Simon Hoggart
Guardian Sketch-writer Simon Hoggart collects his finest comic writing about Blair’s Westminster decade.
Les Dennis
Rollercoaster showbiz memoir:
Les Dennis tells all to Phil Rickman.
Kathleen Turner, Peter Florence
The actress (Body Heat, War of the Roses, Romancing the Stone) talks about her life, loves and movies, wittily recounted in her memoir Send Yourself Roses.
Jenny Valentine, Julia Eccleshare
Valentine’s debut novel, Finding Violet Park, won the Guardian Prize for Children’s Fiction. Broken Soup is set to consolidate its author’s reputation as a unique and compelling writer who can combine heart-rending tragedy, quirky characters and intriguing mystery with a masterly lightness of touch.
AA Gill, John Mitchinson
The passionate and incisive food critic entertains with Table Talk
Rob Brydon, John Walsh
The quicksilver Welsh comedian, creator of Keith Barret and Bryn in Gavin and Stacey talks to journalist John Walsh.
Ronnie Corbett
The legendary comedian talks about his autobiography And it’s Goodnight from Him.
Graham Swift, John Walsh
The Booker-winner (Last Orders) discusses his new novel Tomorrow
Armando Iannucci
The entertainer, comedy writer and producer (Alan Partridge, The Day Today, The Thick of it) talks to Francine Stock.
John Mullan
The Prof builds on his hugely popular Guardian book-club column analysing contemporary fiction, to produce an accessible and hugely entertaining guide to creative reading.
David Crystal
The vaudevillian Linguistics Prof browses Britain celebrating the treasures of our language and culture.
Anthony Horowitz
The sensational author of the Alex Rider and Power of Five series writes unparalleled thrills, chills and adventure. 8 yrs +
Peter Falk, Paul Blezard
The treasured Hollywood actor yarns his comedy career and the iconic TV role of Columbo in his autobiography, called, of course, Just One More Thing.
Simon Finch, Gabriel Range
The award-winning and spectacularly controversial drama imagines the assassination of George Bush. The creators talk about verité and mockumentary style, narrative ethics and the wrath of the Republican Party.
Chaired by Peter Florence.
David Hart, Gavin Selerie, Glenn Storhaug
A multi-media session with film, poetry readings and conversation, celebrating the design and art of the exquisitely produced Five Seasons Press publications.
John Hare
A 100-day, 1500-mile journey with camels from Lake Chad to Tripoli accompanied by a Chinese scientist, a 77-year-old Kenyan rancher, warring tribesmen and Gaddafi’s secret police
Illustrated.
Brenda Leedham
Ten years older? How about fifty? Wizened witch or corpulent king? RSC Head of Wigs and Make-up Brenda Leedham demonstrates how, with the use of paint, putty, postiche and safety-pins an actor’s youthful good looks can disintegrate before your very eyes.
The RSC @ 75 in Hay
Harry Mount
Come and join a Latin primer, from the Python’s grammar lesson to Beckham’s tattoos and Virgil’s Aeneid.
Iain Banks, Claire Armitstead
Dark family secrets, a long-lost love affair, and a multi-million pound gaming business lie at the heart of Banks’ fabulous new novel The Steep Approach to Garbadale.
Dan Rhodes, Helen Oyeyemi, Lucy Eyre
Challenging and inspiring new fiction with Eyre’s philosophical adventures in If Minds Had Toes, the wry comedy of Rhodes’ Gold and the Nigerian-London-Cuban dislocations of Oyeyemi’s The Opposite House.
Chaired by Oneword’s Paul Blezard
Louise Rennison
Naturally shy, and not one to dance around in the nuddy-pants for no good reason, Louise will talk about the hysterical Angus, Thongs and Full-frontal Snogging and other Confessions of Georgia Nicolson. 13 yrs +
Tom Watt, Paul Hayward, Alison Kervin, Peter Burden
The inside track on the great act of literary ventriloquism with celebrity sportswriters Tom Watt (David Beckham), Paul Hayward (Michael Owen, Bobby Robson), Alison Kervin (Paula Radcliffe, Jason Leonard, etc.). Chaired by Peter Burden (John Francome, Jenny Pitman, Leslie Phillips).
Naomi Bagel, Diana Beloved, Guinevere Clark, Tyler Guthrie, Megan Haggerty, Liz Hambley, Davena Hooson, Mary Houseman, James Morgan, David Oakwood, Tinashe Mushakavanhu, Jamie White
Naomi Bagel, Diana Beloved, Guinevere Clark, Tyler Guthrie, Megan Haggerty, Liz Hambley, Davena Hooson, Mary Houseman, James Morgan, David Oakwood, Tinashe Mushakavanhu, Jamie White
Michael Hodges
General Kalashnikov’s iconic weapon: The Story of The People’s Gun.
Sally Emerson, Antonia Quirke
Emerson introduces her enchanting poetry anthology ‘for lovers, weddings and ever after’, Be Mine. Quirke talks about her movie memoir Madame Depardieu and the Beautiful Strangers.
Chaired by Paul Blezard.
Alison Owen, Helen de Winter
The Producer of Shaun of the Dead, Elizabeth and the forthcoming The Other Boleyn Girl discusses the Producer’s role with Helen de Winter, editor of What I Really Want to do is Produce.
Chaired by Hannah Rothschild.
Ariane Koek
The talented film reviewer gives an inside guide to the film world.
Roy Ackerman, Edwina Currie, Ed Richards, Alan Yentob
Media moguls, independents and watchdogs pick over the bones of the Reithian ideals.
Leslie Phillips, John Walsh
The life and times of the much-loved and outrageous character actor.
Maureen Lipman
The national treasure receives the 2007 Listening Books Award, celebrating outstanding contribution to the spoken word. Chaired by LBA Trustee Jim Naughtie.
Libby Purves
The broadcaster discusses her novel of C20th friendship, music and romance
Ruth Rendell, Stephanie Merritt
The great psychological thriller and crime writer discusses her work.
Alexander McCall Smith, Paul Blezard
The creator of the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency celebrates the eighth novel in the series, The Good Husband of Zebra Drive.
Sponsored By: Pembertons
Michael Nyman, Francine Stock
The prodigious composer discusses his international cinema work and collaborations with Peter Greenaway and Michael Winterbottom.
Bob Geldof
The charismatic rock star and founder of Live Aid talks about music, Ireland and Africa: the G8 leaders, aid programmes and trade tariffs with Peter Florence, Director of the Hay Festival.
Peter Carey talks to John Walsh
The double Booker Prizewinner (True History of the Kelly Gang, Oscar and Lucinda) discusses his lewdly funny new art world novel with the Independent writer.
Melvyn Bragg
Shakespeare, Newton, Wollstonecraft, Wilberforce, Darwin.. so (far so?) good.. The Rule Book of Association Football? The culture and science champion marks out Britain’s turning points in books.
Liz Smith talks to Sandi Toksvig
From the WRENS, the plastic bag factory, her first film with the young Mike Leigh, and on through a glittering career (pretty much every Dickens and The Royle Family), the actress has remained wonderfully amused.
Maureen Lipman
The actress, writer, widow of the perrless Jack Rosenthal, and national treasure.
Sheila Hancock and Joan Bakewell
The actress and RSC Artistic Director discusses her portrait of her own marriage The Two of Us: My Life With John Thaw.
Andy McNab & Phil Rickman
A rare interview with the author of Bravo Two Zero, Firewall, Last Light and Aggressor. Chaired by Phil Rickman.
Hitchens, Tharoor
Christopher Hitchens and Shashi Tharoor, chaired by Joan Bakewell
Vigorous late-night debate around the Danish cartoons, David Irving, and contrarian culture. Tharoor is Under-Secretary General for Communications at the UN and a novelist.