It’s just over a week until the Hay Festival starts and I’m so excited!
It’s the most wonderful literary festival located in a small town in Wales which is surrounded by rolling green hills and where every other shop is a book shop. Plus, there is never any shortage of fascinating authors to listen to. I always come away with piles of signed books I’ll probably never get around to reading!
We go every year and in the past we’ve had the joy of seeing and meeting some amazing authors including:
- Malorie Blackman – she is absolutely the loveliest person you will ever meet and so inspiring.
- Patrick Ness – also really lovely person, he was really chuffed to sign a ‘well read book’.
- John Irving – one of my absolute favourite authors.
- Sebastian Faulks – amazing speaker with no notes whatsoever!
- Cassandra Clare – really interesting on the subject of turning her books into a movie.
- Simon Mayo – fantastic talking to children!
- Mark Haddon – very different.
- David Mitchell
- Audrey Niffenegger
- Lionel Shriver
- David Peace
Plus some great comedians and cultural figures like Tim Minchin, Mark Watson, Michael Vaughan and Rob Lowe.
I love that these brilliant and intelligent people make the effort to come to little old Hay-on-Wye in the middle of nowhere to talk to book lovers from rural areas!
This year I’m particularly looking forward to seeing Stephen Fry talking about Shakespeare; Benedict Cumberbatch reading letters; Cassandra Clare signing copies of the last in the Mortal Instruments series before it goes on sale; and Ian McEwan and Joshua Ferris talking about their latest books. Can’t wait!
I’ll be sure to blog and let you know what exciting things we see!
Anna's reading list 
Hope you have a wonderful time!
Oh my gosh I wanna go!!!!! I’m dying to meet Patrick Ness!!!!!
I go every year but can’t make it this time round. I usually see a few novelists, a few historians, a scientist or two for my other half and then a few celeb types and music/ comedy in the evening. My highlights have been Eric Hobsbawm, Ian McEwan, Simon Singh, Seth Lakeman, Sting, Harry Belafonte, Orlando Figes… It’s always fantastic but ends up being very expensive as the tickets rack up and you HAVE to buy the signed books!
I know, it’s so hard to resist all the lovely signed books!
So jealous, I’ve always wanted to go to Hay! One day I will make it there!
You must!!
Sounds like such a great festival. Love that banner: “By Royal Decree . . . Kindles are Banned from the Kingdom of Hay”
Yes, it made me chuckle too.