Folkestone Book Festival: brochure has landed!

Under the title ‘The Shape of Things to Come’, this year’s festival will see some amazing guest speakers

Inspired by the ideas of Folkestone resident, H G Wells, this year's Festival presents one-off events stretching into the wild Romney Marsh, Victorian Tin Tabernacle, 12th century church and seaside fish and chip shop!

This year's line-up includes Booker Prize-winning author, Ben Okri who explores the role of fiction in these difficult times; actress Imogen Stubbs reads excepts of Jean Rhys' Wild Sargasso Sea; and The Guardian features writer, Nesrine Malik investigates the stories used to maintain the status quo.

Don't miss Paul Schrader, streaming in live from Hollywood; and catch actor and Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar discussing the future legacy of Seamus Heaney here at Quarterhouse.

MP for Brighton Pavilion, former leader and co-leader of The Green Party, Caroline Lucas discusses the challenges that face us and the possible futures that may lie ahead during this time of national and global ecological and political crises on Saturday 16 November.

On Sunday 24 November, Gaia Vince and Fred Pearce discuss how they see the future of our planet, as it crosses over into the Anthropocene - the Age of Humans. Discover the scale of change that has happened in recent decades, as humans have altered the world beyond anything it has experienced in its 4.6 billion-year history.     

Gavin Esler will tells in rigorous, insightful and revealing detail not about the Brexit we were told we were getting, but about the one that is arriving. The award-winning television and radio broadcaster joins up on Friday 22 November.

The God Delusion author, Richard Dawkins, explores the meaning of life and whether or not we should, or need, to believe in God; and actress Greta Scacchi reads Odes by John Keats in a local church.

Take a look inside the brochure and explore themes including Globalisation, Nationalism & Migration and Climate Change & the Environment. Step in The Time Machine and travel back in time to celebrate the Strange Concords of authors and composers past. In a series welcoming international voices without the carbon footprint, via a live link-up, Words from a Wider World extends the possibilities for artists participating in the Festival. Inspired by Wells' rare ability to capture his thoughts using words, Wells Said acts as a springboard for discussion throughout the Festival.

Click here to flick through the digital brochure, or explore the programme and buy tickets here.