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Contrasts and have been adopted across the
land, like the competitive verse
attractions Poetry Slams, and others which
are unique to Swindon, like the
Louisa Davison says the Swindon competitively philosophical
Festival of Literature is shaping up Think Slam.
to be yet another fascinating two There are appearances from Join your local hospice lottery
weeks from 4 to 16 May successful home-grown writers too,
Opposites attract, they say, and such as Hilda Sheehan, Vanessa Every week
where else would known-for-being Lafaye, and Mike Pringle; and estab-
-nice TV personality Sandi Toks- lished novelists with new books, like per playne
vig sit on the same festival bill as Jung Chang and Patrick Gale. some £1
known-for-being-spiky, There are challeng-
activist Peter Tatchell? ing events, with Dr
Or where can Nikolaus Wachsmann
audiences hear Rory on the history of
Bremner ‘in conversa- concentration camps and
tion’, probably with Daisy Christodoulou on
many voices, one day, educational myths.
And on the very first
then see former Labour Nell McAndrew, who £1,000
home secretary Alan day of the festival, there’s
Johnson the next? reinvented glamour model,
The answers will Rory Bremner
be found at the turns out to be rather www.prospect-hospice.net/lottery
town’s annual ideas-led, book- good at running and matters of
friendly, thinking-person’s festival, health and well being. or call 01793 816190 to join
a stay-cation for anyone looking for Festival director Matt Holland said:
an entertaining intellectual fix. “If you want novelists and poets and
The festival is book-ended by two also talks and thoughts about educa- Pr 4 spect Hospice
4
popular standing dishes of delight: tion, religion, culture, democracy, L 1 t t e r
the 5.30am Dawn Chorus in Old equality, philosophy, reading, writing, y
Town’s Lawn Woods and, at the and comedy, you will find it all here
Town Hall, the eclectic Festival in Swindon. It’s going to be terrific.” A chance to win, a way to care
Finale: Poems, Pints, and Music. The festival programme will be Registered with the Gambling Commission
In between, there are trail- available from 19 March. Registered Charity Number: 280093
blazing events; some of which www.swindonfestivalofliterature.co.uk

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