Balham Literary Festival announces 2019 line-up

Balham Literary Festival announces 2019 line-up

Rachel Ama, AC Grayling, Bernadine Evaristo, Mick Herron, Max Porter, Christie Watson

The Balham Literary Festival returns 13-25th June with a spectacular line-up featuring vegan cooking star Rachel Ama, novelist Max Porter, crime writer Mick Herron and esteemed philosopher AC Grayling. A staple of the London literary calendar, this year’s festival will host a dazzling array of events with discussions ranging from climate change to crime fiction, whilst celebrating some of best talent south London has to offer.

Highlights of the festival are set to include an event with AC Grayling who will preview his new book The History of Philosophy, delving into some of the greatest minds in the world from antiquity to present; former Crystal Palace resident Max Porter will discuss his audacious, strange and wonderful new work Lanny, the follow-up to his hugely successful Grief is the Thing with Feathers; and YouTube sensation Rachel Ama will share quick and easy recipes from her new book Vegan Eats.

Addressing pressing social concerns, The Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Adam Weymouth will discuss his prize-winning book Kings of the Yukon and reflect on the environmental issues we all face; bestselling author Christie Watson will be in discussion with spoken word artist Molly Case to reflect on  the nursing profession and share powerful accounts from their  own  experiences; whilst  Lewisham-born MP Rachel Reeves will mark the inspirational achievements of women in parliament in conversation with renowned broadcaster Cathy Newman.

Hotly-tipped debut writer Sara Collins will be in discussion with celebrated novelist Bernadine Evaristo to chat about their brilliant new work and writing black women into the story of Britain; local author. Yara Rodrigues Fowler will discuss her much acclaimed novel Stubborn Archivist, a lyrical reflection of growing up between cultures; and a special event  with Alex  Wheatle will see  the  Brixton Bard  discuss his life as a writer alongside his latest book Home Girl. The most recent title in his multi-award winning Crongton series follows the story of Naomi, a teenage girl growing up in the care system and is the author’s most moving and personal novel to date.

The festival will offer two fantastic events for fans of crime fiction. Mick Herron will discuss Joe Country, the latest in his witty and thrilling Jackson Lamb spy series. Parker Bilal (The Divinities) & Bev Thomas (A  Good Enough Mother) will be  in  conversation with bestselling thriller writer Sabine Durrant,  a chance to hear from two gripping chroniclers of London whose characters inhabit settings including Balham and Battersea.

Rounding off this local affair, Andrew Grumbridge and Vincent Raison will delight audiences with a talk about their book, Today South London, Tomorrow South London, a part guide, part travelogue to the south of the city described by comic Jenny Eclair as “the ultimate reprobates handbook to God’s own side of the river.”

For more information and tickets, please go to: https://balhamliteraryfestival.co.uk/