning for 11.15.

Free (booking essential and come having read the book) with biscuits provided by La Fromagerie.

Friday 20th March

Join other book-lovers for a stroll around Regent’s Park with writer,bookseller and blogger Emily Rhodes to discuss Barbara Comyns’ extraordinary novel Our Spoons Came from Woolworths.

Sophia is an eccentric young Bohemian in 1930s London with no money, an artist husband, and a beloved pet newt. When she falls pregnant, their acute poverty makes the situation desperate and we follow Sophia as she struggles to survive. Praised as ‘a marvellous writer’ by Graham Greene, Comyns conveys a moving story with an unnerving lightness of touch and unfailing sense of humour.

IN PRAISE OF SHORT STORIESTessa Hadley, Colin Barrett & Julianne Pachico talk toLaura Macaulay12.00 - 12.45pm - £6 including hot chocolate from Rococo

Friday 20th March

Short stories have never been more celebrated as a literary form, or more popular with readers. Join us for an inspiring discussion of their merits and charm, and listen to a dazzling array of short story writers read their work. As Alice Munro said when she accepted the Nobel Prize: ‘Everything the story tells moves you in such a way that you feel you’re a different person when you finish.’

‘A writer of exceptional intelligence and skill … a subtly subversive talent’ is how the Guardian describes Tessa Hadley. She is the author of four novels and two collections of short stories; her stories regularly appear in magazines including The New Yorker and Granta. Colin Barrett’s debut collection of short stories Young Skins won the Guardian’s First Book Award and The Frank O’Connor Award; the judges said his stories ‘come alive with that ineffable thing – soul’. Julianne Pachico is completing her PhD in Creative and Critical Writing at UEA; her story The Tourist is published by Daunt Books. Laura Macaulay is a publisher and bookseller at Daunt Books.

RUSSIANS IN PARIS: GAZDANOV, TEFFI AND OTHER ÉMIGRÉ WRITERS OF THE 1920SBryan Karetnyk & Peter Pomerantsev talk to Nicholas Lezard1.30 - 2.15pm - £6 including pastries provided by La Fromagerie

Friday 20th March

Writers Gazdanov and Teffi were two of the two hundred thousand White Russians who escaped from Russia after the 1917 Revolution and settled in France. By the mid-twenties, Paris was the cultural and political centre of the diaspora and Gazdanov and Teffi were prominent members of its literary scene. Gazdanov’s work was greatly admired by Gorky among others,

and he achieved this success while working nights as a taxi driver. Teffi was a literary celebrity in Russia, counting Lenin and Tsar Nicholas II among her fans. Both writers have been recently rediscovered, their work newly translated and published to great acclaim by Pushkin Press.

Bryan Karetnyk is an editor and translator of Russian literature, including Gazdanov’sThe Spectre of Alexander Wolf and The Buddha’s Return. Peter Pomerantsev has written a riveting account of Putin’s Russia, Nothing is True and Everything is Possible, and his father worked for the same radio station (albeit some years later) as Gazdanov. Nicholas Lezard is a literary critic for the Guardian and writes for the New Statesman. His most recent book is Bitter Experience Has Taught Me.

THE DAUNT TRIO PERFORMS POPULAR CLASSICSToby Thatcher (oboe), Jernej Albreht (clarinet) & Lois Au (bassoon)

3.00 - 4.00pm - Free (booking essential)

Friday 20th March

The Daunt Trio was formed in 2014 after its three members had performed together in various ensembles and chamber groups while studying at the Royal Academy of Music. The choice of name originates from the group’s enthusiasm for Daunt Books, in particular the oboist Toby Thatcher, who has worked at the Marylebone shop for the past two years. They perform a fun and varied programme including pieces by Mozart, Bach, Beethoven and Scott Joplin’s ‘The Entertainer’.

ROBERT MUCHAMOREThe author of the Cherub series talks to Philip Womack5.00 - 6.00pm - Free (booking essential)

Friday 20th March

We are thrilled to welcome Robert Muchamore for the festival’s first young adult event. His award-winning Cherub series is about a division of the British Security Service which employs teenagers as intelligence officers. The Cherub division also stars in his Henderson’s Boys books, set during the Second World War. Muchamore’s most recent novel Rock War is the first of an exciting new

quartet of books about three teenagers seeking success in the music world. His books have been translated into 27 languages and have sold over 8 million copies. Robert Muchamore talks to Philip Womack, children’s novelist and literary critic for the Daily Telegraph, Guardian and other publications. Philip is also a fellow of First Story, which supports literacy at challenging secondary schools.

SPIES IN FACT AND FICTIONCharles Cumming & Christopher Andrew talk to James Naughtie

7.00 - 7.45pm - £7 including a glass of wine

Friday 20th March

The world of espionage has been played out in the shadows of our history and has filled the pages of many novels, from Kipling

and Conrad to Ian Fleming and Alan Furst. Charles Cumming was approached for recruitment by the Secret Intelligence Service, an experience which inspired his gripping first novel A Spy By Nature. His most recent book A Colder War has seen him hailed by The Sunday Times as the new John le Carré. Christopher Andrew is Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at Cambridge and the author of The Defence of the Realm, a magisterial authorised history of MI5. They talk to broadcaster James Naughtie, whose book The Madness of July is a sophisticated Cold War spy thriller. From their knowledgeable positions, they cast light on this shady, secretive and fascinating world.

PALIN ON PLACEMichael Palin talks to Brett Wolstencroft8.30 - 9.30pm - £7 including a glass of wine

Friday 20th March

For the festival finale, we are delighted to welcome comedian, writer and traveller Michael Palin to tell us about how he has experienced

the power of place. Where has he found to be particularly inspiring? How do the challengesof capturing a sense of place vary from screen to page, and from travel-writing to fiction? And which writers has he found to be particularlyadept at conjuring the spirit of a place? Michael Palin talks to our very own Brett Wolstencroft.

FOOD & DRINK AT THE DAUNT BOOKS FESTIVAL

Delicious treats will be provided for various daytime talks, thanks to the generous support of Marylebone institutions: La Fromagerie, The Ginger Pig, Rococo Chocolates, The Monocle Cafe and Honey & Co. You are very welcome to bring a sandwich to our lunchtime talks, if it means you can sneak out of the office to enjoy some food for thought.

Special pre- and post-Festival menus are available from Hardy’s Brasserie, round the corner from our shop at 53 Dorset Street, W1U 7NH. Please book in advance on 0871 971 6876 using the reference ‘Daunt’.

Double baked smoked haddock & cheddar souffléGreen salad with beetroot & walnuts

*Coq au vin, mash potato, french beans

Cornish cod, puy lentils, roast cherry tomatoes, salsa verde*

Lemon possetVanilla ice cream, hot chocolate sauce

Set Menu5 - 10.30pm | £15

GETTING HERE All talks take place at:

Daunt Books83 Marylebone High StLondon W1U 4QW

Nearest London Underground stations : Baker Street, Regent’s Park and Bond Street.

The following buses stop near Daunt Books: 2, 13, 18, 27, 30, 74, 82, 88, 113, 139, 189, 205, 274, 453, C2.

The nearest Barclay’s Cycle Hire docking stations are at: Beaumont Street (where it meets Marylebone High Street) and Paddington Street (where it meets Chiltern Street).

TICKETS

Daunt Books Festival Pass£35

Guaranteed entry to all 14 events over the two days (limited availability)

Individual Talks as priced

Children’s Talks,Emily’s Walking Book Club

& Musical PerformancesFree, but you must reserve a space

Tickets may be bought from our Marylebone shop in person, with credit/debit card by telephone on 020 7224 2295 or at www.dauntbooks.co.ukTicket holders are entitled to 20% off the books discussed.

We would like to thank the Howard de Walden Estate for their encouragement and support of the Festival

Michael PalinWilliam Fiennes

Anne SebbaTessa HadleyValerie Grove

Peter PomerantsevBryan KaretnykOwen HatherleyJulianne PachicoThe Daunt Trio

Antonia FraserVirginia Nicholson

Christopher AndrewTim Dee

Robert MuchamoreColin Barrett

James NaughtieJulia Eccleshare

Alex ClarkRalph Wyld

Emily Rhodes

Owen JonesCharles Cumming

Samantha EllisMichael RosenRachel Cooke

Nicholas LezardAnthea Bell

Philip WomackCecilia Bignall

Laura Macaulay