Kate Atkinson – image credit: Helen Clyne
A plethora of poets, novelists, chefs, historians, politicians, children’s authors, biographers, journalists, and even the odd national treasure, descend on the spa town this autumn. Kate Atkinson, one of the world’s foremost novelists, launches her new Jackson Brodie book, Death at the Sign of the Rook, in an exclusive event in partnership with Grove Bookshop on 18 September. Then, from 4 to 20 October, over 90 events will take place across 17 days at the King’s Hall and venues across the town.
Headline acts include household names such as Julian Clary, lexicographer Susie Dent, and Strictly’s Shirley Ballas, with their debut murder mystery novels, Curtain Call to Murder, Guilty by Definition, and Dance to the Death. The acclaimed American novelist Jodi Picoult brings her latest novel By Any Other Name, and Booker-prize winning novelist Alan Hollinghurst celebrates his first book in over a decade, Our Evenings.
Giles Brandreth – image credit: Joe Fenna ILF 2022
National treasures Prue Leith and Gyles Brandreth return. Prue with her latest cookbook, Life’s Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom and Gyles delves into the secrets of happiness and the joys of the English language, with Happiness in Just a Minute. I have a huge soft spot for Giles, after his kindness more years ago than I care to remember, when introducing me and my novel at some Literary Dinner. He, of course, had been hilarious. A hard act to follow, but somehow I began, and realised I was by inclination a dreadful show-off and had to be hooked off (almost). I was not nearly as hilarious, but managed to enjoy myself, and gained applause. But of course, because no-one was rude enough not to.
John Suchet promises a candid talk on his part memoir, part biography In Search of Beethoven: A Personal Journey, which explores how music became the great passion of his life. Bringing political clout are Alan Johnson’s biography of Harold Wilson and Sir Graham Brady’s explosive new memoir from the heart of Westminster, Kingmaker: Secrets, Lies and the Truth about Five Prime Ministers.
Looking beyond politics let’s go up to space with Maggie Aderin-Pocock and her book, Webb’s Universe: The Space Telescope Images That Reveal Our Cosmic History, and philosopher AC Grayling, with his exploration of the new space race, as he asks the galactic question, Who Owns the Moon?
Architect, and star of BBC’s Your Home Made Perfect Laura Jane Clarke gives her tips on interior design, while clothier and judge on The Great British Sewing Bee Patrick Grant discusses overconsumption in fashion and how we can make ourselves happier by rediscovering the joy of living with fewer, better-quality things. Comedy and life lessons come in the form of Paul Sinha and Helen Lederer, who’ll both be discussing their new memoirs.
Carol Ann Duffy & John Samson – credit: Michael Woods
In Verse plays homage to the festival’s 50-year legacy of promoting poetry as they remember that the inaugural festival was opened by poet W.H. Auden in 1973. Audiences can discover the power of poetry at a reading with poets including Peter Sansom of The Poetry Business and Ted Hughes Award winner Raymond Antrobus, or find their own voice on one of the festival workshops. Headline poets include the former Makar of Scotland, Jackie Kay and former poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, who will discuss her beautifully curated book, Earth Prayers. There’s also a chance to catch the up-and-coming stars of the future, including this year’s cohort of New Northern Poets.
Democracies in Danger acknowledges 2024 as the ultimate election year, with almost half the global population taking to the polls, and features talks from journalists, politicians and experts on the state of politics and democracy. Murder, They Wrote celebrates the nation’s bestselling genre, as arresting debut authors to masterminds of the genre discuss why crime fiction pays.
Ilkley welcomes crime authors including Janice Hallett and Saima Mir, as well as a host of celebrities-turned-crime writers, and on… and on… All of which sounds like a pretty good crack to me. To view the full programme and book tickets https://www.ilkleylitfest.org.uk