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Page 1: Lichfield Literature Festival 2012

In association with Best Western the George Hotel29 September – 7 October

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Lichfield Literature

Lichfield Festival presents

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the Lichfield Festival gratefully acknowledges the generous support of all the authors and publishers represented.Details are correct at time of publication. Lichfield Festival reserves the right to change or cancel the advertised programme. every attempt has been made to credit photographers. Brochure designed by Yellow: www.yellow-design.co.uk. Printed by Central Colour. Lichfield Festival Ltd. registered in england no.1592012 Charity no.512201

Sponsors

Festival Marquee Sponsor

Follow the Festival in 2012It has never been easier to keep up to date with Lichfield Festival, nor to give us your views! Full news and updates of all Festival events, all year round, are available at lichfieldfestival.org

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Follow us daily on Twitter @lichfieldfest If you want to comment about anything to do with this year’s Festival, don’t forget to use the hashtag #lichlitfest

LICHFIELDFESTIVALASSOCIATION

Media Sponsor

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Fiona Stuart Festival Director

Welcome to Lichfield Literature. Our programme continues to grow this year with wonderful authors to entertain you and a new marquee venue at Lichfield Friary. We foster local talent through the Samuel Johnson Young Writer’s Scheme and delight our younger readers with Fireman Sam, Dear Zoo and Roald Dahl. Festival treats include Jenny Eclair, Terry Waite, Fi Glover, Lord Digby Jones, Jennie Bond, Peter Hain, Gervase Phinn, and Andy Kershaw. Dame Margaret Drabble talks about her life and work, The Guardian’s John Crace entertains with his Digested Reads and Jackie Kay joins us for a heartwarming Big Read. We welcome Larry Lamb of EastEnders and Gavin and Stacey fame and John Challis from Only Fools and Horses.

Whether you’re interested in sport, history, politics or science, there’s something here for you. You can explore Ancient Egypt, delve into the lives of Agatha Christie and Virginia Wolf, and celebrate the anniversaries of Charles Darwin and Captain Scott. And as the nights draw in you can totter home with a warm glow after a spot of whisky tasting with an expert tippler. By the end of it you’ll be ready for a quiet night in… with a good book.

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Book of the Year in the 2011 Scottish Book Awards (Picador)

The Big Read: Red Dust RoadJackie Kay

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Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

From the end of september 200 Free copies of Jackie Kay’s Red Dust Road will be available from the Festival Office and distributed around Lichfield for you to take home and read. then, on sunday 7 October at 2pm, you can come and hear Jackie share her thoughts and answer questions at the George Hotel.

From the moment when, as a little girl, she realizes that her skin is a different colour from that of her beloved mum and dad, to the tracing and finding of her birth parents, her Highland mother and nigerian father, the journey that Jackie Kay undertakes in Red Dust Road is full of unexpected twists, turns and deep emotions…

“The book sings with life... it is as warm and spirited, as funny and full of life, as her adoptive parents.” the Literary review

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29 & 30 September 10am – 3pm Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum £25pp

now in its second year the samuel Johnson Young Writers scheme is a weekend of intensive workshops for budding young writers who will become our ‘Johnson scholars’ for the year. Participants also receive a free pass to all festival events and will have the opportunity to meet with the authors.

the course explores fiction writing and is led by visiting tutors Catherine Fox and Caroline Horton. Catherine Fox is an experienced novelist, lecturer and freelance journalist, and the co-founder of the sJYWs. Caroline Horton is a writer, performer and Lichfield Festival favourite, whose play You’re Not Like the Other Girls, Chrissy garnered rave reviews and earned her the Best solo Performer accolade at The Stage Awards following a sell-out run in edinburgh in 2010.

entry is open to anyone aged 16 –19, please note however that places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis.

The Samuel Johnson Young Writers SchemeCatherine Fox & Caroline Horton

Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

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For centuries storytellers have been thrilling listeners with eerie and unexplained stories. these workshops for Ks2 look at how stories are created to build suspense. Join the Lichfield Festival team with Blackthorn events as they take you on a spooky journey of theatre games and drama activities.

Birmingham based storyteller Katrice Horsley was elected as the 2nd national storytelling Laureate earlier this year and will be visiting schools to share a wealth of tales from her travels across the world.

For more information on booking these workshops for your school, contact the Festival Office.

Tales of the Unexpected Workshops

Katrice Horsley – National Storytelling Laureate

Monday 24 – Tuesday 25 September

Thursday 27 September

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Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

story-writing couldn’t be simpler! spine tinglers is a digital project for all ages. Collect a pile of books, stack them in order to create a story out of the titles and then take a photograph. take as many as you like and email your photos to [email protected] for our display at Lichfield Library from 1 October.

Would you like to run a Festival? We are looking for people aged 8–16 to take over our roles for the day. the final saturday of Lichfield Literature will become sIeGe! Day where the running of all the events will be done by you! If you are up to the challenge, visit lichfieldfestival.org for more information. Places are limited. Apply now!

Spine Tinglers

SIEGE! – Youth Takeover Day

Monday 1 – Saturday 6 October Lichfield Library and City Centre

Saturday 6 October 10am – 4pm Festival Venues Ages 8–16 years

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The Book Brunch Club

Happy Birthday, Fireman Sam! 3 October 10.30am Festival Marquee Ages 3+ £4 per child It is Fireman sam’s birthday, but he has been called away from the party to an emergency. Can you help his friends give him a birthday surprise? Drama and games to celebrate 25 years of Fireman sam.

Nursery Rhymes 4 October 10.30am Festival Marquee Ages 0–3 yrs £4 per childCelebrate national Poetry Day with music and nursery rhymes for toddlers. rainbow rhymes returns to Lichfield following sell-out performances at our 2011 summer Festival.

Join the Book Brunch Club for a series of activity sessions aimed at the very young and their parents. Celebrate a different classic children’s story each day, through music, dance and drama; dress to impress and join us to sing, dance and play.

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Dance Zoo 5 October 10.30am Festival Marquee Ages 3+ £4 per child Dance Zoo – Can you roar like a lion or slither like a snake? Get your dancing shoes on and join Pash Dance Company for a morning wake-up session, with music and movement inspired by the popular picture book Dear Zoo.

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Creative Writing Workshops

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Writer and freelance journalist, Laura thompson leads a workshop on life writing; exploring how to research a subject through archive documents and interviews. see also p.42.

Writing Biography: Laura ThompsonWednesday 3 October 6.30pm Spark Cafe £5

Can shakespeare be reinterpreted for a modern audience? rsC education Associate Alix Manning leads a workshop on keeping shakespeare alive through adaptation.

Adapting Shakespeare: Alix ManningSaturday 29 September 11am Lichfield Library £5

Claire McGowan is Director of the Crime Writers’ Association in the UK and tutor of Crime Writing at City University, London. she explores the detailed research behind gripping crime writing.

Writing Crime Fiction: Claire McGowanSunday 30 September 3pm George Hotel £5

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Get yourself into the mood for some of your own Ghostwriting (see above) with a talk from a man who has been there, done it, and scared the pants off plenty of people in the process!

As a professional ghost-writer neil Hanson has written over forty books, published under a variety of different names, including a new York times number One best-seller. He’s also a very experienced radio and television broadcaster, a journalist, a travel writer, and a critic, working for media in Britain, the UsA, Australia and new Zealand.

Ghostwriting II: Neil HansonThursday 4 October 10am The George Hotel £5

Delve into the world of ghost-writing and explore how it can become a useful exercise for freelance writers.

Ghostwriting I: Niall EdworthyThursday 4 October 6pm Lichfield Library £5

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Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

Saturday 6 October 10.30am Festival Marquee £5

Saturday 6 October 12pm Lichfield Library Ages 7–11 £5

Family Storytelling – Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre

BFG Puppet Making Workshop

A phizz-whizzing morning of Dirty Beasts and Revolting Rhymes with swizz-figgling storytellers from the roald Dahl Museum. Putting bizarre and hilarious twists on familiar fairy tales, this is an interactive family event you really don’t want to miss!

to celebrate the 30th anniversary of The BFG, join us for a puppet making workshop with puppet maker and performer Gemma Holland and create your own Big Friendly Giant puppet to take home.

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Family Storytelling – Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre

BFG Puppet Making Workshop

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11.30am The George Hotel £6 (Duckworth)

Brian CleggBuild Your Own Time Machine

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Forget fiction: time travel is real. there is no physical law to prevent time travel, nothing in physics to say it is impossible. so who is to say it can’t be done? In Build Your Own Time Machine, Brian Clegg takes inspiration from his childhood heroes, Doctor Who and H. G. Wells, to explain the nature of time. How do we understand it and why do we measure it the way we do? And what would we need to do to make a real time machine?

Brian Clegg is an author and science writer. He has written a range of popular science books, covering topics including light, infinity, quantum entanglement and surviving the impact of climate change.

“He captures the prospect of time travel in exquisite detail” san Francisco Book review.

Sunday Lunch Deal at The George ticket Holders are offered a 10% discount on a three-course sunday lunch, served until 3pm. Advance booking is advised: please quote ‘Lichfield Literature’.

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Terry Waite in conversation with Sue Bearsdmore

terry Waite garnered international attention in the 1980s when, as a special envoy for the Archbishop of Canterbury, he negotiated the release of hostages in Iran and Libya. In 1987, while negotiating the release of hostages in Beirut, Waite was taken hostage himself. He spent 1,763 days in captivity, the first four years of which were in total solitary confinement. He was chained to a wall, often left in darkness, beaten and subjected to mock executions.

Yet Waite returned home harboring no resentment toward his captors or self-pity. He comes to Lichfield to talk about his experience as a hostage negotiator in high-risk conflict situations and as a captive. His books include Taken on Trust, Footfalls in Memory: Reflections from Solitude, and Travels with a Primate.

“Few can have failed to be moved by this great man.” the York Press

Afternoon Tea Deal 3pm tea and Cake for £2.75 in the ground floor lounge.

2pm The George Hotel £7

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3.45pm The George Hotel £7 (Bloomsbury)

Michael nazir-Ali considers the impact that aggressive secularism, radical Islamism and multiculturalism are having on the Western world, and particularly Britain. He argues that these three seemingly diverse pressures are threatening British life; and contends that to reject the Judeo-Christian foundations which have hitherto shaped so much of the national narrative would be both foolish and premature, rendering the achievement of equality, justice and freedom within society, religion, science and politics considerably more difficult.

Michael nazir-Ali was the 106th Bishop of rochester in the Church of england. He retired in september 2009, taking up a position as director of the Oxford Centre for training, research, Advocacy and Dialogue. He holds dual citizenship of both Pakistan and Britain.

“Michael Nazir-Ali’s career in the ministry has been one of genuine, not metaphorical, bravery.” Daily telegraph

Michael Nazir-Ali in conversation with Sue Beardsmore

Triple Jeopardy for the West

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5.15pm The George Hotel £6 (Random House)

Conor WoodmanUnfair Trade: How Big Business Exploits the World’s Poor and Why It Doesn’t Have To

How is it that our favourite brands can import billions of pounds worth of goods from the developing world every year, and yet leave the people who produce them barely scraping a living? Does big business trade off poverty? And, if so, are charity and fair trade initiatives the only way forward?

In Unfair Trade, Conor Woodman traces a range of products back to their source to uncover who is benefitting and who is losing out. He tests accepted economic wisdom on the best way to create a fairer world – and suggests a simpler but potentially far more radical solution.

Conor Woodman is a former City analyst, adventurer and journalist. His 4-part series Around the World in 80 Trades was broadcast by Channel 4 in 2009.

“Conor Woodman takes the dismal out of the dismal science. He’s written an independent travel guide to the global economy.” sunday telegraph

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Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

7– 8.30pm The George Hotel £8 (Sceptre)

Alexei SayleStalin Ate My Homework

Alexei sayle is a stand-up comedian, actor and author. He was one of the central figures in the alternative comedy explosion of the 1980s, noted for his flights of surrealist fancy and hard hitting political commentary. sayle’s varied career has since encompassed theatre, television and film performances, radio broadcast, journalism and writing.

Stalin Ate My Homework is a poignant and touching account of his childhood, growing up in Liverpool in the 1960s with his communist parents Joe and Molly, set against the backdrop of change in Britain and eastern europe.

In addition to this autobiography, sayle has published 2 collections of short stories and 3 novels. He is Britain’s best-selling short story author and in this event will talk about his life and work, with plenty of time for discussion. Come prepared with questions!

“Sayle’s […] is not like other comedians’ memoirs. It’s funny.” the Guardian

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10am The George Hotel £6 (Thames & Hudson)

David StuttardThe Romans who Shaped Britain

roman Britain was created not by impersonal historical forces, but by men and women, each driven by ambition, aspiration and passion. In a fresh, fast-moving account, David stuttard and his co-author sam Moorhead explore the narrative of Britannia through the lives of its emperors, commanders, governors, officials and rebels.

the story features a rich cast of characters. their lives and actions are set against the backdrop of an evolving landscape, in which Iron Age shrines were being replaced by marble temples, and industrial-scale factories and granaries were springing up across the countryside. this is history on an epic scale.

“An engaging, thought-provoking and often entertaining read… very compelling… a must for those who are bored by (or feel they know everything about) our Roman heritage.” BBC History Magazine

Morning Coffee Deal 11am Coffee and a Danish for £2.75 in the ground floor lounge.

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11.45am The George Hotel £6 (Phoenix)

Gordon BowkerJames Joyce

today, James Joyce is revered as a literary great. Yet such recognition proved elusive in his lifetime. He battled poverty and financial dependency for much of his adult life, as well as near-blindness and the grief of his daughter Lucia’s mental illness. He suffered at the hands of uncomprehending critics, who bracketed him along with Gertrude stein and ts eliot as one of the ‘unintelligibles’.

Drawing on considerable new material that has only recently become available, Gordon Bowker, author of a recently acclaimed biography of George Orwell, attempts to get beyond the exterior life to explore the inner landscape of an extraordinary writer who continues to influence and fascinate, well over a century after his birth.

“A wonderfully lively and meticulously researched account of the life and work of a fascinatingly inexplicable paradox... wonderfully detailed, gripping...” the tribune

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2pm The George Hotel £6 (Picador)

Richard HamblynThe Art of Science: A Natural History of Ideas

From Galileo to Lewis Carroll, Humphry Davy to Charles Darwin, and from Marie Curie to stephen Jay Gould, richard Hamblyn has drawn together writing which spans centuries and continents, but is connected by the authors’ desire to understand, explain and enrich the world.

Hamblyn focuses on the humans behind the theories, showing that science is as much about the places we draw our inspiration from – daily routines and sudden flashes of insight; dedication, and, sometimes, desperation – as it is about experiments and explosions.

richard Hamblyn is a writer and academic. His book The Invention of Clouds, won the 2002 Los Angeles times Book Prize and was shortlisted for the samuel Johnson Prize.

“The strength of [Hamblyn’s] collection lies in the surprises from among the contributions made by amateurs.” Independent

Afternoon Tea Deal 3pm tea and Cake for £2.75 in the ground floor lounge.

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3.45pm The George Hotel £6 (Frances Lincoln)

Andrew Wallace-HadrillHerculaneumPresented in partnership with the staffordshire Archaeological and Historical society

In 79 AD, the volcano Vesuvius erupted, burying the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum under ash and rock, and leaving them remarkably well preserved for centuries. While Pompeii has been extensively written about and popularised, the remains of its sister city, a smaller yet wealthier community close to the sea, are less widely known, but they have yielded spectacular archaeological evidence.

Andrew Wallace-Hadrill gives the definitive overview of what we know and understand about Herculaneum, of what is still unknown and mysterious, and of the potential for future discoveries in both archaeological and political contexts.

Professor Andrew Wallace-Hadrill is Director of research at the University of Cambridge, Classics Faculty and is head of the Herculaneum Conservation Project.

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6.30pm The George Hotel £6 (Preface)

Andrew St GeorgeRoyal Navy Way of Leadership

Four years ago the second sea Lord of the royal navy asked Andrew st George to spend time with every level of the navy staff, with the aim distilling the leadership culture of perhaps the most highly respected and efficient organization in the world into a book.

Here, he charts that journey. st George writes about how to plan and execute, how to exercise judgment and how to motivate people. A terrific insight into the working methods of a military organisation and a thought-provoking exploration of how the same methods can apply to all walks of life.

Andrew st George has advised and mentored many politicians, diplomats and City leaders. He lectures on management and leadership in business at universities, business schools and in the military.

“The first top-to-toe look at how the Senior Service does things.” sunday express

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8pm The George Hotel £8 (Hodder and Stoughton)

Gervase PhinnTrouble at the Little Village School

Over many years and numerous books Gervase Phinn has documented life in the Yorkshire Dales with a wit and warmth for which he has become well-known. Trouble at the Little Village School is his latest, the sequel to The Little Village School, chronicling the ups and downs of elisabeth Devine’s second year as head teacher of Barton-in-the-Dale’s primary school, as its future is threatened by a merger with its arch rival...

After teaching for 14 years, Gervase Phinn was offered the post of County Inspector for schools in north Yorkshire because of his good sense and lack of pretension. “We don’t put people on pedestals in Yorkshire,” he was told, “they nobbut want dustin’”.

“A born raconteur.” the Guardian

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10am The George Hotel £6 (Windmill Books)

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When Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, died in December 1861 the nation was paralysed with grief. His death was a catastrophe for the queen, and her response to it would go on to have a profound impact on public life in her country, as she began 40 years of unalleviated grieving.

Helen rappaport examines the circumstances leading up to Albert’s death and offers new theories on what killed him. she describes the overwhelming despondency of a country plunged into mourning and looks at the social consequences: this period saw an explosion in the funeral trade and mourning ephemera, and many of our most familiar public landmarks were built as a direct consequence of this one event.

Helen rappaport is a Victorianist, russianist and former actress.

“This particular airing of [Rappaport’s] rare skills maintains her already established status in the front rank of British historians.” Colin Dexter

Morning Coffee Deal 11am Coffee and a Danish for £2.75 in the ground floor lounge.

Helen RappaportMagnificent Obsession: Victoria, Albert and the Death That Changed the Monarchy

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11.45am The George Hotel £6 (Oxford University Press)

Roger LuckhurstThe Mummy’s Curse: The True History of a Dark Fantasy

the idea that curses attach themselves to those who disturb ancient egyptian artefacts has long been popular common currency. roger Luckhurst sets out to discover why, uncovering the ‘true’ stories of thomas Douglas Murray, who shot his own arm off while quail hunting shortly after purchasing a mummy case in Luxor, and fellow traveller Arthur Wheeler, who returned to Cairo to discover the collapse of a bank in China had cost him his fortune.

Luckhurst goes from their tales into a whole series of weird mummy stories and myths, exploring their provenance and veracity, on a trail which leads through Victorian museums, international exhibitions, private collections, the battlefields of egypt and sudan, and the writings of Arthur Conan Doyle, H. rider Haggard, and Algernon Blackwood.

roger Luckhurst is professor in Modern and Contemporary Literature at Birkbeck College, University of London.

Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

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2pm The George Hotel £6 (Aurum Press)

Sinclair McKayThe Secret Listeners

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Before anyone at Bletchley Park could break the German war machine’s codes, the enemy’s radio traffic and daily communications had to be heard. enter the Listening service – a team of young men and women based across the world in every theatre of war – who intercepted, monitored and transcribed the enemy transmissions with a speed few have ever managed since.

In this sequel to the bestselling The Secret Life of Bletchley Park, sinclair McKay has once again unearthed a fascinating compendium of memories from surviving veterans whose vital contribution to the war effort was previously shrouded in secrecy. He chronicles the history and achievements of this remarkable group of people.

“It is their stories, and the humbling thought of what their dedication to duty achieved, that make this book worth reading.” the telegraph

Afternoon Tea Deal 3pm tea and Cake for £2.75 in the ground floor lounge.

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3.45pm The George Hotel £6 (Oxford University Press)

Kathleen TaylorThe Brain Supremacy: Notes from the frontiers of Neuroscience

Advances in physics, chemistry and other natural sciences have given us extraordinary control over our world. But today the balance of power in the sciences is changing, as research on the brain and mind has produced important breakthroughs in our understanding of ourselves and of our environment. As a result, funding and researchers are pouring into the field of neuroscience.

In The Brain Supremacy, Kathleen taylor explores the science behind the hype, presenting the implications of this amazingly powerful new research, setting current neuroscience in its social and ethical context, as an increasingly important influence on how all of us live our lives.

Kathleen taylor studied Philosophy and Physiology at the University of Oxford before training as a neuroscientist. she is now a freelance writer as well as a visiting researcher at the University of Oxford.

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5.15pm The George Hotel £6 (Harper Sport)

Richard MooreSky’s The Limit: Cavendish and Wiggins: The Quest to Conquer the Tour de France

On sunday 22 July 2012, Bradley Wiggins became the first British rider ever to win the tour de France. It was a monumental achievement which represented the culmination of years of hard work and dedication, and a vision begun with the creation of team sky. this is the inside story of that journey to greatness.

Sky’s the Limit follows the gestation and birth of this brand new road racing team, which is the first British team to compete in the tour de France since 1987.

With exclusive behind-the-scenes access and interviews, Sky’s the Limit follows the management and riders as they embark on their journey from their first training camp and team presentation in December 2009 to podium success in the summer of 2012.

richard Moore is a journalist, author and former racing cyclist.

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6.45pm The George Hotel £7

Tracy Edwards MBE in conversation with Sue Beardsmore

tracy edwards captained the first all-female crew to take part in the Whitbread round-the-World Yacht race. they finished first in their class, second overall, and captured the nation’s hearts. she won the 1990 BBC sports Personality of the Year Award and was awarded the MBe. In 1998 tracy and her crew tried to break the speed record for a yacht circumnavigating the globe, and were on course to achieve this when their mast snapped in the southern Ocean, 2,000 miles west of Chile. tracy and her team now hold more records than any other British team.

tracy is one of the most sought after motivational speakers in the UK and also works as a consultant on conducting business in the Middle east. she has published two bestselling memoirs, Maiden Voyage and Every Second Counts.

“Even in these days of superhuman bravery and fear, Edwards’ courage in circumnavigating the world with an all-female crew is extraordinary.” the Independent

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7.30 – 10pm Spark Café Bar Free

Poetry AlightMidlands Poetry Showcase

An evening featuring the best of Midlands poetry. Performers include emma Purshouse from the Black Country, whose work combines comedy and pathos. Her CD Upsetting the Applecart is available from Offas press. Deborah tyler Bennett from Leicestershire is widely published, and will read from her most recent collection Mytton, Dyer and Sweet Billy Gibson. roy Marshall too comes from Leicestershire, his collection Gopagilla has delighted critics with its musical lyricism and light touch.

In addition, floor readers from across the region will perform three minute spots. this is an ideal opportunity to catch up with nationally reputed performance and page poetry from across the region.

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8– 9.15pm Festival Marquee £10 (Sphere)

Jenny Eclair in conversation with Sue Beardsmore

Life, Death and Vanilla Slices

Poor Jean Collins. she stepped out into the road without looking and now lies broken in hospital. But what distracted her? And why was she carrying a box of vanilla slices? Jean’s daughter Anne travels back up north to find out. But her mind is on her teenage sons in London. What damage could they do in just a few days? (Quite a lot, probably.)

Meanwhile there are long-buried secrets waiting for Anne and Jean, back at the old family home…

Jenny eclair is one of the UK’s most successful and popular comedians and actors. she is the author of two previous acclaimed novels, and is one of only two female comedians to have won the Perrier Award. she comes to Lichfield in the middle of her latest UK comedy tour.

“Very dark and very funny. I had it glued to my face until I’d finished it.” Jo Brand

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11.45am – 1pm Festival Marquee £8 (Summersdale)

Pippa Greenwood in conversation with Sue Beardsmore

A Gardener’s Calendar

Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

Pippa Greenwood is a leading light in the world of horticulture. she was a presenter on BBC two’s Gardeners’ World for over 13 years and the gardening consultant for rosemary and thyme. she is a regular panellist and bug expert on radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question time, has written a number of award-winning books and contributes to BBC Gardeners’ World magazine.

now she has produced a beautifully illustrated guide containing specific month-by-month ‘to do’ lists for ornamental gardens, edible crops and general maintenance, as well as tips on things to look out for, such as pests and how to eliminate them. A perfect hour of botanical bliss awaits for anyone with green-fingered proclivities.

“A charmingly illustrated reference guide… a must have.” Garden news

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2pm Festival Marquee £8

Matthew Fort in conversation with Sue Beardsmore

Matthew Fort is one of the most recognisable food critics in Britain. For twenty years he worked as a copywriter and creative director for a variety of advertising agencies, then in 1989 he shook the dust of advertising off his feet to become Food & Drink editor of the Guardian, a post he still holds. For the last six years he has been a fixture on our screens as one of the judges for BBC2’s Great British Menu.

In this event Matthew talks about his life and work, including his many books on food. He was Glenfiddich Food Writer of the Year and restaurateurs’ Writer of the Year in 1991, and Glenfiddich restaurant Writer of the Year in 1992. In 1998 he published Rhubarb & Black Pudding, a book about the Lancastrian chef Paul Heathcote and the ribble Valley in which Mr Heathcote’s Michelin-starred restaurant in situated. He also once edited the Guardian Sausage Directory.

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3.45pm Festival Marquee £6 (Icon Books Ltd)

Mark ForsythThe Horologicon: A Day’s Jaunt Through the Lost Words of the English Language

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Mark Forsyth, author of the sunday times number One bestseller The Etymologicon, unearths words that you didn’t even know you needed.

The Horologicon follows a day in the life of unusual, beautiful and forgotten english words. Do you tend to lie in bed before dawn worrying? then you have the Old english ailment of uhtceare. Uhtceare can lead on to dysania (inability to get out of bed) and other zwoddery problems, which many have suffered but few can name. From encounters with office ultracrepidarians, lunchtime scamblers and six o’clock sturmovschinas to the post-work joys of thelyphthoric grinagogs and nimtopsical nympholepsy, to bedward by way of nuncheon, at last you can say, with utter accuracy, exactly what you mean.

“A cracking all-year-round-read. Highly recommended.” the spectator

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5.15pm The George Hotel £6 (Little, Brown)

David WilsonThe Last Photographs of Captain Scott

Captain scott perished with four of his fellow explorers on their return from the south Pole in March 1912. On the discovery of scott’s diaries, the myth of scott as the embodiment of British heroism took immediate hold, turning him into an icon of courage in the face of impossible circumstances.

During the final months of that journey scott also took a series of breathtaking photographs: panoramas of the continent, superb depictions of mountains and formations of ice and snow, and photographs of the explorers on the polar trail. But these photos have never been seen – initially fought over, neglected, then lost – until now, that is. For the first time, they are resurrected and collected here by David Wilson, giving an arresting new perspective on a very familiar tale.

David Wilson is the great-nephew of Dr edward Wilson, who died with Captain scott and his fellow explorers.

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Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

6.30pm Festival Marquee £8

Fi Glover in conversation with Sue Beardsmore

Fi Glover is an award winning broadcaster and writer. she is one of this country’s best known radio voices, and was voted the 9th Most Powerful Voice on radio in the radio times 2010. she won a sony Gold and a sony silver for her most recent show, Saturday Live on BBC radio 4, as well as a sony silver Award for Broadcasting House on radio 4, and a Bronze Award for the GLR Breakfast Show.

Glover started her BBC career as a filing clerk in news Information research before a place on the BBC trainee reporter scheme kickstarted a career on numerous radio shows from the GLr Breakfast show to BBC2’s the travel show via almost every show at radio 5 Live. she comes to Lichfield to discuss her career and the state of broadcasting today.

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Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

8.15pm Festival Marquee £8 (Viking)

Matthew Parris and Andrew BrysonThe Spanish Ambassador’s Suitcase

Heard the one about the spanish Ambassador who arrived in the scorching Algerian desert fully suited and with a mysteriously enormous suitcase? Or the one about the horse presented to Prime Minister John Major by the authorities in turkmenistan which had to be rescued from the Moscow train station by the embassy?

Drawn from the national Archives and from Freedom of Information requests these ‘funnies’ make up a volume of entertaining and illuminating stories, and accompany a new series for BBC radio 4.

Matthew Parris was a Conservative MP from 1979 to 1986, since when he has worked as a journalist. He currently writes columns for both The Times and The Spectator. Andrew Bryson is a radio journalist working in the BBC’s Business and economic Unit, and as a producer on radio 4’s Today programme and on radio 5 Live.

“Each account [has] an intensity of feeling, wherever it comes on the political correctness scale.” the Guardian

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Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

11.45am The George Hotel £6 (Headline)

Laura Thompson in conversation with Sue Beardsmore

Agatha Christie: An English Mystery

Writing about Agatha Christie is a detective job in itself. But, with access to all of Christie’s letters, hitherto unpublished papers and writing notebooks, as well as interviews with her grandson, daughter, son-in-law and their living relations, Laura thompson has unraveled both the detailed workings of Christie’s detective fiction, and the truth behind Christie’s private life.

she describes the edwardian world in which Christie grew up, explores the relationships she had, including those with her two husbands and daughter, and investigates the mysteries still surrounding Christie’s life – including her disappearance in 1926.

A writer and freelance journalist, Laura thompson won the somerset Maugham award for her first book, The Dogs, and is also the author of the critically acclaimed Life in a Cold Climate.

“The best biographies are labours of love and this fascinating book is just that.” the telegraph

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2pm The George Hotel £6 (Thames and Hudson)

Barry MillingtonRichard Wagner: The Sorcerer of Bayreuth

Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

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richard Wagner is one of the most influential – and controversial – composers in the history of music. He produced a stream of works that challenged musical convention through their richness and tonal experimentation. Yet his work is also now indelibly associated with modernism’s darker machinist tendencies and, thanks to its appropriation by Hitler, nazism.

Barry Millington – Evening Standard music critic and editor of The Wagner Journal – considers Wagner’s inspirations; his exotic silk fetish; his relationships; the anti-semitism in his operas, and his turbulent legacy, leading to a radical reappraisal of this most perplexing of composers.

“Few, if any, Wagner scholars could cull such a cornucopia of vital anecdotes, observations, and pictures as has Barry Millington.” Joseph Horowitz

Afternoon Tea Deal 3pm tea and Cake for £2.75 in the ground floor lounge.

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Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

3.45pm The George Hotel £6 (Faber and Faber)

John CooperThe Queen’s Agent: Francis Walsingham at the Court of Elizabeth I

elizabeth I came to the throne at a time of insecurity and unrest. england was a Protestant island, isolated at the edge of Catholic europe. spain plotted an invasion, but elizabeth’s secretary, Francis Walsingham, was prepared to do whatever it took to protect her. He ran a network of agents in england and europe, gathering information on plots and assassination attempts. He encouraged elizabeth to make war against the Catholic Irish rebels and oversaw the execution of Mary, Queen of scots.

the Queen’s Agent is a story of secret agents, cryptic codes and ingenious plots, set in a turbulent period of england’s history.

John Cooper studied and taught History at Oxford before moving to the University of York.

“Cooper has created an engrossing portrait of the most subtle of Elizabeth’s statesmen.” Helen Castor.

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Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

6–7.15pm Festival Marquee £8

Jennie Bond Amusing Anecdotes from a National Treasure

Jennie Bond was the BBC’s royal correspondent between 1989 and 2003. From the annus horribilis of 1992, to Princess Diana’s death and the subsequent fallout, to the rebuilding of the reputation of the House of Windsor, culminating in the Golden Jubilee celebrations of 2002, Jennie Bond was a first-hand witness to the most turbulent period of the Queen’s sixty year reign.

since then, Bond has appeared on I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here and presented numerous other shows. she comes to Lichfield to talk about the things she has seen over a lifetime spent observing the behaviour of people in a unique position, and to share frequently hilarious anecdotes. Funny, insightful and surprising, this will be an hour to savour.

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Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

8 – 9.15pm Festival Marquee £8 (Wigmore Books)

John Challis in conversation with Sue Beardsmore

Being Boycie /Boycie and Beyond

John Challis tells us frankly and affectionately how he lived and thrived as a young man on the ups and downs of provincial repertory theatre, the mad hustle of early television drama in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and the stages of London’s West end. He describes the pressures, the longing for his father’s approval, a massive zest for life and his chronic inability to settle down to a stable married existence. It is an honest and humorous account from one of television’s most well-known faces.

renowned for his role in the classic sitcom Only Fools and Horses, John Challis’ extensive career has also included working with the royal shakespeare Company and the national theatre as well as appearing in a host of popular television series.

“A must read for fans of Only Fools…” Daily Mail.

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10am The George Hotel £6 (Viking)

Harry MountHow England Made the English

For all their sophistication, roman roads are responsible for the narrowness of our train seats today. the first Victorian trains were built to the same width as horse-drawn wagons; they, in turn, were designed to fit the ruts left in the road by roman chariots.

In this fascinating and witty book, Harry Mount explains how our national characteristics – our sense of humour, our hobbies, our favourite foods and our behaviour with the opposite sex – are all defined by our nation’s extraordinary geography, geology, climate and weather. You will learn how the Gulf stream keeps us warm; why we drive on the left-hand side of the road, and why the Midlands became the home of the British curry.

Harry Mount is a journalist, and the author of Amo, Amas, Amat and All That, his best-selling book on Latin.

“All hail to this book.” the telegraph

Morning Coffee Deal 11am Coffee and a Danish for £2.75 in the ground floor lounge.

Page 48: Lichfield Literature Festival 2012

Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

11.45am The George Hotel £6 (Polity Books)

Peter BurkeA Social History of Knowledge II: From the Encyclopédie to Wikipedia

Cultural Historian Peter Burke presents the concluding part of his systematic study of the collecting, analysing, disseminating, storing, accessing, using and losing of knowledge in the western world. Here he focusses on developments from the mid-18th century enlightenment, and the publication of the French Encyclopédie, through to the “information overload” of today. this is a story of groups, institutions, collective practices and general trends which site the acquisition of knowledge in a greater historical specificity than ever before.

Peter Burke is Professor emeritus of Cultural History at the University of Cambridge and a fellow of emmanuel College. He is celebrated as a historian not only of the early modern era, but as one who emphasizes the relevance of social and cultural history to modern issues.

“A glittering cabinet of intellectual curiosities.” History today

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2.15pm Festival Marquee £7 (Profile)

David CrystalThe Samuel Johnson Talk

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Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

David Crystal returns to the Lichfield Literature Festival to give this year’s samuel Johnson talk. With particular focus on his two most recent books: Spell it Out, the story of english spelling, and English in 100 Words, in which Crystal selects the words he feels have done most to define the english language we know today.

Crystal published the first of his 100 or so books in 1964, and became known chiefly for his research work in english language studies. He held a chair at the University of reading for 10 years, and is now Honorary Professor of Linguistics at the University of Wales, Bangor. these days he divides his time between work on language and work on internet applications.

“Britain’s leading linguistic prospector.” Independent

Afternoon Tea Deal 3.15pm tea and Cake for £2.75 at the George Hotel.

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Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

4pm Festival Marquee £6 (Oxford University Press)

Frank CloseThe Infinity Puzzle: Quantum Field Theory and the Search for an Orderly Universe

On 4 July 2012 scientists at Cern announced the discovery of a particle which behaved in a manner consistent with Higgs bosun, the physicists’ holy grail. But there’s more at stake than theoretical satisfaction – what we’re really testing is our capacity to make the universe reasonable.

Our best understanding of physics is predicated on quantum field theory. Unfortunately, in its raw form, it doesn’t make sense. the kind of physics that the Higgs boson represents seeks to “renormalize” field theory, forcing equations to provide answers that match what we see in the real world. The Infinity Puzzle is the story of a wild idea on the road to acceptance.

Frank Close is a Professor of theoretical Physics at Oxford University and Fellow and tutor in Physics at exeter College, Oxford.

“An author who not only understands the subject but also takes care to investigate conflicting accounts of how these advances came about.” Peter Higgs.

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5.30pm Festival Marquee £8 (Penguin)

Dame Margaret Drabble in conversation with Sue Beardsmore

A Day in the Life of a Smiling Woman

Dame Margaret Drabble was born in sheffield in 1939 and was educated at newnham College, Cambridge. As well as writing highly acclaimed novels, Drabble has also written biographies, screenplays and is the editor of the Oxford Companion to english Literature. she was appointed OBe in 1980, and made DBe in the 2000 Honours list. she is married to the biographer Michael Holroyd and lives in London and somerset.

In this event she talks about her life and work, and her most recent book A Day in the Life of a Smiling Woman, which shows her to be a leading practitioner of the art of the short story. In it she dwells upon the themes that have made her novels so popular. the collection presents her complete short fiction for the first time in a single volume, spanning four decades, from 1964 to 2000.

“Margaret Drabble’s collected stories are more than the sum of their parts.” the Guardian

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6–7.30pm Worth Brothers £10 (including drinks) / £6 when combined with a ticket for the literary dinner

(Hachette)

Whisky Tasting: Ian Buxton101 World Whiskies to Try Before you Die

Ian Buxton is a former Marketing Director of Glenmorangie with over 20 years experience in the industry. In his new compendium he recommends another 101 whiskies that he believes every whisky lover should taste.

the book includes single malts and blends – and a few renegade suggestions that are bound to offend purists.

Ian believes in tasting and enjoying the huge range of whiskies that are available and comes to Lichfield both to talk about his work and to share a taste of some of the whiskies he recommends. Why not make an evening of it with our combined Whisky tasting and Festival Dinner ticket?

“Buxton’s guide encourages you to seek out and try whiskies that you might not have thought about before... So what are you waiting for? It’s time to start delving in and ticking them off.” Whisky Magazine

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Drinks 7.30pm, Dinner 8pm The George Hotel £36 (three-courses, excluding wine)

The Lichfield Literary Dinner Barry Cryer

Barry Cryer was born in Leeds. educated at Leeds Grammar school and Leeds University, he is B.A. eng.Lit. (Failed). He says the latter was due to the outbreak of World War II, which was sixteen years before, but upset him very deeply.

not that it’s exactly held him back. From the early days of his career at the legendary Windmill theatre in London, working six shows a day six days a week, Cryer has gone on to become a comedy legend and national treasure. He has written jokes for pretty much every top comedian in the country, including Morecambe and Wise, tommy Cooper and far too many others to mention.

He is also a well loved stand-up and performer in his own right, and can still be heard regularly doing very silly and funny things on I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue on radio 4. By happy chance, he is also one of the country’s most popular after-dinner speakers.

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10am The George Hotel £6 (Thames & Hudson)

Garry ShawThe Pharaoh: Life at Court and on Campaign

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the pharaoh is the iconic ruler of the ancient world. But how did these monarchs – mortals who live and died like anyone else – spend their days? How did they become pharaoh? How did they govern, and how were they entertained?

In the first book to convey the full experience of what it was actually like to be the pharaoh, Garry shaw charts the development of a uniquely egyptian vision of kingship, exemplified by the men and women who ascended the throne to become the first rulers of a unified country. He covers the full story of ancient egyptian power, from renowned and supreme monarchs such as Khufu, seti I and ramesses II, to the decadence of the all-too human Ptolemies, and pharaonic kingship’s last gasp under roman rule.

Garry shaw is Honorary Fellow at the University of Liverpool.

Morning Coffee Deal 11am Coffee and a Danish for £2.75 in the ground floor lounge.

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11.45am The George Hotel £6 (Thames & Hudson)

Alexandra HarrisVirginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf is one of the towering figures of literary modernism. In this study, following from her hugely acclaimed book Romantic Moderns, Alexandra Harris weaves together Woolf’s life and work, providing an ideal introduction to both.

Following the chronology of Woolf’s life, Harris considers each of the novels in context, gives due prominence to Woolf’s dazzlingly inventive essays, traces the contentious course of Woolf’s reception post-mortem, and shows why, seventy years after her death, Virginia Woolf continues to haunt and inspire us.

Alexandra Harris teaches english literature at the University of Liverpool. Romantic Moderns won the Guardian First Book Award and a somerset Maugham Award in 2011.

“A wonderfully perceptive, unpretentious study which is pacy in style, riveting in content and perfectly accessible to the most obdurate Woolf-avoider.” Daily Mail

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12.15pm Festival Marquee £6 (Preface)

Peter Caddick-AdamsMonte Cassino: Ten Armies in Hell

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the five-month Monte Cassino campaign in central Italy is one of the best-known european land battles of World War two, alongside D-Day and stalingrad. It has a particular resonance now, because Cassino, with its multitude of participating armies, was the campaign that most closely anticipates the coalition operations of today, with its ever-shifting cast of players stuck in inhospitable, mountainous terrain, pursuing an objective set by unknowing politicians in distant capitals, where victory is difficult to define.

Peter Caddick-Adams, one of the world’s authorities on battlefield history and author of the applauded joint biography of Montgomery and rommel, gives a compelling and authoritative account of the greatest battle of the Italian campaign of World War two.

“A brilliant book written with passion and verve.” BBC History Magazine

Morning Coffee Deal 11.30am Coffee and a Danish for £2.75 in the ground floor lounge at the George Hotel.

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2pm The George Hotel £7 (Biteback)

Peter Hain in conversation with Sue Beardsmore

Outside In

From militant anti-apartheid protester to one of the most familiar faces in British government, Peter Hain’s has been an extraordinary life. In the new Labour government he held key roles at the Foreign Office and the DtI, was leader of the Commons and brokered the 2007 devolution settlement in northern Ireland.

Yet underpinning Hain’s career is a tradition of political campaigning stretching back to his childhood in Pretoria, when security police had taken his activist parents away in the middle of the night, and a close family friend was hanged by the apartheid government. this is the story of a courageous, campaigning life, intrinsically bound up with the destiny of south Africa.

“Peter Hain has lived life to the full, which is more than most of our politicians can say.” John Kampfner, Observer

Afternoon Tea Deal 3pm tea and Cake for £2.75 in the ground floor lounge.

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3.45pm The George Hotel £7 (Arrow)

John CraceBrideshead Abbreviated: The Digested Read of the Twentieth Century

John Crace’s weekly ‘Digested read’ column in the Guardian has acquired a cult following. Fans avidly devour his latest literary assassination, while authors turn tremblingly to the appropriate page of the review section, fearful that it may be their turn to be mercilessly sent up.

now he turns his critical eye on the classics of the last century, offering bite-sized pastiches of everything from Mrs Dalloway to Trainspotting via Lolita and The Great Gatsby. Witty and sharp, this is essential for those who genuinely love literature and for those who merely want to appear ridiculously well read.

John Crace is a journalist and feature writer for The Guardian. He writes the Digested read for G2.

“I’ve read all these books at least twice - and now I’ve read John Crace’s digested versions I wonder why I bothered.” Will self

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7pm Festival Marquee £8 (Coronet)

Larry Lamb in conversation with Sue Beardsmore

Mummy’s Boy

Larry Lamb has recently established himself as one of the nation’s most-loved television actors through his roles as Gavin’s loveable dad in Gavin and Stacey, and the villainous Archie Mitchell in Eastenders.

In his touching memoir, Larry reflects on the effect his childhood had on his own family in later life. He recounts the ups and downs of his acting career – a profession he stumbled into after a string of jobs ranging from deep fat frying in an essex fish and chip shop to engineering in nova scotia.

Poignant, searingly honest and hugely entertaining; don’t miss your opportunity to listen to this popular star of stage and screen.

Larry Lamb has appeared in films including Superman and Buster, on the stage with the royal shakespeare Company and national theatre and in all the greats of British television from A Touch of Frost and Silent Witness to Spooks and Casualty.

“A captivating read.” Inside soap

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8.45–10pm Festival Marquee £8 (Virgin Books)

Andy KershawNo Off Switch

Andy Kershaw truly has no off switch. As a teenager he was promoting major rock gigs. He was Billy Bragg’s driver and roadie one day and presenting The Old Grey Whistle Test and Live Aid the next. Kershaw spent 15 years at radio 1, where he shared an office with John Peel. More recently a presenter on radio 3, he has also worked for the rolling stones and Bruce springsteen. His record collection weighs seven tons.

A journalist at heart, he has often reinvented himself as a foreign correspondent. He reported for the BBC from the midst of a volcanic eruption in Montserrat, where he had taken his partner for “a quiet Caribbean holiday” (the island blew up the day after they arrived) and, most memorably, from rwanda during the horrors of 1994.

“Andy Kershaw’s No Off Switch is sensational. An amazing read. An amazing man.” stephen Fry

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11.30am The George Hotel £6 (Oxford University Press)

Patricia FaraErasmus Darwin: Sex, Science and Serendipity

samuel taylor Coleridge was of the opinion that erasmus Darwin possessed ‘perhaps a greater knowledge than any other man in europe’. Darwin was internationally renowned in his lifetime for breathtakingly long poems explaining his theories about sex and science, and became a target for sustained and vitriolic character assassination by London’s most savage satirists.

Patricia Fara investigates why Darwin provoked such fierce reactions, revealing the life of an impassioned enlightenment reformer who championed the abolition of slavery, the education of women, and the optimistic ideals of the French revolution.

Patricia Fara lectures in the history of science at Cambridge University, where she is the senior tutor of Clare College.

Sunday Lunch Deal at The George ticket Holders are offered a 10% discount on a three course sunday lunch, served until 3pm. Advance booking is advised, please quote ‘lichfield literature’

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2pm The George Hotel £7 (Picador)

Jackie KayRed Dust Road

Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

Jackie Kay writes extensively for stage, screen and for children. In 2010 she published this year’s Lichfield Literature Festival Big read: Red Dust Road (see p4 for details) an account of her search for her natural parents. Her drama The Lamplighter is an exploration of the Atlantic slave trade. It was broadcast on BBC radio 3 in March 2007 and published in poem form in 2008.

Her first book of poetry, the partially autobiographical The Adoption Papers, was published in 1991 and won the saltire society scottish First Book Award. Her other awards include the 1994 somerset Maugham Award for Other Lovers, and the Guardian First Book Award Fiction Prize for Trumpet, based on the life of American jazz musician Billy tipton, born Dorothy tipton, who lived as a man for the last fifty years of her life.

“Kay excels at any literary genre she turns her hand to.” Independent

Afternoon Tea Deal 3pm tea and Cake for £2.75 in the ground floor lounge.

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3.30pm The George Hotel £6 (Oxford University Press)

Sir Barry CunliffeBritain BeginsPresented in partnership with the staffordshire Archaeological and Historical society

Using modern archaeological evidence, Britain Begins tells our island story from the arrival of colonising hunter-gatherers from mainland europe 12,000 years ago, through to the eve of the norman Conquest, overturning long-held assumptions about the origin of the Celts, the impact of the roman occupation, and the extent of the ebb and flow between the populations of Britain and the continent.

Also exploring the origins of myth-enhanced histories such as those of Geoffrey of Monmouth, Barry Cunliffe reflects on the idea that today’s archaeologists and the historians of old engage in the same activity: telling the story that best fits the current evidence.

sir Barry Cunliffe is emeritus Professor of Archaeology at the University of Oxford. Author of many bestselling books, he received a knighthood in 2006.

“Substantial and authoritative.” times Literary supplement

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5pm Festival Marquee £7 (Penguin)

Tristram HuntThe English Civil War: At First Hand

Almost a quarter of a million lives were lost as King and Parliament battled for their religious and political ideals in the english Civil War. Fathers and sons, uncles and cousins were pitted against each other in defence of their loyalties. the civil war led to the execution of a king, the beginnings of sectarian division in Ireland, savage clan warfare in scotland and the roots of english socialism.

tristram Hunt offers a timeless narrative based on the first-hand accounts of those who witnessed these traumatic events. From Cromwell’s letters to the memoirs of a roundhead wife the civil war era is brought to life in all its terrible and fascinating glory.

tristram Hunt is a writer, historian, broadcaster and politician. He currently serves as the Labour MP for stoke-on-trent central.

“This book brings us up close to momentous events.” Independent

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5pm The George Hotel £6 (The Bodley Head)

John D Barrow100 Essential Things You Didn’t Know You Didn’t Know About Sport

For the majority of humans, it is the ultimate question: What can maths tell us about sport?

Fortunately, John D Barrow is on hand to finally provide an answer: shedding light on the mysteries of running, jumping, swimming and points scoring across the whole sporting spectrum. Find out how fast Usain Bolt can ultimately run and how he could break his records without running any faster, what the effect of those banned skin-tight swimsuits are, and much more. An hour which will enrich your understanding of sport and enliven your appreciation of maths.

John D Barrow is an english cosmologist, theoretical physicist, and mathematician. He is currently research Professor of Mathematical sciences at the University of Cambridge.

“John Barrow’s wonderfully informative book should charm both lovers and haters of mathematics.” sheldon Lee Glashow, nobel Laureate

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6.30pm The George Hotel £6 (Andre Deutsch)

Lucinda Dickens HawksleyCharles Dickens

Charles Dickens is the definitive illustrated guide to the man and his works. It follows Dickens from early childhood, and looks at how he became the greatest celebrity of his age. Featuring rare images from the archives of the Charles Dickens Museum, the book explores how key personalities in Dickens’ life became imitated in his writings. It also explores his work as a journalist, his campaigning for social reform, and exemplifies the enormous changes he helped to bring about both in his local society and in the world at large.

Lucinda Dickens Hawksley is an author, art historian and public speaker. she is the great-great-great-granddaughter of Charles and Catherine Dickens and Patron of the Charles Dickens Museum, London.

“Contains fascinating documents and memorabilia […] these really bring alive Dickens’ life.” richard Brooks, sunday times Culture

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7.45 – 9pm Festival Marquee £12 (John Wiley and Sons)

Sir Digby Jones in conversation with Sue Beardsmore

Fixing Britain: The Business of Reshaping Our Nation

In Fixing Britain, former trade minister Digby Jones puts the spotlight on critical national and international business issues and lays out the essential reform urgently needed for the growth of our nation. He explores the need for change at all levels, from Westminster to education, the public and private sectors, our social cohesion and our sense of common purpose. Jones highlights how untenable the status quo is in the UK, and sets out how Britain can get back in – and stay in – the globalised race.

sir Digby Jones is a businessman and life peer of the House of Lords. He was appointed Minister of state for UK trade & Investment in July 2007. We are delighted that he is able to join us in Lichfield to close the Literature Festival.

“The frustrations of being a leading business figure trying to work with the Government are laid bare.” sunday telegraph

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ASSOCIATIONFESTIVALLICHFIELD

Download a form at www.lichfieldfestival.org or call 01543 306270

From £25 per year single or £35 per year joint.

Support your festival by joining the LFA today and get a free ticket to lichfield literature.

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Venu

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Lichfield Literature Festival Associate Partner

sponsored by

A charming 18th century former coaching inn and the main venue for Lichfield Literature. Our events in the George Hotel take place in the elegant surroundings of the building’s Garrick room, with a capacity of 110. the George is the Literature Festival’s spiritual home and the venue for the majority of our events once more.

An exciting new addition for 2012, we are delighted to be opening the Literature Festival Marquee for the first time. situated on the site of the old Franciscan Friary, opposite Lichfield Library, the marquee will provide a new 300 capacity venue for our ever-growing Festival.

BEST WESTERN The George Hotel

Lichfield Literature Festival Marquee

Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

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Lichfield Literature Festival Associate Partner

Official Catering Partner for the Festival Marquee

Whe

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Box office: 01543 306272 www.lichfieldfestival.org

Breakfasts, morning coffee and pastries from 7am, plus a carvery restaurant and an extensive bar menu for lunch and dinner. Afternoon tea also served. Buy Lichfield Literature tickets and receive a voucher for buy one 3 course carvery meal, get one half price!

this former bank is located next to the Literature Marquee and site of the Franciscan Friary. Open early for breakfasts, plus food and refreshments throughout the day and evening.

Friendly town centre pub selling a wide range of beers and hot and cold meals throughout the day.

BEST WESTERN The George Hotel

The Gatehouse

The Acorn

Bird Street, Lichfield Open throughout the Festival

Bird Street, Lichfield Open Mon – Sun 8am – 11pm

16–18 Tamworth Street, Lichfield Open Mon – Thu: 8am to 12am Fri – Sat: 8am to 1am Sun: 8am to 12am

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16–18 Tamworth Street, Lichfield Open Mon – Thu: 8am to 12am Fri – Sat: 8am to 1am Sun: 8am to 12am

Date/time Author No. of Ticket price Total Box office tickets ticket price use

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Lichfield Literature Box Office: 7 The Close, Lichfield, WS13 7LD Tel: 01543 306272

Book

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72Please tick if you would like further information about Lichfield Festival events

Please fill in your details below

title First name/Initials surname

Address

Postcode

Daytime telephone evening telephone

email

I enclose a cheque for £ (payable to Lichfield Festival Ltd)

or please debit by card Visa /Mastercard/switch/solo/electron/Maestro

Card number

expiry date Valid from Issue no (switch only)

Cardholder’s signature signature strip number

Book

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How & where to book In person: lichfield literature box office, 7 the Close, Lichfield Ws13 7LD (opening hours Monday to Friday 10am– 4pm) By post: Complete both sides of booking form and return to address above By phone: 01543 306272 (Monday to Friday 10am– 4pm) Online: www.lichfieldfestival.org A single 50p charge per booking will be added to cover administration fees unless paying in cash. tickets purchased online will be kept for collection from the festival office or on the door at the event. All bookings are dealt with in order of receipt. reserved tickets must be paid for within 5 working days or no later than 30 minutes before the start of an event, whichever is the sooner. there are on-the-door sales at each venue, subject to availability.

How to pay Cheques should be made payable to Lichfield Festival Ltd. We are pleased to accept credit card bookings by telephone or in person. We accept Visa, Mastercard, solo, switch, electron, Maestro. nOt Amex. Please give your card number, issue number (switch only), expiry date, name and address, and signature strip number (last three digits on back of card).

Refunds Please check your tickets as soon as you receive them, as the Festival cannot refund money or exchange tickets except in the case of a cancelled performance.

Disabled Free ticket for companion or support worker to disabled patrons.

All events are 60 minutes unless otherwise stated. Doors open 20 minutes before an event.

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Please note: There is free parking for the disabled at every car park.

Key Lichfield Literature box office the George Hotel Festival Marquee spark Café Bar Lichfield Library Johnson Museum

Long & short stay parking Up to 12 hours

short stay parking Up to 4 hours

short stay parking Weekends only only

Coach Park taxi rankOn-street parking for Disabled badge holders

One way street

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By road: the A38 and A5 connect near Lichfield and give direct access to the motorway network – M6 toll, M42, M50, M40, M5/6 and M1.National coach travel information: telephone 01543 412121 By train: Direct rail services to Lichfield are operated by Central trains and Virgin trains, and via Birmingham by silverlink and Chiltern railways. Information: call 08457 484950 or go to www.rail.co.uk and www.thetrainline.co.ukBy air: Birmingham International Airport (30 minutes drive) and east Midlands Airport (40 minutes drive)

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