Crowds flocking to events on a wide variety of topics
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The Chiswick Book Festival has been a great success with hundreds of people turning out to see over fifty authors this weekend. Authors and broadcasters who live in Chiswick are also out in force for this weekend’s Festival, which runs until Monday September 15th.
Fr Kevin Morris, vicar of St Michael and All Angels said: "Chiswick Book Festival is enriching for our community and deepening exciting and fun for everyone. The sharing of ideas and stories is what our church is about and so powerful in today's fragmented world.'
There were several highlights thus far, including the launch of the Festival with Simon Thurley of English Heritage who appeared in front of an appreciative audiance in Chiswick House on Thursday to discuss his new book The Building of England, which unearths the links between this country's cultural past and its most significant building developments, including Chiswick House and Bedford Park.
Another extremely popular event was the session, 'Through The Westminster Looking Glass' and discussion of the origins of Parliament with Chris Bryant on Friday.
Saturday was the Children’s Book Festival based at St Michaels - an event which has been listed in Urban Explorer’s Top Ten Things to Do for Kids in London: Authors involved included Christopher William Hill, Marcus Alexander, and BBC Radio DJ Simon Mayo discussing his book, Itch Craft .
Helen Mc Donald's discussion of her book about grief, H is for Hawk, was described as "very moving" by those who attended- the book is on the shortlist for the Samuel Johnson award.
Festival Director Torin Douglas said: "It has been a fantastic day. Everyone is buzzing with the quality of speakers and Waterstones has sold lots of books!"
Colin Field, manager of Waterstones said: "People really respond to seeing writers. Sometimes it is an amazingly powerful experience and we are seeing that here today. And looking forward to a great day tomorrow."
Simon Thurley
As well as fifty authors, there are prizes galore in the Festival quiz, a cryptic crossword and several draws.
Saturday was the Children’s Book Festival based at St Michaels - an event which has been listed in Urban Explorer’s Top Ten Things to Do for Kids in London: Authors involved included Christopher William Hill, Marcus Alexander, and BBC Radio DJ Simon Mayo discussing his book, Itch Craft .
Local MP Mary Macleod with the judges of the Young People's Poetry competition
Discussions at the Festival throughout the day ranged from topics as diverse as Experiences of Women during the Second World War, to A History of Cricket in Pakistan.
Sunday's calendar of events includes workshops on How To Get Started on a Novel, writer A N Wilson discussing Queen Victoria, e-books and self- publishing, poetry and travel adventures to the North and South Pole as well as biking around Italy.
There are also displays of the charities being helped by the Festival and a taster of St Michael’s WWI project. More information on speakers here
Tickets and timetables available from: www.chiswickbookfestival.net.
Books on sale for signing, courtesy of Waterstones.
September 13, 2014