Books: SW11 Literary Festival, Wandsworth (From Wandsworth Guardian)

Books: SW11 Literary Festival, Wandsworth

9:54am Thursday 3rd September 2009

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Alan Titchmarsh, Chris Patton, Alan Davies and Melvyn Bragg are just some of the names taking part in this year's SW11 Literary Festival, which launches on Monday.

Sponsored by Marsh & Parsons, there will be opportunities to engage first hand with novelists, historians, poets, translators, screenwriters, journalists, essayists, and thinkers in a range of events from author readings and signings to workshops, panel discussions and character costumes.

Organised by Waterstone's in Clapham Junction, this is the fifth year the festival has taken place and includes events across the borough at places like the BAC and Battersea Power Station.

Here we give our guide for what you can look forward to next week and throughout the month until September 30.

Next week:

Monday: John Boyne and Rosie Alison at Waterstone's Battersea, 7pm, £4.

Boyce is best known for his book The Boy in Striped Pyjamas, which sold five million copies worldwide and Alison, who just released her debut novel, produced into a film. They will talk about their new novels set in World War Two.

Tuesday: Robyn Young, Patrick Mercer and Henry Porter at Waterstone's Battersea, 7pm, £4.

Young, author of successful middle ages trilogy Requiem, will join forces with Mercer, conservative MP for Newark and former war reporter, and Porter, broadsheet newspaper journalist and author, to discuss the art of writing historical fiction.

Wednesday: Justine Hardy at Waterstone's Battersea, 7pm, £4.

The internationally acclaimed documentary maker talks about her new book, In The Valley of Mist, her account of the beauty and tragedy of modern Kashmir seen through the eyes of one family.

Thursday: Melvin Bragg at St Mary's Church, Battersea, 7pm, £6.

Bragg is one of the UK's finest broadcasters and will talking about his new book chronicling the iconic Radio 4 series In Our Time. The programme is a discussion hosted since 1998 that investigates the history of ideas.

Friday: Alan Davies at BAC Grand Hall, 7pm, £6.

Most famous for his role in Jonathan Creek and as a panellist on QI, Davies will be discussing his new book, My Favourite People and Me, a unique memoir that tells of growing up in a house in Essex in the 1980’s where the TV was never turned off and his single-parent father did his best to bring up all three children.

Other highlights to look out for:

- Chris Patton (September 14) talks about his newly revised What Next book.

- Former Lavender Hill resident Alex Wheatle (September 19) host a creative writing workshop.

- SW11's very own Bobbie Derbyshire (September 19) discusses her latest book, Truth Games

- This year's poet-in-residence Steve Tasane hosts Poetic Frenzy (September 20), a fast-moving spoken word show.

- Alan Titchmarsh (September 23) talks about the second part of his memoirs, Knaves with Spades.

Competitions:

- My Nan's Recipes

Submit your recipes for a chance to be included in the festivals cookbook and win praise from none other than Jamie Oliver, who said: "Everyone's got a favourite recipe they love so now's the time to dig them out and share them with the rest of us. I'll be trying the best one at home." Hand your entries in at York Road and Battersea Park Road libraries or Recipease on St John's Road.

- Battersea Poems competition

Write a poem about Battersea that fits into a text message and send it to 07786 202844. Start the message with Battersea then a space, then the poem. The best will be selected for a printed anthology.

SW11 Literary Festival, September 7 to 30, Tickets at Waterstone's on St John's Road, Battersea, or fill in form in program. Visit clapham-junction.com.

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