Come to Chorleywood Literature Festival!

In November, the Chorleywood LitFest is a happy place to be!

Chorleywood will be filled with talent - creative, historical, romantic, academic, adventurous writers who will bring their books alive and talk with you about their ideas.

Perhaps you like something sociable with friends, maybe a discussion to stimulate the mind, or a good laugh. Certainly you'll have the chance to listen to amazing speakers, or even to get stuck in to some writing yourself.

Schedule

Friday 18 November - 7.30pm
Love Sex and Betrayal
Investigate our impulses through the ages
Authors: AL Berridge, Karen Maitland, Harry Sidebottom
Chair: Andrew Olins
Memorial Hall, Chorleywood

The world, it seems, can turn on intrigue, deception, heartbreak, desire and fury. We have three fantastic Penguin authors who will weave together an extraordinary story of love, sex and betrayal through the ages. Chaired by Andrew Olins from our Sponsors, IBB solicitors, you?ll be able to meet Harry Sidebottom, Karen Maitland and AL Berridge.

Saturday 19 November - 10.00am
Magical Stories
An imaginary world for children
Memorial Hall, Chorleywood

Do something magical with your little ones. The wonderful Danya Miller will be here to take them into an imaginary world of stories. Come to explore tall tales and to be inspired

Saturday 19 November - 12.00pm
The Art of Camping
Is it crazy or cool?
Author: Matthew De Abaitua
Memorial Hall, Chorleywood

Saturday 19 November - 2.30pm
'Woman's Hour' of Need
Jenni Murray and her canine saviour
Author: Dame Jenni Murray
Memorial Hall, Chorleywood

We are delighted to have with us Dame Jenni Murray, much adored presenter of Radio 4's Woman's Hour. In her fifties, Jenni's acquisition of Butch coincided with the devastating discovery that she had breast cancer. Heartwarming and hilarious, My Boy Butch is a tribute to this breed, and specifically to this little dog who made life worth living again.

'An absolute joy...breezy and uplifting...' Daily Mail

Saturday 19 November - 5.00pm
Eyes are everywhere
Robert Service's Suprising Spies of East and West
Author: Robert Service
Memorial Hall, Chorleywood

Robert Service, acclaimed historian and one of the UK's finest commentators on Soviet matters, will be turning his attention to the activities of Western and Eastern spies. Service writes with narrative flair and meticulous research so we expect this to be a fascinating exposition of one of the great untold stories of the twentieth century.

Saturday 19 November - 7.30pm
Downton Abbey Revealed
Lady Carnavon's discoveries of Highclere's past
Memorial Hall, Chorleywood

We welcome Lady Fiona Carnarvon of Highclere Castle - the setting of the hit series Downton Abbey. Since living there, she has become fascinated by Lady Almina, the 5th Countess of Carnarvon and how she was forced to draw on her deepest reserves of courage in order to ensure her family, the staff and the castle survived.

Sunday 20 November - 10.00am
Help! I want to write a book!
A day long workshop with Author, Editor and Publisher
British Legion Hall

Creative writing at the LitFest is establishing quite a reputation for itself. This year we have a special day of creative treats and challenges. Your host is Ciaran Murtagh, comedy writer of novels and TV. You'll meet publisher of Two Roads Lisa Highton, who will answer questions on how to make your writing most effective and then publisher David Headley. A friendly, supportive day suitable for all - whether you'd like to try it out for the first time or are seeking publication. Please note, numbers are limited.

Sunday 20 November - 2.30pm
Hastings' Hell
Sir Max Hastings' assessment of the impact of world war two
Author: Max Hastings
Memorial Hall, Chorleywood

We welcome Sir Max Hastings one of the UK's finest historians, a prize winning journalist and author of over twenty books, news editor and presenter. Come to hear him talk about All Hell Let Loose , his assessment of the impact of WW2 upon millions of people around the world - soldiers, sailors and airmen, housewives, farm workers and children.

Sunday 20 November - 5.00pm
On the Line
War front line, criminal fine line, political borderline
Author: Victor Gregg
Memorial Hall, Chorleywood

As a prisoner of war, Gregg was sentenced to death in Dresden; only the allies' infamous raid on the city the night before his execution saved his life. After the war, chauffeuring brought him close to MI5, MI6 and the KGB. And motorbiking adventures led him to foreshadow the destruction of the Berlin Wall. Don't miss this original voice. '..heartache, violence and cunning ...a man whose will to survive and unbreakable optimism are a true inspiration' The Independent.

Sunday 20 November - 7.00pm
The Shadow of the Nazi
Two family stories - a resistant Jew and a "hidden" Nazi
Authors: Giles Milton and martin Davidson

We bring together two men whose family stories bring together two sides of one of the most powerful times within living memory.

Giles Milton "This story is not of heroics on the battlefield...It is simply an account of how an idiosyncratic young artist, whose only desire was to sculpt and paint, became trapped in a nightmare not of his making."

Martin Davidson "What happens when your family history throws up something really toxic?" Davidson has done a brave thing: he has confronted and revealed his own family's Nazi past.(Niall Ferguson)

Thursday 24 November - 7.30pm
New Discoveries
Three Great New Authors
Authors: Ann Mann, Robin Bayley, Anna May Mangan
Russell School

The LitFest loves to give oxygen to new writers. Here we bring together three people who are fresh on the scene: Ann Mann, Robin Bayley and Anna May Mangan. "Ann Mann's latest book is a brilliant page turner. I'm not going to work because I'm reading." Tweet from Bernie Katz - Prince of Soho!

"A magical Mexican adventure... Bayley has a fine ear for dialogue with a Tarantino-style, comic-book delivery" The Independent.

Sunday 27 November - 2.00pm
Coginio!
Elizabeth Luard's year of Welsh cooking
Memorial Hall, Chorleywood

Award-winning food-writer, journalist and broadcaster, Elizabeth Luard, will impart the joys of A Cook's Year in a Welsh Farmhouse. Rooted in Mediterranean culture and inspired by Welsh recipes, she'll take us through her month-by-month recipe-diary of life and cooking.

Sunday 27 November - 4.00pm
London as You've Never Seen It
Matteo Pericoli's extraordinary illustrations
Memorial Hall, Chorleywood

After two years of close examination, Pericoli leaves behind the most astonishing document of his artistic journey in our capital city: two 37-foot-long pen-and-ink drawings depicting London's north and south banks, each revealing a distinct profile of its diversity. Come and be amazed. Pericoli is regularly featured in the Observer, the New York Times and La Stampa as well as commissioned for album artwork (Beastie Boys). He created the iconic Manhattan Unfurled.

Sunday 27 November - 6.00pm
Painting and Passion
Ford Madox Brown's art and his women
Author: Angela Thirwell
Memorial Hall, Chorleywood

The Pre-Rahaelite painter Ford Madox Brown, created a picture (the Last of England) voted one of Britain's ten favourite pictures in a BBC Radio 4 poll. He was also known at the time as the King of Hearts. Thirwell's enthusiastically reviewed study is also a visually rewarding treat. This evening will be a fabulous illustrated examination for art lovers, history buffs and romantics! ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This special afternoon of discussion was a really lovely way to finish the 2010 festival.

We were lucky to have three writers, Louise Levene, Marika Cobbold and Jane Rusbridge for a bookgroup-style event.

The afternoon started with a glass of mulled wine and then the authors read extracts from their novels before hosting a small group discussion where we could all ask our questions and offer our ideas about the book we’d read. There was a friendly, lively exchange of ideas where we all got a chance to explain what we'd most enjoyed.

It's not often that we get the chance to quiz the author and get insights which are only revealed when they are with us.

After much chat and laughter we all enjoyed afternoon tea and a whole group Q+A about book covers, e-readers and the highs and lows of book reviews.

CHEERS TO ANOTHER FABULOUS LITFEST.

What do you get if you drop potatoes into the sea?
Fish and chips!
So said one of the lovely kids at this rip-roaring, side-splitting workshop.

Ciaran Murtagh, writer for too-many-to count TV and radio shows, kept the children fully entertained with hilarious stories and very silly jokes this morning. They laughed, they used their imagination, they wrote down their ideas and they enjoyed the biscuits.

Ciaran is a talented showman and great at getting his audience involved - even the shyest. He was full of ideas and energy and the kids couldn’t wait to get their hands on his books.

What makes a good story?

Toby Litt made a welcome return to the LitFest and had an extremely keen group ready to 'get stuck in' for morning. He is brilliant at showing budding writers small steps towards successful writing and so everyone gets a chance to develop their ideas with his guidance.

Some participants were brand new to a writing workshop and relished the chance to try something creative for a morning. Others were more experienced and couldn't wait to get going, knowing that they would work hard!

Coffee and croissants kept the group going and the cafe-style atmosphere made it relaxed and great fun.

Truth is stranger than fiction. And never was a truth stranger than in the true spy story told to us by Ben Macintyre!

His vivid retelling of Operation Mincemeat delighted even the most knowledgeable of audience members. Ben was destined to write this story it seems; the Top Secret papers of a key strategy figure were discovered in a wooden trunk by a relative and then gifted to Macintyre for a period of research. And what they revealed to him was extraordinary.

Espionage, inspired by fiction, managed to fool the German army and led to one of the most successful diversions in WW2. He gripped the audience with his passion and attention to detail. He tells a ripping yarn! Read the full story and be amazed.

Peter Snow may not have had his famous swingometer with him, but he still managed to dazzle his audience with extraordinary pictures, diagrams and enthusiastic storytelling.

We heard about his research into Wellington (To War with Wellington) and there were history buffs in the audience who really enjoyed quizzing him on the details and his interpretation of them.

His diagrams of military strategy were excellent. And he really brought to life the soldiers and generals who battled alongside Wellington; their courage, their plans, as well as their love lives.

It was terrific having such a popular historian and presenter at the LitFest.

This event was packed to the rafters -fantastic that so many people were able to see just how inspiring Carol Ann Duffy is. Her work is vibrant, funny, serious and delicate.

She read from The World's Wife and yet to be published The Bees.

We all heard the shape of her thoughts and language; playful, joyful. Though she doesn't 'sieve the news for poetry', she unlocked the meanings of some current events in her original way; she is so talented in creating unforgettable interpretations.

Her selection at the LitFest, revealed a Poet Laureate keen to preserve and enjoy aspects of British life. Hence, her poem which relished the names of British pubs and another which presented an amusing argument in favour of the preservation of Counties in postal addresses, such as 'I want to write to a Shropshire Lad' and 'I want to give a rose to a Lancashire Girl'.

Chorleywood now has poetry converts!

Beautiful and brilliant, Carol Ann Duffy's intelligence and insights have made Chorleywood glow.

Under 5s had a most wonderful treat when storyteller, Danya Miller, came to the LitFest for stories about pirates and princesses. Many of the little ones had dressed up in costumes for the event, as had some of their parents!

We sailed the high seas, entered glittering caves and sang loud songs. A brilliant morning in which everyone joined in. And many who came said they’d love to do it all again next year.

So why are pirates called pirates? They just aaaarrrgh!!

There was a lively atmosphere at the LitFest’s Friday night event. Four accomplished and passionate speakers debated who they believe is the Greatest UK Monarch of all time.

And it was a close run thing! The audience were swayed one way, then another, as each writer 'submitted their case'. How could we choose between Richard I, Elizabeth I, James I and Victoria?

Luckily, the LitFest audience questions were sharp and really got the writers thinking - questions about human rights, architecture and what their monarch would have said about university fees!

We all lapped it up and it was fabulous having such knowledgeable presenters - Susan Ronald, Helen Rappaport, David Boyle, Alice Hogg - who were clearly loving the evening. The whole event was held together by the mastery of James Burge. In the end, James I was voted as the greatest.

Friendly environment, quality entertainment, glass in hand and a bit of stimulation for the grey matter - surely, a class act!

"Literature is the axe that breaks the frozen sea within us"

They say that "everyone has one book in them". Well, Thursday evening was a great chance to meet three writers who have been able to get that book out and then been successful in getting it published.

The audience they drew was diverse - creative writing graduates, documentary makers, aspiring novelists, keen readers and those who described themselves as "curious".

One reason the evening was so engaging was the fact that the three writers are very different from each other. Another was the presence of the inspiring and engaging Alan Samson, publisher maestro of thousands including A list performers, Judy Dench, Helen Mirren and Keith Richards.

Leigh Russell (Cut Short, Road Closed) has launched herself to great effect into the arena of crime novelists and is clearly excited by the rich seam of ideas and interesting opportunities she finds there.

Rosie Alison's The Very Thought of You was a long time in the making alongside a busy career - she joked that her family suspected she was like the Jack Nicolson character in The Shining, who rewrote the same line over and over again . But now that it is published she spoke movingly of her pride in the beauty of its lyrical descriptions and its brave truthfulness about difficult emotions.

Tom Macauley spoke about his experiences of being newly published and entertained us with anecdotes about people's perceptions of him and the personal challenges of taking on a new role as an author. His book, The Warning Bell, tells a brilliantly tense and emotional story of a man discovering the WW2 trauma of his father.

All three are now writing another book. We're sure that the audience went away motivated to find the book they had in themselves!