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Hay Festival 2011

May 31, 2011

The Hay Festival, the most prestigious literary festival in the UK, began on Saturday 26th May. The Hay Festival traditionally attracts the most exciting writers, filmmakers, comedians, politicians and musicians to inspire, delight, and entertain - among these were several Curtis Brown clients…

Jeffery Deaver, whose contemporary James Bond novel Carte Blanche was officially released on 26th May, talked to Stephanie Merritt about his relationship with Ian Fleming and his iconic hero. Stephanie Merritt also talked to David Lodge about A Man of Parts his comic new novel about the life of HG Wells.

Travel was a recurring theme at the festival with Ann Patchett, Raja Shehadeh and Elif Shafak discussing their experiences and influences from other cultures and Mick Brown chairing a talk with Colin Thubron about Mount Kalias, the most sacred of the world’s mountains. To listen to Raja's live interview visit the Hay website.

Patrick Barkham, who spoke about his The Butterfly Isles on Monday 30th May, also led a family butterfly walk into the overlooked corners of Hay to discover the wonder of butterflies. Gareth Malone, the charismatic maestro of The Choir gave a talk entitled ‘A Journey through the Pleasures and Pitfalls of Classical Music’ and former Monty Python member, writer and performer Terry Jones launched Unbound – a revolutionary new way for writers to publish new book projects by involving readers directly. On Thursday 2nd June Terry will discuss i-D Magazine’s 30-year history.

On Saturday 4th June frontline journalist Rosie Garthwaite reviews best practice with the Médecins Sans Frontières Director Marc DuBois in her Essential Survival Guide for Dangerous Places to a sold-out audience.

Also on Saturday 4th June Howard Jacobson will discuss his Booker-winner The Finkler Question with festival Director Peter Florence. Journalist Edward Stourton will consider his Diary of a Dog Walker and the conversations, engagements and digressions that he and his best friend encounter.

Read more on the Hay Festival website. The festival runs from 26th May to 5th June 2011.