Festival Events
Our Book Group Event
The event is always a big attraction at the Wells Festival of Literature, partly because there are lots of lively book clubs in the city, and also because it’s so special – the author comes too!
This year romance is in the air. Award-winning writer Howard Jacobson will take the chair to discuss his latest novel, a love story, with what is very likely to be a full house of eager readers.
He has already written 17 novels and six works of non-fiction, winning the 2010 Man Booker Prize for The Finkler Question, and shortlisted again for the prize in 2014 for J.
His new book What Will Survive of Us is a romance, a mid-life romp that opens up new worlds for Lily and Sam when they unexpectedly fall for each other. But can love survive marriage and middle age?
The book, which was published in time for Valentine’s Day, is described as an unforgettable love story about romance in later life, and what happens when familiarity and age begin to take their toll.
Critics have described it as one of his finest and a ‘romping read in all senses’.
You don’t have to be a member of a book club to attend this event, but do read the book in advance if you want to join in the discussion.
Waterstones in Wells offers a 10% discount to customers who buy the Book Group Event featured book before attending the Festival.
Literary Lunches
Eat and meet is the theme of the Festival’s popular Literary Lunches which give audiences and authors the chance to get together informally in the Cedars Dining Hall.
This year there are four talks and four lunches on offer, each one offering a different topic to digest along with a light lunch of soup, artisan bread and a wickedly delicious pudding.
The first of this year’s lunch speakers bucks the usual trend of lunch first followed by the talk.
Midge Gillies’ talk instead takes place on the morning of Monday 20 October at 11.30am, with lunch afterwards at 1pm. She will tell the hair-raising tale of six women who battled to be the first to fly solo across the Atlantic despite being dismissed in the early 20th century as ‘too fragile’.
The next three lunches during the week are all at 12.30pm with the talk following at 2pm.
Gardener Carol Klein digs into her background as she discusses her autobiography, wittily titled Hortobiography, with Charlie Taylor on Tuesday 21st.
Lucy Mangan, national newspaper and magazine writer, talks with David Lister on Wednesday 22nd about how her passion for books began in childhood and continue to help her navigate life’s challenges.
On Friday 24th James Canton discusses rewilding with George Miller and how even a single window box can become a bee-friendly ecosystem.
There’s no doubt that each of these Literary Lunches will give audiences something to chew on in the company of such interesting speakers. Cedars Dining Hall is just a short stroll from the theatre. Lunch tickets need to be booked by Friday 10 October.
Wells Literary Quiz
Quirky quiz conundrums
Quirky quizmaster Gary Wigglesworth is back again with a range of testing teasers for Festival book lovers. This year the quiz moves to the foyer of Cedars Hall where teams of six can compete to be crowned the brainiest of brainy bookworms.
Tickets cost £7 a head and there are prizes for the winning team in what is sure to be a novel experience.
The quiz takes place on Sunday 26 October; doors open at 7.15pm and the quiz takes place from 7.45-9.45pm. A pay bar in the foyer is available for thirsty quizzers.
