Manchester Literature Festival returns this autumn with some of today’s biggest names in fiction scheduled to appear.
Matt Haig, Elif Shafak, and Rebecca F Kuang all currently have titles in The Sunday Times bestseller list and are among the many authors attending the festival from October 4 to October 20.
André Aciman, the New York Times bestselling author of Call Me By Your Name, and The Girl on the Train author Paula Hawkins will also feature.
As well as seasoned authors, the festival will bring newer writers such as Yuan Yuang to venues across the city, with events planned at Central Library, Martin Harris Centre, John Rylands Library, Manchester Poetry Library, HOME and Contact.
Manchester Literature Festival began in 2006 and was built on the legacy of its successful predecessor, Manchester Poetry Festival.
The line-up this year also includes Neneh Cherry, David Peace, Rumaan Alam, Alan Hollinghurst, Andrew O’Hagan, Jackie Kay, Carol Ann Duffy, George Monbiot, Caroline Lucas, Harriet Walter and Thomas Heatherwick.
Jen Cleary, Director North West of Arts Council England, said: “Manchester Literature Festival is a cornerstone in the autumn’s cultural programme and its line up never fails to inspire.
“This year is no exception with an extraordinary range of writers, poets, journalists, artists and politicians tackling important themes and sharing their work in venues across the city.”
The festival will open with an evening with the award-winning singer-songwriter Cherry. She joins Bernardine Evaristo, author of the Booker Prize-winning novel Girl, Woman, Other, to discuss her personal memoir A Thousand Threads.
Scottish author O’Hagan joins Dave Haslam on October 16 to discuss his gripping new state-of-the-nation novel Caledonian Road. Set against a backdrop of disgraced peers, human traffickers, rappers and a disgruntled sitting tenant, the novel asks questions about wealth, capitalism and the climate crisis.
Kuang, author of bestseller and global sensation Yellowface, is one of the biggest names appearing at the festival this year. On October 17 she will discuss her remarkable career, navigating genres, creating characters and literary influences.
With several free events and a special programme for children and families, organisers say there is something for everyone to enjoy this October.
Among these free events is a discussion with award-winning Ukrainian poet Oksana Maksymchuk on October 17. She will read from her debut collection in English Still City, which charts the Russian invasion of her homeland.
Illustrator and zine maker Ed Syer will be leading a Skateboard Drawing Club suitable for children seven and above on October 5.
The workshop involves developing and designing comic book characters and then painting them onto a recycled skate deck which they get to take home.
In addition to the main festival there are also three ‘Bookend’ events: Taffy Brodesser-Akner (October 29), Greg Jenner (November 3) and Richard Powers (November 8).
Tickets for most Manchester Literature Festival events can be booked through their main Box Office agent Quaytickets or by phoning 0161 876 2015. You can purchase an MLF Get Closer Membership, which will give you 48 hours priority booking for all MLF events. Visit https://manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk/ to view the full programme.
