Chipping Campden Literature Festival

Catch Claire Tomalin, Michele Roberts, James Runcie and Alan Rusbridger, plus a literary lunch, poetry, film, music and much more, at the 2012 Chipping Campden Literature Festival.

Book worms and literature lovers rejoice; Chipping Campden Literature Festival is back for the third-year running – with 2012’s event promising a cultural feast in the Cotswolds.

Taking to the quintessential English town from Tuesday 1 to Sunday 6 May 2012, this year’s theme ‘All for Love’ examines love as a driving force, ‘exploring how humans experience passion not only for one another, but also for ideas, causes, activities and achievements’.

Celebrating the art of writing in all its glory, the festival programme will include demonstrations, illustrated talks, a literary lunch, a big read, film, contemporary novels and poetry, music, theatre and even more.

Co-artistic directors Vicky Bennett and Mary Gray say that by offering lively, entertaining and informative events, they aim to achieve a sharing of ideas on the solitary pursuits of reading and writing – and to celebrate the beauty of books, paper and the printed word.

For the full line-up of events visit campdenlitfest.co.uk, while SoGlos.com’s top picks over the six-day festival include:

On Wednesday 2 May 2012 visitors are invited to The Kings Hotel for a two-course lunch with wine, followed by Peter Whitfield’s presentation of his highly praised book Travel: A Literary History – from 12pm, costing £25.

On the same day Michèle Roberts and Georgina Harding will read from their latest novels, discussing the ideas and themes in them with Cicely Havely – at 7pm, costing £5.

On Thursday 3 May 2012 A Morning with Virginia Woolf will kick off at the Town Hall and include readings from Rosemary Voaden and Alyse Ross, followed by a talk by Dr Michael Whitworth – who recently edited Woolf’s Night and Day – from 10am, costing £8.

Later in the day and the Church Rooms will be the setting for an evening of audience participation, when from 7pm to 8.30pm The Big Book Group discuss with journalist David Whitehouse his debut novel BED. From 9pm Poetry and Pints will include Angela France, back by popular demand, and open mic spots for audience members – costing £5 per event or £7 for the two.

On Friday 4 May 2012 The Publishing Industry event at the Town Hall will provide an insight into how editors choose books, and why they sometimes turn down choices they really like – from 10am, costing £5.

An Afternoon with Miss Austen, later that afternoon at The Baptist Church, includes an illustrated talk on the author by Dr Fiona Stafford from the University of Oxford, followed by a talk from Dr Paula Byrne about her approach to biography with reference to her forthcoming work, The Real Jane Austen – from 2pm to 5pm, costing £10.

Saturday 5 May 2012 will be jam-packed with events, including 16 Ways to Write a Poem, a master class with Mario Petrucci covering all the ways a new piece of work comes into being, at Seymour House – from 10.30am to 4pm, costing £25 with only 12 places available.

Larkin’ About at Chipping Campden School will see Sunny Ormonde (Lilian Bellamy in The Archers), John Telfer (Ambridge’s Vicar Alan Franks) and The Antonius Players Ilone Antonius Jones and Matt Platt explore the fascinating world of Philip Larkin through his wit, words, women and music – from 7pm to 8.15pm, costing £10.

On the final day of the festival, Sunday 6 May 2012, All For Love is set to be a real highlight when Alan Rusbridger, editor-in-chief of the Guardian, talks about his forthcoming book Ballade: Why Amateurs Should Attempt the Impossible at St James’ Church. After the talk Alan will play the piece that inspired the book, Chopin’s ‘Ballade No.1 in G Minor’, while renowned pianist William Fong will perform the other three Chopin Ballades – from 7.30pm, costing £15.

Last but not least, today’s fringe event will be A Printers’ Wayzgoose at the Church Rooms, when Louisa Hare and other printers holding a sale of rare and irresistible work: books, posters, cards, bookplates, wood engravings, antiquarian fine press volumes, letterpress equipment and papers – from 10am to 4.30pm, with free entry.