Two Rivers Book Festival 16 – 30 June 2019
Two Rivers is a new book festival that has at its core a desire to appreciate the uniqueness of books: how they’re made and how they get to you. And this particularly values the special, but threatened ways we access books – independent bookshops, second-hand bookshops and libraries.
Our distinguished patron, Liz Calder, has been at the forefront of British publishing for over 40 years. Following a period at Gollancz and then Jonathan Cape she became a founding director of Bloomsbury Publishing in 1986, where she nurtured the careers of Margaret Atwood, Michael Ondaatje and Nobel literature laureate Nadine Gordimer, amongst many others. She is still involved with publishing and is this year a judge for the Booker prize. Her experience and contacts have been invaluable and she will be chairing two of the festival’s key events – How books get published and How books get made.
What else does Two Rivers offer?
There are five themes –
- Conversations: the two chaired by Liz Calder, and a panel looking at threats and opportunities in publishing, in collaboration with the Southwold Arts Festival (and a movie on that theme)
- Workshops: actively explore book-binding, letterpress printing, and folded book art. Libraries are hosting most of these
- The four independent bookshops in our area will have special events during the fortnight of the festival (some listed on the Associated Events page)
- Two of our programme of walks have a booky air to them – Flower Fairies and Uncovering Doggerland
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We have assembled comprehensive directories of independent bookshops – those selling new books and those selling second-hand – and of libraries
And to round off the festival there’s a weekend of book-themed events, as well as food and drink, at the Low House in Laxfield – see Associated Events
Finally, you’ll find odd items of related book news here.
TO BOOK TICKETS for the events below (unless stated otherwise), or if you have any queries, email [email protected]; or leave a message on 07415 168806 with your contact details. Once your places have been confirmed you will be asked to pay, either by sending a cheque or paying online via your bank account.
Children and under 18s FREE at ALL events but please book their places so that we can keep track of numbers. They will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult.
TWO RIVERS BOOK FESTIVAL EVENTS
Sunday 16 June
Festival launch HOW BOOKS GET PUBLISHED – DISCUSSION
Festival Patron Liz Calder, Dan Franklin (associate publisher, Jonathan Cape) and Lucy Hughes-Hallett (multi-award-winning author) discuss how books are chosen and edited for publication. Plus readings from Lucy’s just published collection of short stories, Fabulous.
Dan Franklin’s publishing career includes Harvill Press, Collins, Heinemann, Secker & Warburg, and, from 1993 until 2016 he was publishing director of Jonathan Cape. He still looks after his authors, who include Ian McEwan, Julian Barnes, Martin Amis, Howard Jacobson, Roddy Doyle, Helen Macdonald and Julia Blackburn.
Lucy Hughes-Hallett is a British cultural historian, biographer and novelist. In November 2013, she won the Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction for her biography of the Italian writer Gabriele D’Annunzio, The Pike. The book also won the 2013 Costa Book Award (Biography) and the Duff Cooper Prize.
Venue: The Stable at The Angel Hotel, Thoroughfare, Halesworth IP19 8AH
11am-12.30pm
£6 (W&BA members £5)
Tuesday 18 June
LETTERPRESS WORKSHOP
Create your own book-related art poster or coaster using your imagination and traditional letterpress printing blocks, guided by Edwin Mitchell-Finch of Bodgers Press.
Harleston Library, Swan Lane, Harleston IP20 9AW
1-4pm
£12 (W&BA members £10)
Wednesday 19 June
BOOK-BINDING WORKSHOP
Make a hard-cover notebook with expert bookbinder Helen Durrant. Tools and materials supplied. Also, advice on minor repairs to old books.
Barnabees Books, Yoxford Road, Westleton IP17 3AF
10am-1pm
£12 (W&BA members £10)
Friday 21 June
BOOK PRESENTATION
The Cut, Halesworth IP19 8BY 7pm
Melissa Harrison will speak about her latest novel, All Among the Barley – an evocation of rural life in 1930s East Anglia; and Juliet Blaxland about The Easternmost House – her memoir of environmental change. £5
Saturday 22 June
WALK: FLOWER FAIRIES IN BUNGAY
A walk around Bungay’s historic sites inspired by the Flower Fairies books of Cicely Mary Barker. Historian and author Christopher Reeves will identify flowers featured in the books, read poems, and recount fairy folklore. Children welcome- activities provided and fairy costumes welcome.
Meet at St Mary’s Church, Bungay NR35 1AX
11am-1pm
£6 (W&BA members £5).
Thursday 20 June
FOLDED BOOK ART WORKSHOP
Transform an unwanted book into a work of art through folding and cutting, with the Book Surgeon Michael Holton. Adults and children 8 years +
Stradbroke Library, Court House, Queens Street, Stradbroke IP21 5HG
1-4pm
£12 (W&BA members £10)
Friday 21 June
BOOK PRESENTATION
The Cut, Halesworth IP19 8BY 7pm £5
Melissa Harrison will speak about her latest novel, All Among the Barley – an evocation of rural life in 1930s East Anglia; and Juliet Blaxland about The Easternmost House – her memoir of environmental change.
Sunday 23 June
WALK: UNCOVERING DOGGERLAND – TIME SONG
Experience the landscape of Doggerland, the land mass which once joined Britain to Europe with Adam Burrows (Natural England) and Simon Raven (beachcomber) on this 5-mile walk. Julia Blackburn’s recent book Time Song will be the starting point to help uncover this lost landscape.
Meet at Wood Farm Barn, Locks Lane, Benacre
10am-2pm
£6 (W&BA members £5)
Tuesday 25 June
HOW BOOKS GET MADE – ILLUSTRATED TALK & DISCUSSION
A fascinating investigation of why books look the way they do, with insights from two experienced and highly respected book designers – Will Webb (www.willwebb.co.uk ) and book cover illustrator Jeffrey Fisher (www.thejeffreyfisher.com) who is probably best-known for his jacket design for Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and has also designed all the Flipside Festival posters. Chaired by Liz Calder.
The Cut, New Cut, Halesworth IP19 8BY
6.30-8pm
£6 (W&BA members £5) from 0300 303 3211 or email [email protected]
Thursday 27 June
LETTERPRESS WORKSHOP
Another chance to create your own book-related art poster or coaster using your imagination and traditional letterpress printing blocks, guided by Edwin Mitchell-Finch of Bodgers Press.
Halesworth Library, Bridge St, Halesworth IP19 8AD
2-5pm
£12 (W&BA members £10)
Friday 28 June
CONNECTING BOOKS AND PEOPLE DISCUSSION
In this round-table discussion Henry Layte (The Book Hive in Norwich, Propolis Books), Emma Bacon (local writer and self-publisher), Abbie Clements (Halesworth Bookshop) and Philip Langeskov (UEA Creative Writing) chew over the decline of independent bookshops, the expansion of self-publishing, and how books get to us.
Southwold Arts Centre, St Edmund’s Hall, Cumberland Road, Southwold IP18 6JP
11am-12.30pm
In association with Southwold Arts Festival.
£7.50 from 01502 722572 or email [email protected]
Saturday 29 June
FOLDED BOOK ART WORKSHOP
Another chance to transform an unwanted book into a work of art through folding and cutting, with the Book Surgeon Michael Holton. Adults and children 8 years +
Beccles Library, Blyburgate, Beccles NR34 9TB
1.30-4.30pm
£12 (W&BA members £10)
Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 June
THE LOW HOUSE LITFEST
A weekend of book-themed events to mark the end of the first festival. For details check out www.lowhouselaxfield.com
Throughout the festival, bookshops will be hosting book signings and other events . And you can expect to find literary quizzes and even prizes. Look out for details at the shops and here