The Oxford Literary Festival is a wondrous thing, maybe a little like Hay but no tents, mud or wellies. Instead you find yourself in the beautiful Sheldonian theatre, the Divinity School with its amazing ceiling or various historic halls or churches.
2 events that I fancied were on consecutively so that made for an excellent, very interesting afternoon. At 4 pm the poet Wendy Cope was in conversation. She was wonderfully funny whilst also being poignant and insightful. I loved hearing her read her own poems, particularly the one entitled ‘Orange’ which began her writing career and gave her the financial confidence to give up teaching.
Then it was time to pop across to Cafe Nero in Blackwells bookshop for a coffee and something. The cafe is always heaving with people and you have to accept that you may well not get a table to yourself. People sit with one drink and their laptop for hours! Anyway I did find somewhere to sit and opposite me a lady was reading an Elif Shafak novel. I just knew she must be going to the next talk with that novelist. We made eye contact, smiled and talked. A lady nearby joined in and I then had a lovely bookish conversation about the festival and reading in general.
6 o’clock was approaching and I returned to the Sheldonian to hear Elif Shafak being interviewed, talking about her latest novel: ‘There are Rivers in the Sky’ and about the current situation in Turkey, where she still has family. So interesting, it was quite a privilege to be there.
7 o’clock soon came round and it was time to head for the railway station and home. Much to think about.