Something for all ages, from history to politics, food and children's events

The Chiswick Book Festival got off to a very successful launch with a talk at Chiswick House by Simon Thurley chief executive of English Heritage. Authors and broadcasters who live in Chiswick are also out in force at this weekend’s Festival, which runs until Monday September 15th.

An appreciative crowd gathered to hear Simon Thurley discuss his new book The Building of England, which unearths the links between this country's cultural past and its most significant building developments, including Chiswick House and Bedford Park.

And there have also been enthusiastic audiances at all the other events- As well as fifty authors, there are prizes galore in the Festival quiz, a cryptic crossword and several draws.

Saturday is the Children’s Book Festival based at St Michaels - an event which has been listed in Urban Explorer’s Top Ten Things to Do for Kids in London: Authors involved included Christopher William Hill, Marcus Alexander, and BBC Radio DJ Simon Mayo discussing his book, Itch Craft .

A packed pavilion at Chiswick House for Simon Thurley

Discussions at the Festival throughout the day ranged from topics as diverse as Experiences of Women during the Second World War, to A History of Cricket in Pakistan.

Sunday's calendar of events includes workshops on How To Get Started on a Novel, writer A N Wilson discussing Queen Victoria, e-books and self- publishing, poetry and travel adventures to the North and South Pole as well as biking around Italy.

There are also displays of the charities being helped by the Festival, a taster of St Michael’s WWI project, and several local authors were also taking part this weekend.

More information on speakers here

Over 24 local businesses sponsor the Festival, including Waterstones, Savills, Sofa Workshop, Hubbard Pegman Whitney (full list here ) Sam’s Brasserie, Vinoteca and the Good Wine Shop are supporting some of the events with food and wine.

Tickets and timetables available from: www.chiswickbookfestival.net.
Books on sale for signing, courtesy of Waterstones.

September 12, 2014