Nobel prize winner confirms festival date

Poet and winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature Seamus Heaney, pictured, has confirmed his appearance at the Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival. Heaney gives this year’s Chancellor’s Lecture and will talk to children’s author and poet Kevin Crossley-Holland about his life and work. The two will also talk about the great Anglo Saxon poem Beowulf, which they have both translated.

Prolific children’s and adult’s author Anthony Horowitz has also been confirmed for this year’s festival. He will talk about the concluding part of his bestselling teen fantasy Power of Five series, Oblivion.

The festival programme is now substantially complete with more than 250 events on the festival website. Tickets are selling fast and some events, including Hilary Mantel, have already sold out. Events can be booked via this website.