Tony Benn

John Mortimer Utter delight in the company of one of the most effervescent minds in the land, creator of Rumpole of the Bailey and now a wonderful new comic novel, Quite Honestly. This 2006 event with John Mortimer is great fun… Germaine Greer Provocative and opinionated - there's no one quite like Germaine Greer. In this 2007 event she talks about Shakespeare's Wife, her new book on Ann Hathaway, which combines her immense literary knowledge with her views on woman's position in society… Jason Donald reading Puerta Galera Listen to acclaimed author of Choke Chain read his story Puerta Galera, part of a series of podcasts… John Burnside (2017 Event) One of the most acclaimed writers of his generation, poet, memoirist and novelist John Burnside treats us to two new works. The hugely praised Ashland & Vine is the beautifully woven tale of an unlikely friendship between a grieving, semi-alcoholic widow… Nicholas Parsons (2010 event) Chatting to chair Al Senter, the inimitable Nicholas Parsons showed that the oldest gameshow host ever still retains his famous ability to entertain. A sold out event packed with fans, the British legend discussed life in the public eye to an enthusiastic… William McIlvanney (2013 Event) Two years ago, fans flocking to see William McIlvanney at the Book Festival shared his exasperation that his seminal crime novels were out of print. Attending that event was Francis Bickmore, editorial director of Canongate, who immediately took action… Andy Hamilton (2017 Event) Comic Andy Hamilton has most likely had you bent double with laughter. As well as appearances on panel shows like Have I Got News For You, he co-created Outnumbered and Drop the Dead Donkey, and has written for everything from Not the Nine O’Clock… Hilary Mantel (2012 event) The first woman to win the Booker twice talks to James Runcie about her work in this event, recorded live at the 2012 Edinburgh Intenational Book Festival… Nile Rodgers (2012 event) He may be best known for the disco hit Le Freak but Nile Rodgers’ influence on pop music has been so very much greater than that… Harriet Harman (2017 Event) When Harriet Harman was elected in 1982, she notes in her memoir A Woman’s Work, the House of Commons was 97% male. Since then, she has led the way on all-women shortlists, introduced laws on equality and domestic violence and has twice become…