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David Nicholls and Harriet Walter to appear at Cambridge Literary Festival’s Winter Weekend
David Nicholls, Harriet Walter and Alan Hollinghurst are some of the headliners at this year’s Cambridge Literary Festival’s Winter Weekend.
Taking place across the city’s historical venues on 23rd and 24th November, the event will feature “globally renowned novelists, household names from the worlds of stage, film and TV, as well as incisive Cambridge academics, art lovers, environmental campaigners and political heavyweights”.
The organisers added: “With a range of talks to inspire audiences across a dazzling array of subjects – from the workings of the ocean to the legacy of James Baldwin – the festival continues to shine a light on the very best contemporary books and thinkers, leading the cultural conversation with over 35 speakers due to appear across the weekend.”
The fiction programme will include Nicholls in conversation with podcaster Hattie Crisell while Ali Smith will discuss her next book, Gliff (Hamish Hamilton) and Hollinghurst will present his novel, Our Evenings (Pan Macmillan), a story exploring race, class, theatre and sexuality.
The centenary of the birth of writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin will be celebrated at the festival with author and critic Erica Wagner joining writers Jason Okundaye, Colin Grant and Alex Clark to discuss Baldwin’s oeuvre and literary impact.
Actors Mackenzie Crook and Harriet Walter will also be discussing their upcoming books If Nick Drake Came to My House (Ebury) and She Speaks! (Little, Brown), respectively. Michael Rosen will discuss his life in writing, exploring his time as children’s laureate, the pandemic, and his latest book, Rosen’s Almanac (Ebury), a journey through Britain and linguistics. Bestselling poet Hollie McNish returns with a new book, Lobster: And Other Things I’m Learning to Love (Little, Brown). Scientist Tim Spector and environmentalist Kate Humble will also appear alongside designer Zandra Rhodes and actor Rupert Everett.
Festival director Cathy Moore said: “I love the excitement and anticipation of welcoming speakers and audiences to our beautiful city to enjoy our annual winter gathering of world class writers, thinkers and speakers. This year is particularly starry with many well-known actors and presenters of stage and screen, as well as literary greats and thought leaders.”
Moore alluded to the difficulties literary events have faced this year – Cambridge was one of the many events to lose funding from Baillie Gifford.
She said: “This has been a challenging year for literary festivals, but I am cheered and grateful for the tireless concern, loyalty and support of the festival community – staff, volunteers, audiences and supporters. This year we turned 21 and, with their continued support, we will survive and thrive for many years to come.”
Priority booking opens at 10am oj 29th August and tickets will be on general sale at 10am on 5th September.
