Washington and Zhang confirmed for Ilkley Literature Festival

Ilkley Literature Festival, taking place between 6th and 22nd October 2023, has announced that Bryan Washington and C Pam Zhang will be in attendance as part of this year’s programme.

Bryan Washington, winner of the 2020 International Dylan Thomas Prize for Memorial (Atlantic Books), will be attending the festival for what the organisers say is his first ever in-person event in the UK. He will discuss his latest novel, Family Meal (Atlantic Books), a “moving story of queer friendship, loss, gentrification and the simple pleasure and connection that sharing a meal can bring".

Zhang’s How Much of These Hills Is Gold (Virago) was named one of Barack Obama’s favourite reads in 2020, and her latest book Land of Milk and Honey (Hutchinson Heinemann) is described as “a rapturous novel about a young chef whose discovery of pleasure alters her life and, indirectly, the world”.

The pair will discuss the complex relationship between food and love in their latest novels as part of an event taking place 18th October at 7:30 p.m.

Erica Morris, director of Ilkley Literature Festival, said: “We’re excited to welcome these two stars from the US to our spa town. There’s nothing better than picking up a new novel. The feeling of escaping from reality for a few hours, travelling across time and space to discover new cultures, perspectives and stories. Novels are, quite simply, magic.”

The festival features around 100 events across 17 days, and more information on what’s on can be found here.