Jonathan Sacks, Donna Leon and Pat Barker in 2020 line-up

Jonathan Sacks, Donna Leon and Pat Barker in 2020 line-up

The 2020 FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival is open for booking for the first 80 events, which include former Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Booker Prize-winning novelist Pat Barker, crime writer Donna Leon, historian and children’s novelist Lucy Worsley and cookery writer Prue Leith.

Jonathan Sacks will talk about his book on morality and heads a new programme of events on Jewish and Hebrew literature and culture that also includes House of Lords crossbencher Rabbi Julia Neuburger.

Pat Barker will talk about her latest novel, The Silence of the Girls, and receive the prestigious Bodley Medal for outstanding achievement. Her fellow Booker Prize winner Penelope Lively gives this year’s Chancellor’s Lecture on her life and work.

Donna Leon makes a rare UK appearance to talk about the 29th novel in her bestselling Commissario Brunetti series, Trace Elements. And leading commentator on religion Karen Armstrong talks about her new book, The Lost Art of Scripture.

Great British Bake-Off judge Prue Leith is joined by ner niece Peta Leith to talk about their new book, The Vegetarian Kitchen, and about their lives in food.

Lucy Worsley returns to the festival to talk about her new historical children’s novel The Austen Girls.

The children’s programme also welcomes space scientist and The Sky at Night presenter Maggie Aderin-Pocock who will go on an epic and interactive journey through the solar system, Murder Most Unladylike author Robin Stevens, and poet Allie Esiri.

This year’s festival also features three of our hugely popular one-day creative writing courses on plot development, character development and biography/memoir.

Watch out for lots more events as they are added to the festival line-up in the next few weeks.

Tickets are on sale now from this website or by telephoning the box office at 0333 666 3366 (a booking fee of £1.75 applies to purchases made through the telephone box office).