CULTURE CLUB
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As Cambridge Literary Festival returns for its 20th year, we review what’s in store
Bringing star writers, leading thinkers, journalists and other luminaries to our city since 2003, Cambridge Literary Festival is back this April marking two decades of celebrating the written word. As always, the line-up is bursting with big names, from heavyweight authors to household names from the worlds of politics, food, music, television and art. Among the 50 events, must-sees include Pattie Boyd’s talk on 21 April, in which the model, muse and photographer shares insights into her book My Life In Pictures . A visual treasure trove of photographs, letters and diaries from her storied life, this coffee table tome gives a gorgeous snapshot of 60s counter-culture. Also not to be missed is a conversation on the cost of living crisis between cookery writer and TV personality Jack Monroe, and Kit de Waal, author of My Name is Leon . Bringing their own extraordinary stories to the fore, they will share lessons learned and discuss their new books. On the fiction front, Maggie O’Farrell introduces her latest novel The Marriage Portrait , Curtis Sittenfeld discusses the critically acclaimed American Wife and Rodham , and Bonnie Garmus looks at her breakout literary hit Lessons in Chemistry over lunch at the University Arms. Another standout feature of this year’s event is the Room of One’s Own lecture, delivered by Ali Smith. The first of a new series, this partnership between the festival and Newnham College will bring an annual opportunity for the foremost women writers to share their work. Also debuting is the Cambridge Series, designed to ‘lead the conversation for the intellectually curious’. It brings together revered physicist Professor Athene Donald, who makes a case for diversity in modern research; Professor Chris Clarke, with an exhilarating reappraisal of 1848 as a dramatic year in European history; as well as British Academy Book Prize winner Sujit Sivasundaram. He reimagines the British Empire from the perspective of indigenous peoples in the Indian and Pacific oceans, seeing afresh the divisions shaping our environments and cultural identity. Festival director Cathy Moore comments: “For the last 20 years, I’ve been inspired and captivated by books, transformed by well-crafted argument and railroaded into the digital world. I’ve seen the festival grow into an inspiring alchemy where everyone from Nobel laureates to TV personalities mingle with academics and our intellectually curious audiences. We have evolved with our audiences and are particularly excited to launch three new elements this year: the Room of One’s Own lecture, the Cambridge Series and our State of the Nation lecture. ” For listings and tickets, visit the Cambridge Literary Festival website. cambridgeliteraryfestival.com
Cambridge Literary Festival is back this April, marking two decades
ESTEEMED THINKERS Events include sessions with Tim Marshall (left), Jack Monroe (centre), Linton Kwesi Johnson (right) and Pattie Boyd (top)
14 APRIL 2023 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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