Book lovers across east Devon are in for a big literary treat this spring.
Rather than having to wait until September for the hugely popular annual Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival to return, organisers have sprung a few spring surprises, with a short programme of headline events in April and May.
Big names in literary circles will feature, including bestselling writers and experts in their field.
On Monday, April 20, at 3.30pm, The Sunday Times bestselling novelist Joanna Trollope will discuss her latest book, Mum and Dad, a poignant story of how a modern family behaves in a crisis.
Later that day, at 6pm, the world-renowned historian and 2018 Reith lecturer, Professor Margaret MacMillan, will look at history and how it is studied. Pulling references from her latest book, The Uses and Abuses of History, she will talk about how history must be used with care. When it is abused, it can cause serious damage…
Leaping ahead a few days, to Friday, May 1 at 3.30pm, the veteran BBC broadcaster James Naughtie will share his experiences of many years reporting on life and politics in the USA, as outlined in his latest book On the Road.
Afterwards, at 6pm, James Naughtie will be a contributor to the highlight of the spring programme. James will be in conversation with festival president, local author and twice Booker Prize winner, Dame Hilary Mantel. They will discuss the hugely anticipated finale to her Thomas Cromwell trilogy, The Mirror and the Light.
All events will take place in St Peter's Church in Budleigh Salterton and tickets to each event are £15.
In anticipation of bringing such distinguished writers to the area this spring, the festival's artistic director Annie Ashworth said: "We are so excited to be programming writers of this calibre in Budleigh. These events are to raise money towards our education outreach work, and I'm sure they will be very popular with our audiences."
Tickets will go on general sale on Thursday, February 6, and will be available to buy online, at the Budleigh Salterton Information Centre on Fore Street, or via the Box Office on 01395 445275.
See the full spring programme and buy tickets here
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