Blog
Archive of blogs from previous festivals.
Festival media partner
Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK
Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme
International radio partner
Supporter of programme of science and medicine and annual science and innovation award
Festival cultural partner
Festival ideas partner
The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture
The Cervantes Institute, London
The Italian Embassy: supporter of the programme of Italian literature and culture
Festival London hotel partner
Festival literary heritage partner
Festival on-site and online bookseller
Festival hotel
Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection
Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection
Patron donor for the programme of Irish literature and culture
CEO of Project People
Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture
Exeter College: college home of the festival. Founded 1314
New College founded 1379
Worcester College founded 1714
Lincoln College founded 1427
St Cross College founded 1965
Trinity College founded 1555
Magdalen College founded 1458
Accountants to the festival
Wines of the Douro Valley
Prestige publishing partner. Celebrating 25 years in Europe in 2024
Sponsor of the EBRD Literature Prize since 2018
Georgia's leading lifestyle hotel brand since 2012. Supporters of the programme of Georgian literature and culture
Partner of Oxford Literary Festival
Oxford International Centre for Publishing
Festival academic partner
Olive oil from Sicily
Local radio partner
Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design
Alumni Office
Oxford University Images
Supporter of the programme of Georgian literature and culture
Corporate communications
K T Bruce Photography
-
Dinomania for those aged 7 to 99 - April 3 - 3.46pm - 2022
-
Heard the one about the blood donor scheme for bats…? - April 2 - 11.44am - 2022
-
As dazzling as the HAL 9000, as entertaining as Woody Allen - April 1 - 3.37pm - 2022
-
‘Round like a circle in a spiral…’ - March 31 - 6.15pm - 2022
-
Food for thought - March 31 - 3.32pm - 2022
-
Fit for Royalty - March 30 - 3.56pm - 2022
-
‘A dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind…’ - March 30 - 11.24am - 2022
-
The wonder of wonder - March 29 - 5.57pm - 2022
-
Environment of lies and false truths exposed - March 29 - 3.50pm - 2022
-
This year’s buzzword - March 29 - 12.45pm - 2022
-
A much welcome rebellious soul - March 29 - 11.35am - 2022
-
Oxford’s own Superheroes (and not a cape in sight) - March 28 - 7.36pm - 2022
-
His secret is… he doesn’t ‘Poop!’ - March 27 - 1.37pm - 2022
-
A veritable rainforest of cheering revelations - March 27 - 11.25am - 2022
-
“This may hurt..for longer than you think” - March 26 - 6.30pm - 2022
-
What does ‘normal’ mean anyway? - March 26 - 2.25pm - 2022
-
“We want Harry, we want Harry!” - March 26 - 11.36am - 2022
-
A thought provoking tour de force - March 25 - 4.00pm - 2022
-
A real humdinger of a start to the festival - March 25 - 1.45pm - 2022
-
And here we are three years later … March 24 - 10.15AM - 2022
-
FOR YOUNGSTERS (AND THE CHILD IN ALL OF US) - CHAPTER TWO - MARCH 14 - 4.30PM - 2020
-
FOR YOUNGSTERS (AND THE CHILD IN ALL OF US) - MARCH 13 - 12.26PM - 2020
-
ACCESSIBLY CHILLED, ACCESSIBLY PRACTICAL - MARCH 8 - 7.59PM - 2020
-
THE TWO ‘A’S OF A GREAT FESTIVAL - MARCH 7 - 2.19PM - 2020
-
CHAPTER ONE… MARCH 1 - 7.10PM - 2020
-
BRILLIANTLY BEWILDERING - APRIL 7 - 4.59PM - 2019
-
WELL, WE CERTAINLY WEREN’T SHORT-CHANGED - APRIL 6 - 9.05pm - 2019
-
MURDEROUSLY FASCINATING - APRIL 6 - 4.39PM - 2019
-
THE ULTIMATE BRAND - APRIL 5 - 7.30PM - 2019
-
DISSECTING MAN-MADE MYTH - APRIL 5 - 3.38PM - 2019
-
A QUIRKY BREATH OF MEDITERRANEAN CHARM - APRIL 5 - 1.09PM - 2019
-
ALIVE, THRILLING AND COOL - APRIL 4 - 5.57PM - 2019
-
GLORIOUSLY WHIMSICAL - APRIL 4 - 3.37PM - 2019
-
UNRAVELLING THE MYSTERIES OF SLEEP (OR AT LEAST ATTEMPTING TO) - APRIL 4 - 3.59PM - 2019
-
THE QUOTE OF THE CENTURY (AND THAT’S NO EXAGGERATION) - APRIL 4 - 11.27AM - 2019
-
KEEPING IT REAL - APRIL 3 - 6.55PM - 2019
-
A FLAWLESS CALL TO ARMS - APRIL 3 - 3.38PM - 2019
-
(MUCH) LARGER THAN LIFE - APRIL 3 - 1.58PM - 2019
-
STERLING - APRIL 2 - 8.45PM - 2019
-
ALL FIRED UP WITH NOWHERE TO GO - APRIL 2 - 4.09PM - 2019
-
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU - APRIL 1 - 7.16PM - 2019
-
THE ENDURING ALLURE OF (THE REAL) LADY CHATTERLEY - APRIL 1 - 3.29PM - 2019
-
I BOUGHT THE TICKET THEREFORE I AM - APRIL 1 - 1.37PM - 2019
-
UNEXPECTEDLY FUN, UNEXPECTEDLY COOL - MARCH 31 - 3.54PM - 2019
-
MORE TAME THAN FLAME - MARCH 31 - 1.26PM - 2019
-
YES, HE MENTIONED TRUMP AND THE UNCONSCIOUS MIND IN THE SAME SENTENCE - MARCH 31 - 11.34AM - 2019
-
SOBERING, VERY S.O.B.E.R.I.N.G - MARCH 30 - 5.55PM - 2019
-
IF ONLY ALL HISTORY TEACHERS COULD BE LUCY WORSLEY - MARCH 30 - 3.15PM - 2019
-
DANCING TO A SNAPPY, WARM AND ENGAGING RHYTHM - MARCH 30 - 1.08PM
-
WHOOSH!... AND THERE GOES OUR HISTORY - MARCH 30 - 10.36AM - 2019
-
WANDS, WIZARDS AND INFECTIOUS EXCITEMENT - MARCH 30 - 10.02AM - 2019
-
FIVE, FOUR, THREE… YOU KNOW THE REST - MARCH 29 - 4.25PM - 2019
-
THE POLITICS OF POLITICS - MARCH 28 - 10.02AM - 2019
-
A DELICIOUSLY SELF-INDULGENT OPPORTUNITY TO GAPE, GAWP, GAZE AND LEARN - MARCH 27 - 9.59AM - 2019
-
LIKE A LITERARY EPISODE OF ‘POINTLESS CELEBRITIES’ (MINUS ALEXANDER ARMSTRONG) - MARCH 26 - 9.39AM
-
NOTHING SAYS ‘LITERARY’ LIKE A GREAT MEAL WITH SELECTED WINES - 10.04AM - MARCH 25 - 2019
-
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY TASTY - MARCH 22 - 3.09PM - 2019
-
A CHILD EYE’S VIEW (CHAPTER TWO) - MARCH 18 - 4.37PM - 2019
-
A CHILD’S EYE VIEW (CHAPTER ONE ) - MARCH 15 - 9.25AM - 2019
-
THE PERFECT ANTIDOTE TO ALL THAT BOOKISH INTENSITY - MARCH 12 - 9.49AM - 2019
-
TAKE A LEAF FROM ROBERT FROST’S ‘THE ROAD NOT TAKEN’ - MARCH 7 - 2.25PM - 2019
-
HELLO, WELCOME AND MAKE YOURSELVES AT HOME! THE COUNTDOWN STARTS HERE… MARCH 2 - 12.37PM - 2019
-
WHAT A WAY TO GO! - MARCH 25 - 3.19pm
-
LIKE A WARMING BRANDY ON A COLD NIGHT - MARCH 24 - 4.38pm
-
GOD THEY WERE SMART - MARCH 24 - 4.08pm
-
PAINFULLY JOYFUL - MARCH 24 - 11.23am
-
THE OLDER WOMAN’S BIBLE - MARCH 24 - 9.09am
-
A GUILTY PLEASURE - MARCH 23 - 3.29pm
-
DEPRESSING? NOT A BIT OF IT! - MARCH 22 - 5.39pm
-
PLAYFULLY COMBATIVE - MARCH 22 - 3.10pm
-
BUBBLE, BUBBLE, TOIL AND TROUBLE - MARCH 22 - 1.32pm
-
DID WHAT IT SAID ON THE TIN - MARCH 22 - 11.18am
-
A DISCERNING DIP INTO THE JOYS OF GIN - MARCH 22 - 9.29am
-
THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD - MARCH 21 - 2.48pm
-
BEE-LIEVE - MARCH 21 - 11.07am
-
SWANKY BASH - MARCH 21 - 9.15am
-
50 SECONDS, 5 QUESTIONS - CLAIRE COCK-STARKEY - MARCH 20 - 1.41pm
-
50 SECONDS, 5 QUESTIONS - JOANNE HARRIS - MARCH 20 - 11.31am
-
SHUSH… IT’S A QUIET (WELL RELATIVELY) DAY TODAY - MARCH 20 - 9.54am
-
SAY “HELLO” TO HARMONY, SAMANTHA, ROXIE AND HANK… - MARCH 19 - 1.00pm
-
“EMINENTLY STROKABLE…” - MARCH 19 - 11.01am
-
“YOU NEED TO TURN ME ON FIRST…” - MARCH 19 - 9.07am
-
WHY COFFEE IS A GREAT LEVELLER - MARCH 19 - 8.51am
-
HIGH RISK OF CABIN FEVER… - MARCH 18 - 9.36AM
-
AN UNEXPECTED SURPRISE - OPENING DAY, MARCH 17 - 5.03pm
-
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT - OPENING DAY, MARCH 17 - 2.07pm
-
DISTURBING AND UNSETTLING - OPENING DAY, MARCH 17 - 1.04pm
-
LUDICROUSLY GOOD - OPENING DAY, MARCH 17 - 11.22am
-
50 SECONDS, FIVE QUESTIONS
-
WHAT’S THE SECRET TO A GREAT FESTIVAL? ITS AUDIENCE - OPENING DAY, MARCH 17 - 8.35AM
-
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SET YOUR WATCHES - MARCH 16 - 7.05PM
-
A TIMELESS SLICE OF SUNDAY AFTERNOON BLISS - MARCH 15 - 9.58am
-
YOU’LL KINDA WISH HE WAS YOUR BOSS… - MARCH 14 - 9.59am
-
CELEBRATING THE AFTERGLOWS - MARCH 13 - 10.51am
-
FIVE… (4, 3, 2, 1 WILL FOLLOW) - MARCH 12 - 11.56am
-
SO NOW THE REAL COUNTDOWN BEGINS - MARCH 10 - 4.15pm
-
AT LEAST WORTH A SELFIE - MARCH 8 - 10.08AM
-
NOT JUST FOR ADULTS…BUT YOUNG ADULTS TOO - MARCH 7 - 7.47am
-
‘INSIDER’ TIPS FOR ACHIEVING TIP-TOP SATISFACTION - MARCH 3 - 10.05AM
-
A ‘VERY SHORT INTRODUCTION’ ON HOW TO BECOME SMUG (IN JUST 15 EASY MINUTES) - MARCH 1ST - 4.37PM
-
JUST THINK OF THIS AS A LITERARY ADVENT CALENDAR… WITH, AS OF TODAY, 33 WINDOWS LEFT TO OPEN!
-
WITH JUST SIX-AND-A-BIT WEEKS TO GO, IT’S OKAY TO START DROOLING…
-
IT’S TIME TO STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING, GET OUT A RED PEN, STUDY THE FORM AND START PLANNING…
-
TOBY OR NOT TO BE, THAT IS THE QUESTION… - APRIL 2 - 6.19PM
-
AWFULLY DECENT OUTRAGE - APRIL 2 - 2.39PM
-
A GENUINE TREAT - APRIL 2 - 12.35PM
-
A GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF CHARMER - APRIL 1 - 6.03PM
-
“SHE WORE WHAT!?” - APRIL 1ST - 12.51PM
-
WHY DO KIDS HAVE ALL THE FUN? - APRIL 1ST - 11.13AM
-
OUT OF THIS WORLD! - MAR 31 - 6.13PM
-
ERUPTION FREE - MAR 31 - 3.23PM
-
A WINK TO THE WISE - MAR 31 - 10.19AM
-
MASTURBATION AND BREAKFAST - MAR 30 - 3.25PM
-
INFINITELY MORE PALATABLE THAN FORESKINS - MAR 30 - 1.29PM
-
“OF A CERTAIN AGE…” - MAR 28 - 8.45PM
-
WHAT WE CANNOT KNOW (NO MATTER HOW MANY OMEGA 3 FISH OIL CAPSULES WE CONSUME…) - MAR 28 - 5.21PM
-
A MATTER OF SOME GRAVITY - MAR 28 - 3.09PM
-
A SHAMELESS PLUG - MAR 28 - 12.46PM
-
MIND-BOGGLING ‘BODLEIANALIA - MAR 27 - 7.37PM
-
“I’LL BE BACK…” - MAR 27 - 3.53PM
-
MARQUEE MOMENTS - MAR 27 - 3.48PM
-
A DISHY “DREAMBOAT” FOR THE OVER-50S - MAR 25 - 1.11PM
-
TASTE BUDS AT BOILING POINT - MAR 26 - 7.24PM
-
SIMPLY THE BEST - MAR 26 - 4.38PM
-
THE LESSONS WE NEVER LEARN (THANK GOD) - MAR 26 - 1.10PM
-
BEEFCAKE BLUES - MAR 25 - 4.06pm
-
THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A DAME… MAR 25 - 1.40PM
-
“CABBAGES ARE IMPORTANT…” MAR 25 1.02PM
-
WELCOME TO THE QUANTUM WORLD OF GROUPIES… 11.00AM
-
THE WOMB… MARCH 25 - 09.24am
-
FIRST DAY JITTERS - MAR 25 - 07.56am
-
Last call of the day - and festival!
-
A ‘Blur’ of opticians…
-
You wanna go large…?
-
A bit of gossip
-
Don’t mention Frank Muir…
-
Way to go Your Majesty/Royal Highness/foxy aristocrat
-
Now rub furiously…
-
“Let me just pick up those grapes…”
-
Astonishing…
-
Please, stick to the subject…
-
Looking like a sleuth
-
Live long and prosper
-
Breaking Dawn,,,
-
There’s something about Mary…
-
It’s all ‘Greek’ to me…
-
Brilliant location, dreamy atmosphere and the perils of a rather full stomach…
-
Finally something juicy…
-
Squawk!
-
Monday. Wet. Lunchtime…
-
Here’s hoping…
-
Two things…
-
Gandalf rocked. And charmed. And captivated…
-
Middle Earth calls
-
You could have knocked me down with a feather…
-
Just waiting…
-
I WAS WRONG…
-
Star spotting…
-
On the edge of our seats
-
No Sunday blues today
-
“My name is… Enid Blyton”
-
A short intro about buying…
-
In the beginning…
-
OX magazine editor at large Jeremy Smith writes about the festival