CLAPHAM BOOK FESTIVAL 2021

Clapham’s much-loved literary festival is back for 2021, taking place on 16 October, and will also feature a number of exclusive literary events online in the lead up to the event in partnership with Time & Leisure.

Paula Johnson (Society of Authors, Associate Director Royal Society of Literature, Royal Literary Fund Trustee) has put the programme together, and will include literary walks, author talks, and will feature highly acclaimed authors including Sir Michael Morpurgo, and a host of new and established local authors.

Says Paula: “Bringing back the Festival after a year of lockdown, our programme kicks off with guided walks around the literary sites of Clapham led by local authors, including the novelist and award-winning short story writer Annemarie Neary. Clapham has a long and illustrious literary history, this is a unique way of exploring it, but ticket numbers are limited so be sure to get yours.”

Sir Michael Morpurgo will also be speaking at Omnibus Theatre. The former children’s laureate, multiple award-winning author and creator of the world famous War Horse, will be discussing his new book When Fishes Flew and his life and work. This is a perfect event for all ages.

Come and meet the authors and have your books signed (authors’ works will be on sale thanks to the support of partner, local independent bookshop Clapham Books). There will also be live streaming both performances, for those who cannot attend in person, with a copy of the author’s book included in the ticket price.

The Book Festival will also be presenting a series of live author events and discussions online in partnership with Time & Leisure Magazine. “This is a new departure for the Festival,” says Chair of Trustees and local crime writer, Julie Anderson. “We’ll be bringing high quality author interviews and panel discussions to a wider audience all year round.”

Ben Macintyre, historian, biographer and columnist for The Times newspaper, will also be discussing his book Agent Sonya, a biography of Soviet agent, Ursula Kuszinsky, via Zoom.

On 19 October, in an online chat, Brixtonian Rosanna Amaka talks about her debut novel, twenty years in the making, The Book of Echoes, short-listed for the HWA Debut Crown 2021

The first of these, with best-selling local author Elizabeth Buchan, whose new book Two Women of Rome was published in June, took place in July. Watch it online now.

Ticket details here.

More info.

Read Julie’s guide to a literary walk in Clapham