Soho Literary Festival

This year's Soho Literary Festival runs from Wednesday 24th until Sunday 28th September and we asked organiser, James Pembroke, to tell us more about what's going on this year.

 

The Soho Literary Festival is produced by the Oldie magazine, which has held literary lunches at Simpson's-in-the-Strange since 1995. The festival, which is supported by the Arts Council and sponsored by Waitrose Cellar, is for Londoners to meet their favourite authors in London's most bohemian quarter. The ticket price of £9 is designed to make it as afforable as possible for people.

 

The festival programme is put together by the Oldie magazine which has a respected books section and also publishes the Oldie Review of Books. We aim to make the festival as wide-ranging as possible. This year, we have events on history, fishing, sex, psychopaths, wine and agony aunts and a literary quiz. Due to the Oldie's reputation, top authors are perhaps more pre-disposed to coming along. 

 

This must be the most intimate festival in the UK: three auditoria within one venue, not one of which takes more than 140 people and in central London, so no need to spend a fortune on travel and accommodation, only to end up at the back of a tent in a soggy field.

 

Do you think it's a good thing that there are so many literary festivals now?
Yes, as Virgil said, "A town without a festival is like a road witout an inn."

 

How to Spot a Psychopath. I've met one or two candidates...