Tony Benn AN EVENING WITH TONY BENN
6.30pm St. Mary’s Church £6
When Tony Benn left parliament after 51 years he said it was to have ‘more time for politics’ and this has proved to be true. Tony has spent his time campaigning and reinventing national debate through public meetings. His world-famous diaries are an astonishing and eye-opening insight into the heart of government. Don’t miss the chance to meet the man who has met everyone from Ghandi to Saddam and prepare for a truly thought-provoking and unforgettable event.

Kjartan Poskitt MEET THE MURDEROUS AXEMAN!
6.30pm Baptist Chapel £4
FAMILY EVENT
(Supported by Scholastic)
Mad but brilliant, genius author Kjartan is best known for his Murderous Maths series that made us laugh so much that we forgot it was all about maths. As an encore he introduced us to Urgum the Axeman, last of the barbarians. Who could resist learning from Pongo McWhiffy, Professor Fiendish, the Evil Gollarks and Riverboat Lil? Come and join the lunacy, the hilarity, the quirkiness that is Poskitt, the man who does magic tricks with underpants.

Bob Willingham THE THRILL OF VICTORY AND THE AGONY OF DEFEAT
4.00pm St. Mary’s Hall £4
FRINGE EVENT
Bob’s stunning photographs have earned him the title of Western Regional Journalist Photographer 2008. His book The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat portrays the joy and the pain. ‘It’s not about judo’, he says, ‘it’s about people’. Join Bob at St. Mary’s Hall to find out more about his amazing ability to capture the moment.

The Two Steves THE MAD MYTHS SHOW
6.30pm St. Mary’s Hall £4
FAMILY EVENT
Forget Ant and Dec – Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore are such an enormously talented double act they will make you laugh and learn all at once. Come and see their Mad Myths quiz show based on their brilliant series of books, a crazy retelling of Greek legends and enjoy a legendary laugh-out-loud-and-long, uproarious evening.

Lucy Pettitt BEATEN BY AN EGG
2pm St. Mary’s Hall £4
FRINGE EVENT
It seems as if we are in the grip of an allergy epidemic. Come and hear Lucy Pettitt’s harrowing experiences as told in her moving book, Beaten by an Egg. Her emotional, compelling presentation includes poetry and dance (tango). Have a look at her website www.spectrumymotion.co.uk

Dan Freedman KICK OFF
6.30pm St. Mary’s Hall £4
FAMILY EVENT
(Supported by Scholastic)
As a boy Dan Freedman lived football and as an adult he lived his dream working for the FA and getting to know the top stars of English football. Come and hear the inside info about Beckham and Rooney and find out about the brilliant new series of soccer stories starring schoolboy hero Jamie Johnson.

Libby Purves LOVE SONGS AND LIES
8.00pm St. Mary’s Church £6
(Supported by Hodder & Stoughton)
Much-loved writer and broadcaster Libby Purves is not only a main columnist on the Times, she has presented Midweek for Radio 4 since the early 80’s and published novels and children’s books as well as non-fiction. There can be few who are not familiar with her special brand of empathy, humour and practicality. Libby will talk about how she pulls together all the strands of her working life, from where she draws her inspiration and her latest book Love Song and Lies. Oh yes……… and she sails! Don’t miss out on what is bound to be a wonderful evening.

BOBBY WELLINS QUARTET
9pm St. Mary’s Hall £8
FRINGE EVENT
Legendary Scottish saxophonist Bobby Wellins performs pieces from his work The wind That Shakes the Barley, based on the life of Robbie Burns. Accompanied by brilliant pianist, Liam Noble and the fine rhythm section of Dave Wickins on drums and Dave Whitford on bass, Bobby will also play pieces from Stan Tracey’s Under Milk Wood Suite.

A North Devon Jazz Club Event

Michael Henderson SEE YOU AFTER THE DURATION
2pm St. Mary’s Hall £4
FRINGE EVENT
Drawing on personal experience Michael tells the tale of what it was like to be evacuated as a small boy, sent over perilous seas to America, to live in a country that he didn’t know, with people he had never met and not knowing what the outcome would be. He has also included accounts from other North Devonians. See you after the Duration is the true story of a child in a terrifying world.

David Johnson AFTERNOON TREATS
4pm St. Mary’s Hall £4
FRINGE EVENT
Poet and Radio 4 playwright, David Johnson is an entertaining, prize-winning performer whose inspiration is our bizarre world. He has featured in literary festivals in the UK and USA, appeared on BBC Radio’s Word of Mouth and Poetry Stand Up series. Come hear him tell about his life as a poet and playwright and read from his latest collection, Bombazine.

Roy Hattersley BORROWED TIME – BRITAIN BETWEEN THE WARS
6.30pm St. Mary’s Church £6
(Supported by Little Brown Group)
Formidable politician, columnist for The Guardian and now in the Daily Mail, prolific writer Roy Hattersley, has also been Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. But amongst many other achievements, it was he who promoted the gifted and astute Buster, his canine companion, who single pawedly featured in his own books. Hattersley’s latest book, Borrowed Time… Britain between the Wars, is a collection of essays on politics, entertainment and other aspects of life in the inter-war years. This must-be-there event is an invigorating insight from an amazing renaissance man.

Todd Gray HISTORY THAT HURTS
8pm Baptist Chapel £5
Historian, Honorary Research Fellow at Exeter University and author of more than 40 books on South West Britain, Todd Gray will speak about awkward history, aspects of the past that are uncomfortable, but essential to understanding the past – including the role of Devon in African slavery and the rise of Oswald Mosley’s Blackshirts in rural Devon. The material is drawn from two of his award-winning books. Come and find out the truth.

Bideford 500: A Unique Maritime Inheritance
2.30 pm St Mary’s Hall Entry Free
FRINGE EVENT
Sir Richard Grenville’s first steps onto Roanoke Island in North Carolina were as significant in 1585 as Neil Armstrong’s onto the moon in 1969. And the setting up of that first English-speaking colony in America was just one of the unique links that connect the Torridge estuary communities of the Old World and the New World – links that have spanned five centuries and continue to the present day. Local researcher and writer, Pauline Smith, invites you to fire up your imagination as she recounts some of the thrilling stories that join our continents and suggests ways in which we can use them to keep our communities alive. Discussion follows.

Appledore Visual Arts Festival Film CAPTURING APPLEDORE’S MARITIME HERITAGE – AN ORAL HISTORY
4pm Appledore Baptist Chapel £4
FRINGE EVENT
Sponsored by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Appledore Visual Arts Festival has produced a film which encapsulates aspects of Appledore that are slowly but steadily vanishing. Subjects covered using recent interviews and archive film include laver picking, poaching and boat building. This film is a must-see for anyone who knows Appledore, or who would like to know Appledore.

Storybox Theatre THE SUN, THE MOON AND HALF A CHICKEN
6.30pm St. Mary’s Hall £4
FAMILY EVENT
A rare opportunity to see this internationally renowned, award winning company. In The Sun, The Moon and Half a Chicken, Rod Burnett uses his formidable skills as a storyteller and puppeteer to tell the tale of the curious half-chicken who hops off to see the King, encountering Fire, Wind and Water on the way. As the story unfolds so the magic increases in a show that will delight children and adults alike.

Nick Arnold WHO KILLED KING UBBA?
8.00pm Baptist Chapel £5
Ubba was the most feared Viking warrior of his time but in 878 A.D. he was killed in a bloody battle that changed the course of history. For 1,000 years the story was all but lost but now you can join Festival Director, Nick Arnold, (and real life Vikings) for dramatic new evidence on the site of the battle and the desperate struggle that saved England.

Painting: Cecil Todd

AN EVENING OF POETRY AND MUSIC
9.pm St. Mary’s Hall £5
FRINGE EVENT
An eclectic blend of performance poetry and music, delivered to your door by some of North Devon’s finest creative artists including Colin Shaddick, James Bell, Chris Ayliffe, Caroline Cassinelli and Dave Clinch.

Megan Stallworthy BOOK BINDING WORKSHOP SOLD OUT
10am – 4pm Blue Lights Hall £30
FRINGE EVENT
Learn how to make a variety of exciting book structures with talented and inspirational bookbinder Megan Stallworthy. The class will be making different books this year, so the workshop is suitable for those who attended last year’s workshop as well as for complete beginners. All equipment and materials are supplied, and you will take your beautiful handmade books home with you. Places are limited on this very popular workshop, so please book early.

Jeremy Strong THE ONE AND ONLY
11am Baptist Chapel £4
FAMILY EVENT
(Supported by Puffin Books)
Often dubbed ‘the King of Comedy’ Jeremy Strong writes books that are regularly rated the most rib-tickling laugh out loud funny children’s books ever. Now you can meet the man behind such classics as the Hundred Mile an Hour Dog, Krazy Kow Saves The World and There’s a Viking in my Bed. His books number more than all your toes and fingers put together. He is kept in order by Streaker – who probably does a lot of the hard work for him – and who features in more and more of his books. This is your chance to meet one man and his dog. What more can we say? Well, plenty more – just come to this event and bring your laughing gear!

Tony Mitton POET IN A PUB
12.30pm The Beaver Inn Irsha St. Appledore £9 (includes lunch) FAMILY EVENT
Just imagine the perfect combination - beer at the Beaver and a family poetry workshop with one of Britain’s top children’s performing poets. Let Tony Mitton be your inspired and inspiring guide into the world of rap, rhyme and rhythm and guess what – there’s a delicious buffet lunch included in the price!

Andrew Lambert ADMIRALS
2.30pm Baptist Chapel £5
(Supported by Faber and Faber)
Described as one of the most eminent naval historians of our age, and author of the best-selling Nelson: Britannia’s God of War. His new book, uses the lives of 11 remarkable men to examine how this country became the naval superpower for 300 years, spread English across the globe and dominated the world’s economy.
 

SERVICE FOR THE BOOK FESTIVAL
10am The Quay (or St. Mary’s Church, if wet)
Free Admission
FAMILY EVENT
The Vicar of Appledore, The Rev John Ewington, presents a very special Book Festival Service based on Christian books and especially John Bunyan’s Pilgrims’ Progress and the writings of St. Francis.
 

Nick Sharratt PANTASTIC!
11.30 am St. Mary’s Hall £4
FAMILY EVENT
(Supported by Random House Children’s Books)
Come and meet Nick Sharratt, illustrator of Shark in the Park, Ketchup on your Cornflakes, Eat your Peas and Pants and the man who draws Tracy Beaker. Hear all about his latest books, get involved in storytelling and picture-making, create your own special pants and join in the Pants dance.

Jacqueline Wilson AN AFTERNOON WITH JACQUELINE WILSON
2.30pm St. Mary’s Church £6
FAMILY EVENT
(Supported by Random House Children’s Books)

   
The Festival is thrilled to welcome Dame Jacqueline Wilson previous Children’s Laureate to launch Bookweek in the South West. Here’s your chance to meet one of the best selling authors in the U.K and the most borrowed author in British libraries. Her books have won countless major awards and been adapted for television and stage. Jacqueline Wilson has written brilliant books for youngsters of all ages connecting directly with her readers, dealing with many of the problems that children face in their daily lives. Her Tracy Beaker series has been a runaway success. Even as we go to press there is a queue for tickets – please grab yours before they sell out!

Kate Adie INTO DANGER: RISKING YOUR LIFE TO WORK SOLD OUT
4pm St. Mary’s Church £6
(Supported by Hodder & Stoughton)
World renowned for the quality of her reporting and her writing, Kate Adie delighted her audience last year with her warmth, her knowledge and her humour. This year she will be introducing her latest book, ‘Into Danger: Risking your life to work’. Through this Kate explores what drives people to put themselves at risk in highly dangerous occupations. Along with the respect and insight, there will be much laughter and discussion. Book now because those tickets will be snapped up very fast!