Mother Ship
Speakers: Francesca Segal, Susie Orbach After her twins were born at only 30 weeks, Francesca Segal sat vigil in the ‘mother ship’ of neonatal intensive care, all romantic expectations of new parenthood obliterated. In conversation with acclaimed psychotherapist, psychoanalyst and author Susie Orbach, Francesca talks about those heart-wrenching days amidst a band of fearless and […]
Howard Jacobson: Live a Little
Speakers: Howard Jacobson, Jenni Frazer Nonagenarian Beryl Dusinbery, forgetter of her own children and tormentor of her two longsuffering carers, meets the sprightly Shimi Carmelli, last of the eligible bachelors of North London. Shimi is prized for his ability to do up his own buttons, speak without spitting and walk without the aid of a […]
Fictionalising The Holocaust
Speakers: Toby Haggith, Peter Filkins, James Libson ‘To write poetry after Auschwitz is barbaric.’ But despite Theodor Adorno’s dictum, dramatising the Holocaust has become a trend, in both books and film. Should the Holocaust, the nadir of humanity, be fictionalised? When we do dramatise the suffering, how should we approach it, and should any topics […]
A Celebration of the Life & Work of Eva Ibbotson
Speakers: Nicola Beauman, Amanda Craig and Marion Lloyd Eva Ibbotson was born in Vienna in 1925 and moved to England with her father when the Nazis came into power. Ibbotson wrote more than twenty award-winning books for children and young adults, notably Journey to the River Sea, The Dragonfly Pool and The Star of Kazan, […]
Jerusalem: City of The Book
Speakers: Merev Mack, Simon Goldhill, Raquel Ukeles Benjamin Disraeli said, “The view of Jerusalem is the history of the world; it is more, it is the history of earth and of heaven.” Merav Mack presents Jerusalem as the locus where some of the world’s most enduring ideas were put into words, while Simon Goldhill provides […]
Learning From The Germans
Philosopher Susan Neiman grew up in the segregated American South during the civil rights movement. She has spent most of her adult life in a Germany still coming to terms with its Nazi past. Susan, from her unique perspective, examines how nations deal with their pasts. She argues that failure to confront our history permits […]
Steven Berkoff: A World Elsewhere
Speakers: Steven Berkoff, Matthew Stadlen Steven Berkoff, one of Britain’s finest actors, directors and playwrights, presents his fascinating autobiography, spanning fifty years of his work. He compellingly describes his multifarious theatrical works, outlining the methods he uses and the subtle interconnections between actor, playwright and theatre director, when one discipline melds effortlessly into another. A […]
A State at Any Cost: The Life of David Ben-Gurion
Speakers: Tom Segev, Jonathan Freedland Israeli historian Tom Segev offers a masterful account of the complex figure of David Ben Gurion, founder of the Jewish state. Visionary leader, despot, statesman, small-town politician – Ben Gurion was all of these things. Tom Segev uses previously unreleased archive material to give an original, nuanced account that transcends […]
The Missing: Michael Rosen
Speakers: Michael Rosen, Nicolette Jones By turns charming, shocking and heart-breaking, this is the true story of Michael Rosen’s search for his relatives who “went missing” during the Second World War – told through prose and poetry. When Michael was growing up, stories often hung in the air about his great-uncles: one was a clock-mender […]
Brain Fizzing Facts: Awesome Science Questions Answered
Speakers: Dr Emily Grossman Why is your elbow called your funny bone? How could you escape the grip of a crocodile’s jaw? Which animal can breathe through its bottom? And how do these things all link together?! Science expert and STEM Ambassador Dr Emily Grossman uncovers the answers to these and many of the weirdest, […]
Believe It or Snot: The Definitive Field Guide to Earth’s Slimy Creatures
Speakers: Dani Rabaiotti What is hyena butter, and would you want to put it on toast? How much slime can a hagfish produce in 60 seconds? Which animal produces a snotty sleeping bag? How does a bubble snail use mucus to get around? Which organism is the slime champion? Zoologist Dani Rabaiotti guides us in […]
The Great Houdini: The World’s Most Amazing Escape Artist
Speakers: Kjartan Poskitt Harry Houdini thrilled the world with his death-defying stunts and awesome showmanship, but did you know he was actually called Ehrich? Join Murderous Maths author Kjartan Poskitt to find out how he was inspired by a man with no head, why he kept asking to be put in jail (and how he […]