Wednesday 10 September 2008

UEA Autumn Literary Festival Lineup

The line up for the University of East Anglia's Autumn 2008 Literary Festival has now been released and I'm having trouble working out who to go and see.  

Of course, I could just go and see everyone but where's the fun in that?  As I have never attended any kind of LitFest events, I don't want to miss out on known good speakers or on an author who I might not have heard of but I should.

I already know that I'm off to see Cherie (an aside, I thought she went by Booth) Blair open the series on the 29th September because my Dad's taking me.  I'm under very, very strict instruction not to gesticulate wildly at the black tie dinner afterwards however...*  

I am toying with my final shortlist being Cherie Blair, David Lodge, David Guterson, Toni Morrison, Richard Holmes and possibly Sebastian Barry.  Am I missing out if I restrict myself to just those six?  Should I be going to Geraldine Brooks, David Hare and Jung Chang too?  I suspect that I should have heard of and read something by Geraldine Brooks, based on her write-up on the UEA site, and I did read Wild Swans a few years ago and thought it was very interesting so perhaps I should add in those two as well.  But then that would leave David Hare out. Which would be very tragic.

Bother - half of me just thinks that I might as well go to them all at this rate!  Suggestions and recommendations very welcome.

*The scene: A posh restaurant.
The Occasion: Dad's 60th Birthday celebration dinner.
The Incident: I am talking to people my left, gesticulate and to my right, a large glass of red wine appears on Dad's lap via suit jacket...  Eep.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Have fun at the festival. I hope you get to see everybody you want to.

I arrived via the black boxin.

GlassCurls said...

Oh this brings back memories of my wonderful year at UEA. I'd say go to them all. Then you won't be disappointed when someone tells you that the one you missed was fantastic!
David Hare is always good to listen to, so it would be a shame to miss him out!

Roz Wyllie said...

Hey there!
I found you through the Widget!
Come and say hello sometime
Rosalind Wyllie xxx