This September, Chiswick will be welcoming a host of literary stars to the first Chiswick Book Festival.

The Festival launches on Friday 25th September with Antonia Fraser and Anthony Horowitz opening the adult and children’s sections respectively. Other authors taking part over the weekend will include Katie Fforde, Jacqueline Wilson, Lynn Barber, Michael Frayn and Celia Brayfield.

Throughout the weekend of September 25th, 26th and 27th, a range of literary events will take place in St Michael & All Angels Church & Hall; Chiswick House, Bedford Park; the Tabard Theatre; Waterstone’s and other venues in leafy Chiswick, West London.

With Chiswick home to numerous authors and publishers, the Chiswick Book Festival is a community event, celebrating local and national talent and raising funds for charities involved with reading, literacy and arts projects in Chiswick. The Festival is supported by Chiswick Library, Hounslow and Ealing Councils as well as local bookshops.

‘A book festival in Chiswick is long overdue,’ says Torin Douglas, the Festival’s director. ‘Nearly 200 years ago, Thackeray was at school here, famously using it as a setting in Vanity Fair. It’s inspired writers such as Yeats, Chesterton and Betjeman, and more recently Celia Brayfield and Mavis Cheek; now its home to dozens of people in the publishing world.’

Events will range from a morning of children’s events to historical fiction, romantic novels and film and television screenplays. Popular crime fiction will also feature in a special debate, as will talks on architecture and travel. There will be workshops examining the role of book clubs, and creative writing courses. Enthusiasts will have the opportunity to buy signed copies of the latest books and meet the authors. Acclaimed artist Sir Peter Blake will also be present, signing copies of Peter Blake One Man Show by Marco Livingstone.

The Festival opens on Friday 25th September with a special event with Antonia Fraser to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the original publication of Mary Queen of Scots. Antonia Fraser will be talking and signing books in the beautiful church of St Michael & All Angels, from 7.30pm to 9.00pm, preceded by drinks at 7pm. Also on 25th September, Anthony Horowitz will launch the children’s section of the Festival with a talk at 4:30pm.

Other highlights include a literary quiz supper in the stylish and historic Parish Hall on Saturday 26th September, and a literary comedy night with The Aspidistras - fresh from the Edinburgh Festival – in the Tabard pub on Sunday evening.

 

September 18, 2009