Tuesday 13 5
Children’s programme Various venues from 10am. See Kids section
for details.
Margaret Elphlnstone, Anne MacLeod & Jonathan Falla Spiege/tent, 70.30am, £7 (£5). A trio of talents with distant lands and far flung ' ideas of time and place in their heads. I Hicholas Evans Studio Theatre, , 70.30am, £7 (£5). The author of ; bumper bestsellers such as The Horse Whisperer and The Smoke Jumper answers your questions. Such as: will yOur next one be called The Cat
Burglar?
Ruth Brandon Field and Lawn X Marquee, 71am, £7 (£5). She previously j penned a entertainineg gossipy biog of ' the great Surrealists and now she's wondering about the concept of the motor car with her Auto Mobile. Germaine Greer Consignia Theatre, 7 7.30am, £7 (£5). The Newsnight Review panellist and Aussie academic isn't backwards in coming forward with some forthright views. See Last Words, page 15.
Candida Lycett-Green Studio Theatre, noon, £7 (£5). The first double- barrelled writer of the festival, the daughter of John Betjeman will chat about everything from horses to breast cancer
Sally Beauman: Besurrectlng Bebecca Field and Lawn Marquee, 72.30pm, £7 (£5). The fascinating true story of Daphne du Maurier plus this author‘s own take on the st0ry in Rebecca's Tale.
Mo Mowlam Consignia Theatre, 7.30pm, £7 (£5). Still a thorn in the side of the establishment. the former holder of that poisoned political chalice. Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. talks about her tough life in and out of politics.
Diana Athill Field and Lawn Marquee, 2.30pm, £7 (£5). Let Di take you back to the innocence of the 1920s as she reflects upon a life in publishing. Lawrence James Consignia Theatre. 3pm, £7 (£5). Why has Scotland been embroiled in so many military conflicts? And what are the chances of war breaking out here again?
Anthony Holden Studio Theatre. 3.30pm, £7 (£5). Sexuality has been a theme which many biographers of Will Shakespeare have been unable to get a proper handle on. That was until Holden came along.
Philip Steadman Field and Lawn Marquee, 4pm, £7 (£5). How genuine an artist was Vermeer of Delft? Steadman's views may well shock you. Quintin Jardine Consignia Theatre, 4.30pm, £7 (5:5). It yéJ haven't acquainted yourself with Auld Reekie rozzer Bob Skinner, do so now with the cat in the hat.
Francis Spuffortd 8. Peter Hobson Children '3 Theatre, 4.30pm, £3.50. Delving deep into the psychology of kiddies reading.
Hilary Spurling on Sonia Orwell Studio Theatre, 5pm, £7 (£5). Was Sonia Orwell a put-upon wife of a maverick genius or a sneak With her own hidden agenda? Hilary Spurling ' tells all.
Imprisoned Writers Field and Lawn
TOLKIEN
Two chances for JRR fans to lord it
up
Would JRR have hated Hollywood’s hobbits?
In 1997, Waterstone’s canvassed shoppers at 105 of their branches on their favourite book of the 20th century.
commentators were rather put out.
You wonder what they’re feeling now, with the Two Towers due in cinemas in December and the books still selling in huge quantities. Tolkien himself would probably have had rather mixed feelings about his recent success. When the trilogy was adopted as a 605 counter-cultural artefact, he was reportedly disgusted, and his family refused to speak to anyone from New Line Cinema while the trilogy was being filmed.
Indeed, considering Tolkien’s immense impact - he virtually founded the fantasy genre - it seems amazing that there hasn’t been more public discussion of the ideology and success of The Lord of the Rings. It’s easy to claim that the fantasy genre has very little to say about our world, but any invented universe will illustrate its creator’s world view. Think of Tolkien’s disgust for the heavy industry of Saruman, his affection for the displaced monarchy of Gondor, his demonising of the oriental Easterlings and Southerlings, the Freudian undertones that recur throughout (swords, rings, the dark places of the earth), and of his belief that the ring’s
; absolute power should be surrendered, not used.
g The Lord of the Rings won in 104 instances (Ulysses was more popular in Wales). Lots of cultural
It’s hard to think of anyone better suited to discuss Tolkien and his popularity than Philip Pullman, the first children’s author to win the Whitbread Book of the Year Award, and one of the few fantasy authors to use the genre for genuinely radical ends. Pullman will be joined by Tolkien biographer Humphrey Carpenter, Jenny Turner and Francis Spufford. Talking About Tolkien is followed by The Great Tolkien Quiz, an ideal opportunity for Middle Earth fans to revel in their obsession, although the instruction to ‘dress up if you dare’ may be a
bridge too far. (Peter Stubbs)
I Talking About Tolkien, Studio Theatre, 7 I Aug, 5pm, £7 (£5); the Great Tolkien Quiz, Spiege/tent. l 7 Aug, 7.30pm, £8 (£6).
Marquee, 5.30pm, free tickets. Today's tales of how it feels to be locked up with just a pen for company.
The lliad with Hugh Lupton & Daniel Morden Children '3 Theatre, 6pm, £7 (£5). Is the Greek tale (often attributed to Homer) of Achilles, Troy and Hector the most rollicking story of all time? Maybe.
Howard Jacobson Consignia Theatre, 6.30pm, £8 (£6). A bit too cocky at times to be everyone's cup of tea. but if you get through an hour in his company without laughing, yOLi've probably got something wrong with you.
The Writing Business Field and Lawn Marquee, 6.45pm, £5 (£3). How do you go from mid-table obscurity to challenging for the top prizes?
Philip Bobbitt on the Longest War Studio Theatre, 7pm, £8 (£6). James Naughtie introduces this writer with big theories about what has been behind all the conflicts of the last 100 years.
The Future of the Monarchy: Off with their Heads? Spiege/tent,
16 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 8-15 Aug 2002
7.30pm, £8 (£6). Breathing life into a tired old debate are Anthony Holden and Robert Lacey.
Garrison Keillor Consignia Theatre. 8pm, £8 (£6). The legendary writer of the Lake Wobegon tales and the enticing Old Man who Loved Cheese. should put a smile upon this rainy summer.
Amos 0: Studio Theatre, 8.30pm, £8 (£6). See Monday.
Hick Thorpe I: Will Randall Field and Lawn Marquee, 8.30pm, £8 (£6). Who wouldn't want to fire off to the South Pacific and write about your experiences? These two did. Spiegelbar Spiege/tent, 9pm, free. See Monday.
Wednesday 14
Children’s programme Various venues from 7 0am. See Kids section for details.
Tom Leonard & Aonghas MacHeacall Spiege/tent, IO. 30am, £7 (£5). The subject of language and its protection wrll no doubt be on the tips of
this pair's tongues.
Garrison Keillor Consignia Theatre.
7 7.30am, £7 (£5). See Tuesday. Lindsey Davis Studio Theatre, noon, £7 (£5). Marcus Didius l:alco may not quite have the ring of an Inspector Rebus but to the many fans of DaVis' ancient Roman crime epics. he's the boss. Allison Pearson 0. Stephanie Merritt Field and Lawn Marquee, 72.30pm, £7 (£5), The former Late Rewew panellist has Just written her debut novel / Don't Know How She Does It while Merritt explores the world Pearson is all-too familiar With in Gaveston. James Naughtie CoriSignia Theatre. 1.30pm, £7 (£5). The eIOQtient broadcaster who famously 'kebabed' Kinnock returns to the subject of the modern LabOur Party to chat about the ongoing rivalry between Blair and Brown. Sarah Maguire 0. John Burnside Studio Theatre. 2pm, £7 (£5). Environmental poetry comes naturally to these two. As you ought to discover. Christopher Brookmyne, Douglas Lindsay & Mark Billingham Consignia T heatre, 3pm, £7 (£5). A slightly odd combination this one with