Welcome

After the tremendous fun of 2013 I am now grinning with excitement about 2014. This October will be the 25th anniversary of Guildford Book Festival and I already know that it's going to be a great year for book fans. The aim is to create a world-class event that's broad and inviting; offering entertainment, challenge, stimulation, inspiration and humour. I’d like to say thank you to our loyal audiences and to welcome our new ones. I look forward to seeing you!

Jim Parks, Creative Director

Fiction

Many of the biggest and best names in British fiction came to the Festival last year. Audiences got to hear from authors about their latest works, their inspiration and their working day. Fiction stars included: Mark Billingham, Joanne Harris, Sebastian Faulks, Peter James, Lisa Jewell, Kate Mosse, Adele Parks, Lesley Pearse, Simon Scarrow, Joanna Trollope and Mark Watson.

Biographies

The world is full of fascinating, brave and admirable people. Last October we were lucky to hear some of them. Renata Calverley enlightened us with her memoir, Let Me Tell You a Story, a moving and triumphant account of a wartime childhood. Judith Mackrell talked about 6 Flappers who exemplified the daring of the generation’s spirit.  Philip Ziegler discussed his biog of the extravagant character Laurence Olivier with Lawrence’s son, Tarquin.

Sport

England and Lions legend Matt Dawson gave rugby fans a perceptive and entertaining journey through 125 years of rich Lions anecdotes and stories of the white heat of the game. A highly enjoyable night out was had with Sir Ian Botham who put together a wonderful collection of the best and the funniest stories from the cricket world.

History

History lovers enjoyed The Victorian City. Judith Flanders walked audiences through London in Dickens’ shoes, recording its pleasures and cruelties. Simon Thurley CEO of English Heritage explained why the Men from the Ministry amassed a huge collection of over 800 historic buildings. Richard Barber’s event in Guildford Castle brought Edward III and the Triumph of England to our door step.

Politics

Matthew d'Ancona's In It Together cut right to the heart of the Lib Dem/Tory struggle and revealed the truth behind the U-turns, the shifts in policies and the dramatic fights within Number 10. Jonathan Aitken offered an intimate look into the complex life of Margaret Thatcher: Power and Personality.

Comedy

We all love a laugh! The acclaimed writer and one of Britain's most popular and award-winning young comedians, Mark Watson discussed his new novel, The Knot. Bestselling author of Now We are Sixty, Christopher Matthew, teamed up with Rob Temple to ponder why we suffer acute embarrassment at the notion of 'making a fuss' and have an unhealthy preoccupation with meteorology.