Recently Added

Frank Thabani Sayi and Peter Godwin

The Birth of Zimbabwe: No Safer Kinder Hatred and Exit Wounds
Oxford Martin School: Lecture Theatre 12:00pm Sat 21 Saturday, 21 March 2026 See this event
Emma Young

What if . . . .
Pusey House: Chapel 2:00pm Sat 21 Saturday, 21 March 2026 See this event
Chris Packham talks to Philip Lymbery

Wild for Life
Sheldonian Theatre 2:00pm Sat 21 Saturday, 21 March 2026 See this event
Chris Packham, Isabella Tree and Philip Lymbery

Why Should we Care about Nature?
Sheldonian Theatre 4:00pm Sat 21 Saturday, 21 March 2026 See this event
Artemis Cooper and Cal Revely-Calder chaired by Miles Young

Pol Roger Duff Cooper Prize: The Challenges of Writing Non-fiction
New College: MacGregor Matthews Room 12:00pm Sun 22 Sunday, 22 March 2026 See this event
Katrien Devolder, Daniel Kodsi and Carissa Veliz chaired by Gary Francione

How Can Philosophers Tackle Pressing Social Issues
Sheldonian Theatre 4:00pm Sun 22 Sunday, 22 March 2026 See this event
Elvira Lindo, Olatz Ruiz de Gordejuela, Salvador Bolón, Ander Perrino and María Lindo

A Musical Tale: El Niño y la Bestia (The Boy and the Beast)
Oxford University Mathematical Institute: Lecture Theatre 1 4:00pm Sun 22 Sunday, 22 March 2026 See this event
Marion Coutts

What did the Deep Sea Say?
Pusey House: Ursell Room 12:00pm Mon 23 Monday, 23 March 2026 See this event
Benjamin Wood and Nicola Garrard

Young Lives Seeking a Better Future: Seascraper and On the Edge
Bodleian: Convocation House 10:00am Tue 24 Tuesday, 24 March 2026 See this event
Dan Jones and Jo Harkin

Lion Hearts and The Pretender
Sheldonian Theatre 10:00am Wed 25 Wednesday, 25 March 2026 See this event
Helen Taylor

Childless by Choice: What it Means to be Child Free
Pusey House: Ursell Room 10:00am Wed 25 Wednesday, 25 March 2026 See this event
John Sergeant talks to William Hague

Chancellor’s Forum: Give me Ten Seconds
Sheldonian Theatre 6:00pm Wed 25 Wednesday, 25 March 2026 See this event
Reeta Chakrabarti Suzi Feay

Festival Debuts: Finding Belle
Pusey House: Ursell Room 10:00am Thu 26 Thursday, 26 March 2026 See this event
Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason

To be Young Gifted and Black
Exeter College: Chapel 12:00pm Thu 26 Thursday, 26 March 2026 See this event
Lloyd Blankfein

Streetwise: Getting to and Through Goldman Sachs CANCELLED
Bodleian: Convocation House 2:00pm Thu 26 Thursday, 26 March 2026 See this event
David Woodman

The First King of England: Æthelstan and the Birth of a Kingdom
Exeter College: Chapel 2:00pm Thu 26 Thursday, 26 March 2026 See this event
Blake Morrison

On Memoir: An A-Z of Life Writing
Bodleian: Convocation House 2:00pm Thu 26 Thursday, 26 March 2026 See this event
Haitham Hussein talks to Suzi Feay

Ramina Books: Creative Writing from The Gulf
Pusey House: Ursell Room 4:00pm Thu 26 Thursday, 26 March 2026 See this event
Rime Allaf, Patrick Haenni and Jerome Drevon

The Future of Syria after Assad
Pusey House: Chapel 10:00am Fri 27 Friday, 27 March 2026 See this event
Lawrence Krauss and Alice Sullivan

The War on Science
Sheldonian Theatre 10:00am Fri 27 Friday, 27 March 2026 See this event
Mark Oakley and Sally Read

Splash of Words: Poetry and Faith
Pusey House: Ursell Room 2:00pm Fri 27 Friday, 27 March 2026 See this event
Kieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton

Dungeon Runners
Magdalen College: Auditorium 10:00am Sat 28 Saturday, 28 March 2026 See this event
Philip Reeve talks to Struan Murray

Celebrating 25 years of Mortal Engines
Oxford University Mathematical Institute: Lecture Theatre 3 10:00am Sat 28 Saturday, 28 March 2026 See this event
Rod Dreher talks to Tim Stanley

Living in Wonder: Finding Mystery and Meaning in a Secular Age
Pusey House: Chapel 10:00am Sat 28 Saturday, 28 March 2026 See this event
Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre

Of Mice and Mummies
Magdalen College: Auditorium 12:00pm Sat 28 Saturday, 28 March 2026 See this event
Amanda Smyth

Look at You
Pusey House: Ursell Room 2:00pm Sat 28 Saturday, 28 March 2026 See this event
Nelio Biedermann

Festival Debuts: Lázár
Oxford University Mathematical Institute: Lecture Theatre 3 6:00pm Sat 28 Saturday, 28 March 2026 See this event
Marlene Watson-Tara

Closing Dinner
Exeter College: Hall 7:30pm Sat 28 Saturday, 28 March 2026 See this event
Rosa Ribas and Esther García Llovet chaired by Richard Village

The Queens of Spanish Noir
Oxford University Mathematical Institute: Lecture Theatre 3 10:00am Sun 29 Sunday, 29 March 2026 See this event
Xuemo in conversation with Angus Phillips

China Lecture: Life and Work
Magdalen College: Auditorium 12:00pm Sun 29 Sunday, 29 March 2026 See this event
Lee Lawrence

The Colour of Injustice
Department for Continuing Education: Lecture Theatre 2:00pm Sun 29 Sunday, 29 March 2026 See this event
Fuchsia Dunlop in conversation with Angus Phillips

The Five Tastes of Chinese Cuisine
Magdalen College: Auditorium 2:00pm Sun 29 Sunday, 29 March 2026 See this event
Ramzee

The Cheat Book
Oxford University Mathematical Institute: Lecture Theatre 1 4:00pm Sun 29 Sunday, 29 March 2026 See this event

Festival information:

Often as an author, I only occasionally get to meet the public who buy and read my books. The Oxford Literary Festival was a special opportunity for me and certainly one of the highlights of my career – it was an honour I will never forget.

The Oxford Literary Festival is intellectual Viagra.

The Oxford festival is the most elegant and atmospheric of literary festivals. It’s a pleasure to both attend and perform there.

The night in Oxford was the most beautiful event I have ever done. Not just the spectacular setting (of the Sheldonian), but an unforgettable evening.

I came away buzzing and reassured that we still have in this century a wide ranging community fascinated not just by famous authors but by challenging ideas and questions.

The Oxford Literary Festival has in my mind become the leading literary festival of the year. The organisation, the roster of speakers, the ambience and the sheer quality of it all is superb.