The middle of October signifies many things: that we are well and truly in the midst of autumn, that Halloween is on the way, that we have now reached jacket weather…and that it is time for Wimbledon Book Fest!
The Wimbledon Book Fest kicks off tomorrow for 10 days, and in that period, there are so many fantastic events from a broad range of people. The diverse events programme that The Wimbledon Book Fest has is brilliant; by celebrating literature for all ages and from all different cultures and backgrounds, this festival really does have something for everyone, and that really adds to the feeling that everyone is welcome. In addition to an already excellent array of events, this year, for the first time, Wimbledon Book Fest has partnered with the Lahore Literary Festival. This brings some events to the schedule that will be celebrating South Asian Voices. There is even an event When I was just looking at the events on the website, I felt spoilt for choice!
Some of the events that caught my eye include…
Silk Road Slippers – a creative masterclass covering essentials of storytelling, character and editing with a particular focus on writing across cultural perspectives. I am someone who has a lot of fiction writing I’ve not yet shown anyone, but what a great class with superb people hosting to aid with one’s writing skills.
A talk with Zahra Joya, author of The Vanishing Girl of Kabul. Zahra Joya is a journalist now living in exile in London, and her book tells her story of survival, resistance and life under the Taliban. This sounds like it will be a moving yet vitally important event.
A talk with Elif Shafak – it is no secret to anyone that Elif Shafak is one of my all-time favourite authors. I’ve reviewed so many of her books on this website, and she writes about Turkiye with so much beauty and truth, so to hear her talk is always so enlightening.
Burhan Sönmez and Mariusz Szcygieł in conversation with human rights worker and director at English PEN Daniel Gorman. Burhan Sonmez is an acclaimed novelist working in Turkish and Kurdish today, and Mariusz Szcygiel is one of Europe’s most celebrated journalists. They will be discussing suppressed languages, unspoken conversations, and why literature that is the most truthful ends up being the literature that is taken away – something all too relevant and very important to talk about right now.
And that is just a small selection of the events happening! So many insightful events are happening across the 10 days, and through these events and discussions, it just goes to show how important literature and stories are.
Whilst I sadly will not be going to any of these events, there is one event that I will be attending that I am really excited for: Authors Ela Lee, Defne Suman and Catherine Cho in conversation with writer, editor and translator Daniel Hahn.
Ela Lee is the author of Jaded (now one of my favourite books, which I reviewed on this very site and that you can read here) and Minbak. Defne Suman is the author of many books that I have read and loved, including The Silence of Scheherazade, At The Breakfast Table, and her most recent book, The Last Apartment In Istanbul. Catherine Cho is the author of Inferno and The Devoted, and whilst I have not read any of her books yet, I do have them on my shelf waiting to be picked up – something I’m sure many readers will have experience with!
I’m excited for this event for various reasons. Ela Lee and Defne Suman are both authors whose work I’ve read and loved. They write stories with so much depth and emotion; they write characters and stories that are real…and they are both authors in whose work I can see myself and relate to. They both are Turkish. As someone who is British-born but has Turkish heritage, reading Turkish culture and characters is so important to me. To see this reflected in Ela Lee and Defne Suman’s writing is really special.
Furthermore, the discussion seems to explore how we are shaped by our families and their histories and how the past still impacts generations later. This is something I love to read about, as I find it fascinating how stories can be passed on from one generation to another. The event is said to also explore how fiction can give voice to what goes unspoken across generations, and this is something I am really looking forward to hearing more about.
With this all being said, whilst the author’s stories stem from their own backgrounds, these are themes that can be universally shared and understood. It certainly sounds like it will be a really interesting conversation that I feel lucky to be in attendance for. I am really looking forward to hearing the engaging conversation between three very skilled authors.
In a time when literature is being banned, it is more important now than ever to read books that feature cultures, characters and experiences different from ourselves. It is important to celebrate and uplift writing and stories from all backgrounds and walks of life. Often, fear comes from a place of not knowing, and literature is the easiest way to break down that barrier. With so many events happening, the opening of Wimbledon Book Fest tomorrow seems to be the start of an exciting, jam-packed 10 days.
The Wimbledon Book Fest will run from the 15th to the 25th October. You can find out more about the festival, explore the programme and more here: https://www.wimbledonbookfest.org/
