FLF 2011 will again celebrate the magic of words from 13 to 15 May with a gathering of over 90 authors, poets, editors, illustrators and chairpeople taking part in 70 events.
With a continuing focus on good accessible writing and diversity, the many Southern African writers range from renowned to little-known, and the topics from biography, history and politics to poetry, literary fiction and love stories.
The FLF was started in 2007 by a committee of six volunteers who aimed to create a festival of mostly English-speaking local writers, with a few coming from overseas. The ultimate goal was to raise funds for a new community library where it is most needed. They weren’t sure if fifty or five hundred people would come – and well over a thousand seats were sold.
In four years, attendance has more than quadrupled and it is now one of the leading literary events on the South African calendar. Thanks to the people who buy tickets and generous funding from sponsors, the FLF Library Fund has also swelled to the point where a new library is being discussed with the local municipality. FLF associates and sponsors Porcupine Ridge Wines and the Sunday Times continue to emphasise that their involvement is specifically to promote reading and encourage writing.
This year book lovers will once more flock to Franschhoek in the third weekend of May and hurry from venue to venue through village streets which buzz with book talk. All the destinations are within a few minutes’ walk, including the bookshop and booking facilities in the Town Hall and a great range of cafés and restaurants, small hotels, guest houses, interesting shops and more bookshops.
Publishers do book launches and hold dinners. Poets bring their work to a rousing open mic session. Within a short distance by car are mountain walks, wine farms, wineries and wine-tastings – notably at Boekenhoutskloof, makers of Porcupine Ridge wines.
FLF events are informal, often spirited discussions between several writers, with some one-on-one conversations. People in the news like Jonathan Jansen, Max du Preez, Karabo Kgoleng, Justice Malala, Jenny Crwys-Williams, Peter Harris and John Maytham will rub shoulders with academics, struggle stalwarts, poets, publishers, journalists and first-time novelists still hoping to make their names.
Winging in from America are Zakes Mda, Peter Godwin and Douglas Rogers. Barbara Trapido will come from Oxford, to be joined by Anna Trapido, our first mother and daughter team. Arriving from Scotland, courtesy of the British Council, are top Scottish writer Janice Galloway and Jamaican poet and novelist Kei Miller of Glasgow University. Making his way from Doha will be satirical blogger Azad Essa. From Nairobi will come prizewinning author Doreen Baingana, courtesy of the African Arts Initiative. The French Institute will be bringing out (a French writer).
Friday 13 May will be of special interest to new-generation readers with events about graphic novels, speculative and cellphone fiction, satirical blogs (notably Holy Cows to Beefburgers) and work in progress. Half-price tickets will be available to those with student cards.
FLF 2011 will pay tribute to the King James Bible on its 400th anniversary in a special language event that will celebrate its magnificent English. Other events of special interest to writers will be On Being Edited with Ivan Vladislavić and Tim Couzens, Mindfields, The Write Honourables, Men of Letters, and Do I Give Up The Day Job?
Madiba fans will enjoy Writing Mandela, and more of South Africa’s favourite topics will be addressed by Jonathan Jansen and others in Leadership And Innovation, How To Fix Our Schools, and Healing Our Nation. Controversies may erupt in 1994 And All That, Conspiracy Theories, Mzansi, Outcasts, and Zimbos. Doctors who write will feature in Blood, Guts, Sweat And Tears.
And as usual, there will also be performances by Youth Affair, a group of talented youngsters directed by a local rising star of TV soaps, Jeremy Davids, now working on a PhD in Drama.
More information here.
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