Among those featuring on the opening days of the festival are Nobel Prize-winning novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah, who talks about his new novel, Theft, and receives the honorary fellowship of Oxford Literary Festival.

Award-winning actress of stage and screen Miriam Margolyes, pictured left, is the biggest draw on the opening Saturday, when she will speak about her support for animal welfare.

Saturday also features an appearance by the world-class Spanish chef Ferran Adrià, and a conversation between two of the UK's leading crime and mystery writers, Jonathan Coe and Val McDermid, pictured right.

Sunday sees appearances by farmer and author James Rebanks on travelling to the edge of the Arctic to spend a season with an ageing duck farmer and by international lawyer and writer Philippe Sands on his investigations into the post-war life of SS officer Walther Rauff and his connections to Pinochet.

Highlights of the early days of the festival also include historian Bettany Hughes, pictured right, on the seven wonders of the world, Timothy Garton Ash talking to Chris Patten about his desire for more and better freedom of expression, and historian and broadcaster Diarmaid MacCulloch on the 3,000-year story of Christians encountering sex, gender and family.

See the full Sheldonian programme.

Topping the bill on the children's programme over the weekend are How to Train your Dragon creator Cressida Cowell and entertainer and Pointless presenter Alexander Armstrong, pictured left, on his well-received first children's novel, Evenfall.

See the full children's programme.

This October, Korean books will be on display and of course, for sale in eight select countries, as part of an international, joint-presentation conducted by the Korean Culture Ministry - in collaboration with the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea and Korean Cultural Centers in the following eight countries: France, Mexico, Argentina, Vietnam, Egypt, Poland, Indonesia and the United Kingdom.

In each of the cultural centers - readers will be able to meet Korean authors and their translators, who will deliver seminars, discussions and specific book exhibitions from October through until December 2022.  

K-book events began in late September, initially in Warsaw, Poland at the Cultural Centre.  Authors such as Bora Chung participated in the ‘Meet an Author’ presentation, ahead of her Korean book’s Polish publication of the ‘Cursed Bunny’ – which was short-listed for the 2022 International Booker Prize.  Chung will also deliver a lecture for literature students of the SWPS University of Sciences and Humanities in Warsaw.  The University is proud to have recently launched a Korean Studies Program.
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The Cultural Centre in Cairo will deliver a similar structure of events with visiting Korean authors and their translators conducting talks and book-related presentation sessions.
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This all coincides with the UK’s ‘Korean Cultural Month’, celebrated at Foyles bookstore in Charing Cross Road in London, where Korean books will be on display and available for purchase, at the venue.  Author Fiona Bae, who recently published the book - ‘Make Break Remix: The Rise of K-Style and her book designer – Kim Young-Na will be participating in Korean Cultural discussions.

Cho Chang-In author of – ‘Gasigoki’ will visit Vietnam in October, while Sohn Won-Pyung author of ‘Almond’ will visit Argentina, in November.
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Indonesia, France and Mexico will hold related book events, at their Korean Cultural Centres - details of which will be announced in the coming weeks, on their respective official websites.

It seems authors are not exempt from the worrying virus of CoVid, as Stephenie Meyers has recently learned.  Stephenie doesn’t appear to be suffering extreme symptoms of the virus and is using her time well to remain isolated at home and for an author, well that can prove to be quite beneficial and not a huge inconvenience. 

However, live events - like the one for her recent book publication Midnight Sun, due to take place in Shelton, had to be rerouted to a virtual event.  This took care of the distancing protocols and kept both author and attendees safe.

​We wish Stephenie Meyer a speedy recovery and look forward to reading another one of her awesome books!

Breaking News - It is a sad day for the literary world, as American writer - Mary Higgins Clark joins the world of literary angels.  At the young age of 92 years, our dear Mary, who delighted readers across the globe with her thrilling suspense novels, passed peacefully away on Friday evening, while surrounded by family and friends.

Mary, dedicated more than 40 years of her life to writing suspense novels, completing over 50 works.  Some of her most noted works: ‘A Stranger is Watching’ and ‘Loves Music, Loves to Dance’, were both made into films. 
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God speed, Mary. 

There have been some wonderful books produced over the years, but none so well created and thought out as The Gift of the Snowflake written by Timothy McMullen.

The book itself explores the reasons behind making each and everyone of us unique down to the very letter. It sets aside indifference and allows the reader to question the existence of mankind and all God’s creations.

The use of illustration is unique, fresh and everlasting, which superbly compliments the message being explored by the author.

This is a great book for little people to hold - produced on A4 horizontal format, readers will turn each page with ease and delight in the colourful watercolor treatment. This is a keeper; a book to hand down to the grandkids and a story to be read not just on the odd rainy day. :)

​A wrinkle in time is a lovely book by Madeleine L'Engle that is making huge waves in the kindle market of publishing.  It's well worth your time and consideration for your next bedtime read!  You'll find it at Amazon. Enjoy!

We all know that books aren't just books and that for many of us, they are the inspiration form the Gods.  Well not really, but they tend to mean quite a lot to us over the years, especially if we have grown up with them as kids.  So check out these great lessons you can learn from the collection of books found by Russell Working.