I normally try for 3-4 things a day - on my first couple of skim-throughs these caught my eye, though I'll also want to add in a few novelists talking about recent books:
- a history of astronomy 'From Alexandria to Cambridge'
- the story of the King James Bible 'When God spoke English' - I suspect we'll also end up going to see AC Grayling on his secular Good Book
- Prof Brian Cox on the universe
- Orlando Figes on the Crimea
It's going to be great (unless it rains, torrentially, every day). Is anyone else going this year? What are you seeing?
I've never been to the Hay festival although I expect it's wonderful. The Cambridge Wordfest must be on next weekend, I think, and I'll certainly be going to some of the events there.
ReplyDeleteI'm a Friend of the festival, so I did all my booking last week. I go with the same group of friends every year and we have the same self-catering farmhouse for the whole week. Needless to say, I've booked *a lot* of events! Oddly, I'm not going to any of the ones you've booked! But I will be seeing VS Naipaul, Andrew Davies (on Downton Abbey), Nigella Lawson (how can you not?!?), Gaynor Arnold, David Sedaris, Edward St Aubyn, David Lodge, Jo Brand, Marcus Brigstocke, Virginia Nicholson, Tim Smit, Vanessa Redgrave and a whole host of others. I can't wait!
ReplyDeleteLitlove - hope the Wordfest is good, will you post about it?
ReplyDeleteHelen - thanks for the tipoffs. I first discovered David Sedaris through the This American Life podcast - are you a listener too? I suspect your farmhouse will be comfier than my tent-and-airbed combo - and you'll probably be a bit drier too!
I went in 2009 and the weather was gorgeous. I didn't go to any talks but enjoyed walking around the venue checking out the stands, books and authors and later visited the town. I'd like to go back again soon but in the meantime look forward to your post about it. I hope you have a great time with lots of sunshine!
ReplyDeleteBy the way - now properly booked up. And for a Yurt at Tangerine Fields too. It's going to be AMAZING!
ReplyDeleteRose, we used to camp at the festival but, after being completely flooded out three years running, we gave up and de-camped (literally) to the farmhouse where we've remained ever since.
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't listen to This American Life. I'm not really good with podcasts. But I love David Sedaris!