By: Dianna Dilworth,
on 1/15/2016
Author Philip Pullman has resigned his role as patron at the Oxford Literary Festival because the festival doesn’t pay authors.
Pullman tweeted the news this week:
Because of the Oxford Literary Festival's attitude to paying speakers (they don't) I can't remain as a Patron any longer. I've resigned.
— Philip Pullman (@PhilipPullman) January 13, 2016
The event which takes place in the UK in April will feature authors Richard Dawkins, Jacqueline Wilson and Levison Wood.
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By: ChloeF,
on 4/18/2014
We have seen an abundance of Very Short Introductions (VSI) authors appearing at UK festivals this year. Appearances so far have included at Words by the Water festival in Keswick, Oxford Literary Festival, and Edinburgh Science festival. The versitility of the series and its subjects means our author talks are popular at a variety of different types of festivals. First up, Words by the Water:
Later this month, we’ll have talks from VSI authors at Chipping Norton Literary Festival on the 26th and 27th April. This is followed by a series of talks at Ways with Words festival in Devon on the 12th July, Kings Place festival in London on the 14th September, and Cheltenham Literature festival from 3rd -12th October.
The Very Short Introductions (VSI) series combines a small format with authoritative analysis and big ideas for hundreds of topic areas. Written by our expert authors, these books can change the way you think about the things that interest you and are the perfect introduction to subjects you previously knew nothing about. Grow your knowledge with OUPblog and the VSI series every Friday, subscribe to Very Short Introductions articles on the OUPblog via email or RSS., and like Very Short Introductions on Facebook.
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Subscribe to Very Short Introductions articles on the OUPblog via email or RSS.
The post Very short talks appeared first on OUPblog.
By: Kirsty,
on 4/2/2009
Every year we hold a series of “soap box” talks for the Very Short Introductions at the Oxford Literary Festival. It’s like Speakers’ Corner; authors from the series get on their soap box and talk for 10 minutes about their subject, hopefully attracting a small crowd and a few questions afterwards (and some book sales!). We’ve got 12 different VSI authors at the festival this year, and today I thought I’d bring you some photos.
The Oxford Literary Festival 2009 runs from Sunday 29 March until Sunday 5 April at Christ Church College.
The OLF has taken place at Christ Church for the last few years. What an amazing place to hold a literary festival! This photo is of Tom Tower, and is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Oxford.
The Festival Book Tent, where all the soap box talks take place is in a marquee in the College grounds. To get there, you have to walk through the Memorial Gardens. This is a view of the College buildings from the Gardens.
Once inside the Tent, there are plenty of Very Short Introductions on display - just what we like to see! Those covers look fantastic all sitting together, don’t they?
And this is the VSI soap box alongside our banner! It was made specially for us by our Head of Publicity’s partner, and has seen several years’ service at the OLF.
Lastly, meet David J. Hand. He kicked off our 2009 soap box talks with his Very Short Introduction to Statistics. A healthy-sized crowd quickly gathered round, and asked lots of fantastic questions about everything from statistics and the credit crisis, to census data, and one lady even asked where he got his coat!
So far this year we have also had talks from Nigel Warburton on Free Speech, William Bynum on The History of Medicine, Ritchie Robertson on Kafka, and Russell Stannard on Relativity. Coming over the rest of the week are Mark Maslin on Global Warming, David Cottington on Modern Art, Véronique Mottier on Sexuality, Elleke Boehmer on Nelson Mandela, Klaus Dodds on Geopolitics, Richard Bellamy on Citizenship, and Rana Mitter on Modern China. If you’re in Oxford, please do pop along. All soap box talks are free.
By: Michele,
on 3/4/2007
*Thunk*
That was the sound of my head hitting my table as I finally finished writing the first draft of my second piece of "Doctor Who" fiction... All that lies ahead is proof-reading and revisions, and that'll keep until tomorrow.
Now that's out of the way, I'll drag my head back out of the Whoniverse to tell you about this year's Oxford Literary Festival - the programme for which arrived on Friday and received a cursory flick accompanied by moans of mingled joy and misery. Joy, because there are some great talks going on again this year; misery, because my budget's going to keep me from getting to ANY of the talks I'm keen to attend (I get paid a week after it's all over, wouldn't you just know it?!)
Anyway, just to tantalise everyone, here's what I'm missing:
WEDNESDAY 21 MARCH ANTHONY HOROWITZ - Nightrise 4.30 pm
Anthony Horowitz is a hugely popular children's author whose books have won many awards and sold millions of copies around the world. He is the creator of the phenomenal Alex Rider series, which follows a teenage spy's adrenalin-packed adventures. He also writes extensively for film and television, with credits including Midsomer Murders, Foyle’s War * and the recent Alex Rider movie, Stormbreaker. His new book, Nightrise, is the third in "The Power of Five" supernatural saga [the second of which was nominated for a Cybil].
(* David Tennant starred in an episode of Foyle's War - it's on my TBW (To Be Watched) list !)
FRIDAY 23 MARCH PHILIP PULLMAN and ADRIAN HODGES with MARK LAWSON The Ruby in the Smoke 6 pm
The Ruby in the Smoke, the first book in Philip Pullman's gripping Sally Lockhart quartet, set in Victorian England, was adapted for television recently by Adrian Hodges (starring Billie Piper as Sally). Philip Pullman and Adrian Hodges discuss the adaptation (with clips from the film) and Philip shares some photographs that helped to inspire the writing of the book. Chaired by Mark Lawson.
(The thought of missing this makes me want to cry - or scream ! Ditto the one below.)
SATURDAY 24 MARCH PHILIP PULLMAN'S THE GOLDEN COMPASS From Book to Film 2 pm
This year's Festival is proud to host a discussion on the evolution of The Golden Compass from book to film, in which Philip Pullman is joined by producer Deborah Forte to discuss their roles in taking an award-winning book to one of the most anticipated films of 2007. Chaired by BBC arts presenter, Mark Lawson.
The Golden Compass, adapted and directed by Chris Weitz, is the first of three films based on Philip Pullman’s acclaimed "His Dark Materials" trilogy. Released in December, it stars Nicole Kidman as Mrs Coulter, Daniel Craig as Lord Asriel and introduces Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra.
* * * * * *
Perhaps I should try my Sonic Screwdriver on a nearby ATM, as The Doctor did in the Christmas Special "The Runaway Bride" ?
* * * * * *
I'm in the middle (literally) of re-reading Garth Nix's "The Keys to the Kingdom" series at present, having picked up Lady Friday
* * * * * *
If you can get to Bristol's Forbidden Planet on Saturday March 17 from 1 - 2 pm, Diana Wynne Jones and Stephen Hunt will be appearing with four members of the Write Fantastic collective: Juliet E McKenna, Stan Nichols, Marc Chadbourn and Jessica Rydill. Fortunately it's a free event, and I've got a lift to get there and back too, so I'll be able to go - and maybe I'll even find something half way intelligent (or intelligible !) to say to Diana Wynne Jones, whose books I've admired since I read Fire and Hemlock (Of course, I'll have to be forcibly restrained from looking at all the lovely "Doctor Who" goodies!)
By: Michele,
on 1/16/2007
I'm in receipt of Philip Pullman's monthly email newsletter (for which you can sign up here - click on the envelope) and this month Philip mentions he'll be giving the annual Richard Hillary Memorial Lecture (entitled this year: "POCO A POCO: The Fundamental Particles of Narrative") at Trinity College, Oxford. The lecture is given in memory of the heroic airman Richard Hillary, a Spitfire pilot, who died in the Second World War. The lecture isn't about war or flying; it's on a literary topic, and previous lecturers have included several novelists. I'm hoping I can make it to this one.
Philip's also speaking at the annual Oxford Literary Festival in March. He'll be doing three events, at one of which he is going to be talking with Adrian Hodges, the screenwriter who made the adaptation of The Ruby in the Smoke for BBC television (which I watched and briefly reviewed. The two will be talking about the difference between telling a story on the page and on the screen, and looking at some passages from the book to see how they worked in the adaptation. This event is one I really want to attend ! Another event at the Literary Festival will focus on the filming of The Golden Compass - but Philip says the format of that one is as yet undecided.
(Disappointingly, the Programme for this year's Festival isn't on the website yet.)
Wow, is that the current Doctor? He's hot! I could get used to watching it if he looks like that. My only experience with Dr. Who was watching it once about 25 or 30 years ago, when the Doctor was this guy with curly hair and a long scarf. It just didn't catch my interest.
Anyway, congrats on finishing your second Doctor Who story! You're really rolling along!
Yes that's the current Doctor - young Mr David Tennant, whom I agree is rather gorgeous (though skinny as anything - I keep wanting to feed him up !). He's also a superb actor...
Curly hair and a scarf ? That'd be the rather wonderful Tom Baker, who was a lot of fun...
Thanks, yes I'm definitely surfing the wave with the fiction. But why didn't any of the authors of my acquaintance ever tell me that fiction writing is addictive ? Or is it just me ?!