Thursday 13th September marked the 10th year of the Chiswick Book Festival, an annual five-day event dedicated to the celebration of literature, whichever shape or form it may take.
The festival, founded in 2009, takes place every September and involves a long weekend of literary-based activities. A diverse assortment of stellar writers is invited to Chiswick’s very own St Michael & All Angels Church to discuss their own works and the power of the written word with enthusiastic audiences. In recent years, the festival has welcomed writers from all different genres, including fiction, history, espionage, biography, and even gardening. Dame Jacqueline Wilson and Clare Balding are among some of the big names who have attended from 2016-2017.
This year’s proceedings, spear-headed by director Torin Douglas, saw the establishment of the Cookbook Festival, a sister project of the Chiswick Book Festival, which aims to cater to the needs of readers with a more culinary focus.
John Torode, an Australian chef and an ongoing judge on BBC One’s Masterchef, was one of many to make an appearance at this brand new event, joining the likes of Melissa Hemsley and Ella Mills at the Ginger Whisk, located on Turnham Green Terrace.
Bond and Sherlock fans were also in for a treat. Anthony Horowitz, who has publicly supported the festival ever since its opening night, returned to Chiswick to discuss his latest novel. Forever and a Day is the prequel to Casino Royale, the first book in Fleming’s famous series, and was a hot topic of discussion on Saturday 15th.
I was one of many who managed to squash themselves into one of the pews that afternoon. From the moment Horowitz began talking, listeners were made aware of his passion for writing. He spoke quickly and enthusiastically about his works and he maintained this even when he dwelt on more serious topics: his disappointment with the film interpretation of Stormbreaker and the challenges he faced when taking on the iconic James Bond. He expressed how much joy writing had brought him throughout his childhood, sharing tales of nights spent holed away at boarding school - which he revealed he was not particularly fond of - concocting elaborate escape plans.
Towards the end of the session, fans were able to turn to the author with their own burning questions and then, after this had concluded, a book signing took place. It was a thoroughly enjoyable, interactive experience for fans all across the district.
Workshops and masterclasses in areas such as creative writing also encouraged as many people, including younger readers, to get involved.
Overall, I believe this year's Chiswick Book Festival was a grand success, with improved disabled access to venues and the Children's Festival making the event more inclusive and open to all. As turnouts continue to impress, it seems possible that another decade of literary enrichment might just lie ahead of us.
