Tag Archives: Swindon Arts Centre

I should of learned more at school* – Simon Heffer at Swindon Festival of Literature

14 May
Matt Holland in conversation with Simon Heffer Image ©Calyx Pictures
Matt Holland with Simon Heffer Image ©Calyx Pictures
Simon Heffer signs copies of his book Image ©Calyx Pictures

 

Simon Heffer is a grumpy old sod. He barely raises a smile during his hour on stage at the Swindon Festival of Literature.

Even when his assumption that the teaching of English in schools is going to hell in a handcart is challenged by teachers in the packed Arts Centre, he harrumphs “good” like he expects it, rather than he is pleased that grammar is back on the syllabus.

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War correspondent recalls the achievements of the Great War women – Kate Adie at Swindon Festival of Literature

13 May

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Ask anyone to name a woman associated with the battlefield and you’ll get one of three answers – Joan of Arc, Florence Nightingale, or former BBC chief news correspondent Kate Adie – a veteran of Tiananmen Square, the first Gulf War, and the war in the former Yugoslavia.

Apt, then, that Kate has written a book about the women of the first world war. It’s called Fighting on the Home Front, but if the title suggests that women never made it across the Channel, let alone to the front line, then that’s far from the truth – as the author will explain later. Continue reading →

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The Poison Passion of the Chocolate Killer with a Bounty On Her Head – Lisa Appignanesi at Swindon Festival of Literature

12 May
Lisa Appignanesi ©Calyx Picture Agency
Lisa Appignanesi sans Bounty ©Calyx Picture Agency

Lisa Appignanesi gives an incredible insight into the way three different countries dealt with crimes of passion in the late 19th century.

In depth research and extraction of the most arresting cases makes her book ‘Trials of Passion’ a fascinating but also surprising read.

In a general sense we learn that the French legal system flexed to deal with emotion whereas the British system steadfastly sought out the visible facts and used cold factual evidence to construct a case. Continue reading →

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Joyce makes perfect sense (Rachel not James) – Swindon Festival of Literature

10 May

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Rachel Joyce wrote The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, her first novel, which was the ninth best-selling book in 2013 (outselling JK Rowling’s first foray into adult fiction) and was nominated for the Man Booker Prize.

For these reasons my newly sharpened pencil jabbed me hard in the thigh when Rachel started to give writing tips.

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Help me make it through the night – John Carey at Swindon Festival of Literature

9 May

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John Carey, ‘The Unexpected Professor’ of his most recent volumes title is less cagey when it comes to sharing his viewpoints about books.

Choosing to open his unabashed hour long delve into why literature is so great with a very recent quote from Michael Rosen, there was little doubt that Carey himself would not be mincing his words, ‘Don’t tell kids what to admire, let kids decide for themselves’. Continue reading →

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Sherbet lemons: ‘punishing yourself is what it’s all about’ – Ann Widdecombe at Swindon Festival of Literature

6 May
Ann Widdecombe speaking at the Swindon Festival of Literature ©Calyx Pictures

Ann Widdecombe speaking at the Swindon Festival of Literature ©Calyx Pictures

Last night I was held spellbound by the contradictory tale of a tenacious, ferocious, grey creature with a mixed public reputation, today Swindon Festival of Literature presented Ann Widdecome in all of her similar guises.

Ostensibly in town to talk about her book Sackcloth and Ashes, the former MP made it clear right from the start that she was happy to talk and take questions about any aspect of present day politics or her often controversial stance on religious issues.

This was one intimidating, charming performer with no need for protection as she slickly moved from one topic to another. At the centre of her 28 minutes (exactly) presentation was the idea of penance and where does it fit into our modern ‘me, me, me’ society. Continue reading →

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Philip Lymbery and Laurens de Groot, Swindon Festival of Literature

6 May

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Danger, murder, anarchy and Hollywood-style celebrity – the audience was in for a roller coaster ride at this evening’s Swindon Festival of Literature events at Swindon Arts Centre. And an unexpected endorsement for fast food chain, McDonalds. Continue reading →

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Swindon Festival of Poetry Finale

12 Oct

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Claire Trevien. A beautifully spoken poet in holey tights. Professionalism stripped when asked to speak in French on stage. She’s been in a Best British Poetry 2013 book, so, class act. I liked Introduction to Love, which was what would happen if the rules of writing a thesis were applied to a romantic relationship. You can probably guess.

(I missed Kim Moore. Soz. Apparently she was rather good.)

Elvis McGonagall. Richly deserved one-time World Slam champion. Hilarious lefty comedic political rantings. Harpooned the Queen, Prince Charles as ‘Prince of Biscuits’, Iain Duncan Antoinette ‘Drowning in debt? Then give us a wave / Sell yourself in Poundland. Try to save / Dance as you dig your own pauper’s grave / On 53 quid a week’, and Margaret Thatcher in A bed at the Ritz. Really doesn’t like Tony Blair either. Continue reading →

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Exciting poetry coming down a slip road – Swindon Festival of Poetry launch

5 Sep

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The great thing about being a chronicler is that on the one hand I can write whatever I like (as long as it isn’t defamatory and all the words are wrote proper) but on the other I feel part of the team.

So going to the Swindon Festival of Poetry launch today at Swindon Arts Centre was a chance to catch up with wordsmithing friends. Continue reading →

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We live in a story shaped world – CS Lewis

13 May
C.S.Lewis - a life by Alister McGrath

C.S.Lewis – a life by Alister McGrath

A week of the Swindon Festival of Literature has gone by and it’s at about this time that frazzled Festival types starting running out of sleep and clothes to wear, today the search for a clean T-shirt brought a lengthy, fruitless search in the bedroom, it wasn’t there of course, maybe my tired brain was lying about which wardrobe. Continue reading →

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