Stay safe, cosy and warm at home. Experience the Cambridge winter festival from anywhere in the world.

Winter Festival Online – My thoughts

Along with others I responded to an intriguing request from Alison at the Cambridge Literary Festival for support in spreading the word that this years Winter Festival will take place totally online.

I am thrilled to let you all know what is taking place at the Winter Festival Online and how you can participate. As you read through you will find links for the Festival events and more.

When you see the stellar line up of authors and events I think you will agree on what an amazing Festival this will be. Being online makes it so very accessible to everyone.

So whether it’s a phone, tablet, laptop or computer that you have all you need to do is sign up at the Cambridge Literary Festival (CLF) website to purchase your Winter Festival Online pass or event ticket and you will be all set.

Over the next few weeks, with many thanks to the CLF for giving me access, I will be highlighting some of the Winter Festival Online events here on my blog. I will be active throughout the Festival over on my Twitter page.

The fact that the Festival is online allows for so many more people to join the events and all for one very reasonable price. You can also purchase single events simply go to the Festival website and choose the individual event page which will have an option to buy. Once you have purchased your ticket, the event is added to your “My events” page. Just before the time of the event, simply select the event you want to watch and click “Watch” the event will begin automatically.

You can also subscribe to the CLF Player for just £10 and get unlimited access to all the CLF archive for a whole year.

So please browse the events, mainly in pictures, below and then check out the links to buy the Winter Pass or go to the individual page to buy specific events. You can even help to spread the love of books by gifting a membership, festival pass or event voucher or you can simply make a donation to support the CLF.

You can print the programme: Winter Festival Online 2021

The Winter Festival Online 2021 bookshop is the London Review Bookshop.

The events

17th November

Dame Gillian Beer: Wed 17 Nov 2021 | 6:30pm – 7:30pm

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Fatima Manji: Wed 17 Nov 2021 | 8:00pm – 9:00pm

Fatima Manji

18 November

Peter Stott: Thu 18 Nov 2021 | 6:30pm – 7:30pm

Peter Stott

Isabel Waidner: The Goldsmiths Prize 2021 Winner – Thu 18 Nov 2021 | 8:00pm – 9:00pm

The Goldsmiths Prize Winner

19 November

Merlin Sheldrake: Fri 19 Nov 2021 | 6:30pm – 7:30pm

Merlin Sheldrake

Carmen Maria Machado: Fri 19 Nov 2021 | 8:00pm – 9:00pm

Carmen Maria Machado

Dr. Harry Cliff: Sat 20 Nov 2021 | 11:00am – 12:00pm

Dr. Harry Cliff

Alan Johnson: Sat 20 Nov 2021 | 12:30pm – 1:30pm

Alan Johnson

Steve Richards: Sat 20 Nov 2021 | 2:00pm – 3:00pm

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Rebecca Solnit & James Rebanks: Sat 20 Nov 2021 | 3:30pm – 3:30pm

Rebecca Solnit

Tom Gatti: Sat 20 Nov 2021 | 5:00pm – 6:00pm

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Julian Sancton & Owen Matthews: Sat 20 Nov 2021 | 6:30pm – 7:30pm

Julian Sancton talks to Owen Matthews

Joan Bakewell: Sun 21 Nov 2021 | 11:00am – 12:00pm

Joan Bakewell

Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life – Sun 21 Nov 2021 | 12:30pm – 1:30pm

With her iconic, instantly recognisable style, the sculptor Barbara Hepworth is now acknowledged as one of the most important artists of the twentieth century.

Eleanor Clayton is curator of the Hepworth Museum in Wakefield and author of Hepworth’s compelling new biography Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life. This very special event, filmed on location in the Museum, combines insights on the artist with her major retrospective opening at The Hepworth Wakefield.

Dave Goulson: Sun 21 Nov 2021 | 2:00pm – 3:00pm

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Dave Goulson In conversation with Philippa Nuttall, editor in chief, environment and sustainability, at the New Statesman.

Leïla Slimani: Sun 21 Nov 2021 | 3:30pm – 4:30pm

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Leïla Slimani in conversation with Alex Clark

Hilary Cooper & Simon Szreter: Sun 21 Nov 2021 | 5:00pm – 6:00pm

Hilary Cooper & Simon Szreter

Claudia Rankine & Natasha Brown: Sun 21 Nov 2021 | 6:30pm – 7:30pm

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Festival Pass

What a wonderful Festival it’s going to be! Such amazing authors and events. I hope you can join, wherever you are, and have a great time. Enjoy!

Check out all the events happening at the Cambridge Literary Festival Winter Festival Online

Access all events and have seven days to watch again with the Festival Pass for only £25

Event Participants

Joan Bakewell | Dave Goulson | Helen Macdonald | Gillian Beer | Alex Clark | Julian Sancton | Geoff Dyer | Carmen Maria-Machado | Merlin Sheldrake | Rob Macfarlane | Natasha Brown | Claudine Rankine | Judy Reith | Eleanor Clayton | Fiona Bradley | Dr Harry Cliff | Steve Richards | Hilary Cooper | Simon Szreter | Alan Johnson | Rebecca Solnit | James Rebanks | Fatima Manji | Peter Stott | India Bourke | Tom Gatti | Leila Slimani | Preti Taneja

1 ticket per account for online events.

If you wish to make a Group Booking please contact the Festival

Venue: Online 

Duration: 5 days

Book Club: Susanna Clarke, Piranesi

Wed 15 Dec 2021 | 7:00pm – 8:00pm

Join Women’s Prize for Fiction 2021 winner Susanna Clarke for our monthly Book Club to discuss her spectacular hit novel, Piranesi, with Alex Clark.

Susanna Clarke

Alex Cark