Events 2018

Beach Beneath The Street: 50 Years since May ‘68

Friday 4th May

Matt Myers, Malia Bouattia, Koshka Duff

2018 marks 50 years since the unrest of May '68, when protests erupted around the world. In France, students and workers brought the economy to a halt, and in the UK and US opposition to the Vietnam War reached boiling point.
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The Dinosaur Atlas: Educational Children’s Session with Anne Rooney

Saturday 2nd June

Dr Anne Rooney

Join author Anne Rooney to explore lost prehistoric lands in search of the dinosaurs that roamed there.
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Hanan al-Shaykh in conversation with Elif Shafak

Monday 4th June

Hanan al-Shaykh in conversation

We welcome the foremost woman novelist of the Arab world as she publishes her sparkling new novel The Occasional Virgin - a funny and fearless romantic comedy for our multicultural age.
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London Streets with Diana Evans and Guy Gunaratne

Thursday 7th June

Diana Evans and Guy Gunaratne

Oxfam Balham joins our family of venues to host an evening with the authors of two extraordinary new novels set in London.
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Forever Outnumbered with Simon Hooper

Friday 8th June

Simon Hooper

Balham mums and dads may know Simon Hooper as Father of Daughters. His Instagram profile, which now has nearly a million followers, tells the hilarious and painfully honest truth of being a parent.
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Book Brunch with Natasha Pulley and Anna Mazzola

Saturday 9th June

Natasha Pulley in conversation with Anna Mazzola

Coffee, pastries and top notch historical fiction. Sound like your perfect Saturday morning? Then you’re in luck. Join us for this unique event to celebrate new books by Natasha Pulley and Anna Mazzola.
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What’s New in Nordic Noir?

Saturday 9th June

Antti Tuomainen, Johana Gustawsson, Lilja Sigurdardottir

Thrilling Scandinavian and Nordic crime fiction remains one of the bestselling and most engaging genres. We are delighted to be joined by three of the most innovative authors writing thrillers today, for a one-off UK event in association with Orenda Books.
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Divided – Why We’re Living In an Age of Walls

Saturday 9th June

Tim Marshall

Informed by 30 years of commenting on world affairs, Tim Marshall’s illuminating explanations of global politics made Prisoners of Geography an international bestseller.
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Eat Happy with Melissa Hemsley

Saturday 9th June

Melissa Hemsley

Melissa Hemsley’s key eating philosophies are about comfort, healthy indulgence and bold flavours, with plenty of focus on cutting down on kitchen waste and clever ways to work with leftovers.
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And So It Began… An Adventure Writing Workshop

Sunday 10th June

Natasha Farrant

Get ready for an adventure! Join Natasha Farrant, author of The Children of Castle Rock, for a writing workshop full of twists and turns.
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Caribbean Cook Up with Original Flava

Sunday 10th June

Original Flava

Are you ready to bring Da Flava to your kitchen?
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Scones and Short Stories

Sunday 10th June

Tessa Hadley, Chris Power and Ellah Wakatama Allfrey

The short story is enjoying a renaissance. Or so it seems. But did it ever really go away?
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Introducing Panashe Chigumadzi

Thursday 14th June

Panashe Chigumadzi

Join The Indigo Press in the launch of their first book, These Bones Will Rise Again by Panashe Chigumadzi.
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Democracy and its Crisis

Thursday 27th June

Professor AC Grayling

Join us to hear from one of the country’s most esteemed philosophers and public intellectuals as he grapples with the most important issue of our time.
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Frontier Fiction featuring Tim Winton

Friday 29th June

Tim Winton, Carys Davies and Paul Howarth

Fiction can take us to the edge of the world and back. To conclude this year’s festival, we are delighted to welcome international bestselling Booker-shortlisted author Tim Winton, on a rare visit to the UK from his native Australia, alongside two brilliant new novelists telling stories from the fringes.
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Warlight: An Evening with Michael Ondaatje

19.00 Monday 11th June

Michael Ondaatje

Join us for an evening with internationally acclaimed Man Booker Prize winning novelist Michael Ondaatje. Much celebrated as the bestselling author of The English Patient, Michael’s new book Warlight (7th June 2018) is his first novel in seven years.
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