We’re thrilled to announce more acclaimed authors who will be gracing this year’s Cuckfield Bookfest.
Each of these distinguished authors will bring unique perspectives and compelling stories that promise to en lighten, inspire and entertain our festival audiences.
Read on to find out more.
Photo credit: Nick Gregan
SUPPER AT OCKENDEN MANOR
FRIDAY 3RD OCTOBER WITH STEVE RICHARDS
We are very excited to announce that Steve Richards, highly regarded political columnist, journalist, author and presenter, will be joining us for Supper at Ockenden this year, on Friday 3rd October.
When Steve came three years ago he had his audience enthralled with his amusing and pertinent session. Once again, he will be delighting us as he shares political gossip, reveals the plots and intrigues, and throws in in a few choice impressions along the way.
He presents the podcast Rock N Roll Politics and regularly presents The Week in Westminster on BBC Radio 4 as well as BBC series on Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn. He is the author of The Prime Ministers, Turning Points and The Prime Ministers We Never Had, the last of which was named a ʻBook of the Year’ in The Guardian and The Times. He writes for several national newspapers including The Guardian, the Independent and the Financial Times. He also presents a popular political one-man show each year at the Edinburgh Festival and across the UK.
Photo credit: Janie Airey
THE RESTLESS COAST –
ROGER MORGAN-GRENVILLE
SUNDAY 5TH OCTOBER
The island of Britain has over 10,000 miles of coastline, steeped in history and constantly shifting, changing, adapting and providing.
The Restless Coast: A Journey around the Edge of Britain, is a moving and beautiful account of a journey around the island of Britain, during which the author Roger Morgan-Grenville, travels its length to discover its challenges and opportunities, and to talk to the people trying to protect it.
At once informative, angry and funny, The Restless Coast is a very personal love letter to our island edge.
Photo credit: Charlotte Gray
THE SCAPEGOAT –
LUCY HUGHES-HALLETT
SUNDAY 5TH OCTOBER
From the winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize, Lucy Hughes-Hallett writes an extraordinary story of the meteoric rise and fall of George Villiers, the first Duke of Buckingham.
From kidnappings and murder plots to men weeping in Parliament over civil liberties, The Scapegoat navigates love, war-fever and pacifism in a society on the brink of cataclysmic change. In this immersive and authoritative account, Hughes-Hallett summons an era that still resonates today.
‘A delicious, grippingly paced tale of rogues, riotous sex, regicide and realpolitik’ INDEPENDENT BEST BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS
Virtual Book Club
Our Virtual Book Club will host Ellen Alpsten who discusses her latest novel The Last Princess, in a stunning re-telling of 1066 from the perspective of Harold’s daughter, Gytha Godwinson.
Join us in conversation with Ellen on Tuesday 17th June.
IMPOSSIBLE MONSTERS –
MICHAEL TAYLOR
SUNDAY 5TH OCTOBER
Impossible Monsters is the captivating story of the discovery of the dinosaurs and how it upended our understanding of the origins of the world.
Michael takes us into the lives and minds of the extraordinary men and women whose discovery of the dinosaurs revolutionised our understanding of the world, as well as those who resisted them and those, like Charles Darwin, who took great risks to construct a new account of the earth’s and mankind’s origins.
It is particularly interesting to have the author in Cuckfield as it was here that Gideon Mantell discovered the fossils of the Iguanodon dinosaurs. The importance of his discovery was confirmed in 1825, two hundred years ago this year. We even have the Mantell Monument which was unveiled at Whitemans Green, Cuckfield, confirmed as the location of the Iguanodon fossils.
CUCKFIELD MUSIC FESTIVAL
https://cuckfieldmusicfest.co.uk/
Our friends at Cuckfield Music Festival are putting the final touches together for this year’s vibrant and diverse programme which kicks off on 15th June.
Check out their programme below!
Music Festival Programme (https://cuckfieldmusicfest.co.uk/event-programme)
https://cuckfieldbookfest.co.uk/cuckfield-bookfest-news/
You can see how events are shaping up on our website and keep up to date on all the latest news on social media.
Thank you for your support and we look forward to seeing you soon!
Best wishes
Cuckfield Bookfest Team