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Authors including Jonathan Coe, Elif Shafak and Lemn Sissay have been confirmed as part of the line-up for Cambridge Literary Festival’s 20th anniversary Winter Weekend, taking place this year from 16th to 19th November.
Sebastian Faulks will reflect on his writing life 30 years on from the publication of Birdsong and introduce his latest novel, The Seventh Son (Hutchinson Heinemann), while Jonathan Coe will share his new book, Bourneville (Viking).
A debut Writers panel will introduce Yomi Adegoke, Tom Crewe, and nature writer Helen Macdonald, and Lemn Sissay will read from his new collection, Let the Light Pour In (Canongate). Former prime minister Theresa May will be in discussion about The Abuse of Power (Headline) and Chris Bryant MP will discuss Code of Conduct (Bloomsbury), while nature writers Mark Cocker (One Midsummer’s Day, Jonathan Cape) and Charles Foster (Cry of the Wild, Doubleday) will be in conversation the author of H is for Hawk (Jonathan Cape), Helen Macdonald.
Festival director Cathy Moore said: “The festival has come a very long way since I met Ali Smith in Waterstones in May 2002 where I worked as a bookseller and invited her in to sign copies of Hotel World. We got chatting about the Hay Festival and wondered why Cambridge never had a literary festival. On my cycle home that evening I asked myself ‘How hard could it be to set up a festival?’ and decided ‘Not very’.
“I launched Cambridge Wordfest in March 2003 and it now proudly takes its place in the top tier of UK festivals. We mark the end of our 20th Anniversary year with a festival that welcomes back old friends and invites new ones to produce a rich mix of outstanding talent.
"We are committed to championing debut writers alongside literary greats, sharing personal stories and immersive narratives. As midwinter approaches, I look forward to sharing a festive feast of words to warm the soul and stimulate the mind.” More can be found here.