Nobel winner Kazuo Ishiguro and comedian Jo Brand among speakers announced for 2019

Nobel winner Kazuo Ishiguro and comedian Jo Brand among speakers a

Nobel prize-winning novelist Kazuo Ishiguro is among a host of leading speakers announced today for the 2019 FT Weekend Oxford Literary Festival. Ishiguro will speak about his life and work and receive the Bodley medal for his outstanding contribution to literature. Other leading speakers from the world of fiction include thriller writer Robert Harris, who gives the Chancellor's Lecture, Chocolat author Joanne Harris, who receives the festival's honorary fellowship, and crime writer Val McDermid. Comedian Jo Brand talks about her darkly funny guide to life as a woman, and explorer and adventurer Ranulph Fiennes talks about his life. Leading journalists speaking include former BBC stalwarts Martin Bell and Kate Adie, former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger, and the environmentalist and activist George Monbiot. Science is represented by Astronomer Royal Martin Rees on the future of humanity, by broadcaster and fertility treatment pioneer Robert Winston, and by Nobel Prize-winning biologist Venki Ramakrishnan. Historians Simon Schama and Diarmaid MacCulloch appear, and former ballerina now Strictly Come Dancing judge Darcey Bussell talks about her life and career. One of the world's leading legal minds and former official in the Obama administration Cass Sunstein talks about social change, and former President of Ireland Mary Robinson makes a case for justice on climate change. Tickets are on sale now through 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).

Morpurgo and Kerr head children's line-up

Michael Morpurgo and Judith Kerr head another great line-up of events for children and young people at this year's festival. Morpurgo talks about the creation of a children's laureate 20 years ago, while Kerr is joined by fellow author/illustrator Benji Davies to talk about creating children's classics. Other authors in the children and young people programme include historian Lucy Worsley, Murder Most Unladylike author Robin Stevens, Horrid Henry creator Francesca Simon, and cultural historian Janina Ramirez with her first children's book. There's also a return for the popular Harry Potter celebration show.

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The Oxford Literary Festival sponsors, donors & partners

The Telegraph Festival media partner University of Oxford Netflix European Union Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK Cultural Relations Platform Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme BBC World Service International radio partner Owen Mumford Supporter of programme of science and medicine and annual science and innovation award Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Oxford Mathematics Spanish Embassy The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture Cervantes Institute, London The Cervantes Institute, London Italian Embassy The Italian Embassy: supporter of the programme of Italian literature and culture The Dorchester Hotels Collection Festival London hotel partner International Literary Properties Festival literary heritage partner Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller The Randolph Hotel by Graduate Hotels Festival hotel Old Bank Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Old Parsonage Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Jim Mellon John Roberts Lady Hatch Patron donor for the programme of Irish literature and culture Tim and Marion Stevenson Martin and Elise Becket Smith Miles Young Masumi and Jonathan Dobson Pank Koria CEO of Project People Carole and John Allen David Isaac Mary and Cecil Quillen Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture Anna Hunter Rhys and Kerry Phillip Exeter College Exeter College: college home of the festival. Founded 1314 New College New College founded 1379 Worcester College Worcester College founded 1714 Lincoln College Lincoln College founded 1427 St Cross College St Cross College founded 1965 Trinity College Trinity College founded 1555 Magdalen College Magdalen College founded 1458 Critchleys Accountants to the festival Pasture to Plate Compassion in World Farming Human Ecology Project MACROVegan Symington Wines of the Douro Valley Princeton University Press Prestige publishing partner. Celebrating 25 years in Europe in 2024 European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Sponsor of the EBRD Literature Prize since 2018 ROOMS Georgia's leading lifestyle hotel brand since 2012. Supporters of the programme of Georgian literature and culture Jewish Book Week Partner of Oxford Literary Festival Foodbuy Thje Menu Partners Institute of Hospitality Goldmoney Properties Project People Oxford Brookes University Oxford International Centre for Publishing Confucius Institute Pusey House British Academy Festival academic partner Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Oxford United Football Club Racalia Olive Oil Olive oil from Sicily BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design Paul Bloomfield Ltd University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Conference Oxford Felicity Bryan Associates CAV Oxford The Sheldonian Theatre Oxford University Images Oxford University Images Oxford University Department for Continuing Education Oxford Georgian Translation Project Supporter of the programme of Georgian literature and culture Force4Good Consultancy Corporate communications OX magazine Ox in a Box K T Bruce Photography K T Bruce Photography The Litmus Partnership Schoolreaders Windrush Group James Currey Society