Hay festival: Settling in
The first day of the books bonanza is a little quiet. But we have thrilling verbiage, sizzling audio and sensational puns lined up for the coming days.
A matter of life and death: Beryl Bainbridge is seen through a grandson’s eyes
Film portrait centres on author's conviction that she would die at age of 71.
The Hay relay story: chapter one by Beryl Bainbridge
George was drumming his fingers on the tabletop. As usual, he was tired ...
Hooray! We’re off to Hay
If you can't make it this year, never fear: we'll do our best to bring the festival to your desktop with podcasts, blogs, interviews and news.
The Hay relay story
Ten writers, 10 chapters, one story, every day on the Arts blog - starting tomorrow with Beryl Bainbridge. Plus a chance for you to write the ending.
Comment is free at Hay
Georgina Henry: We'll be blogging the annual festival, starting tomorrow.
Listen to our Haycast preview programme
Sarfraz Manzoor talks to Claire Armitstead, Clare Purcell from the festival office and me about what's coming up at this year's festival.
Vital statistics from World Book Day
The celebrities have had their say, but which 10 books couldn't you live without?
Happy Portico and the Chamber of Secrets
What happened when five teen-fiction writers formed a Question Time panel for a local school at Manchester's Portico Library?
Literature at Large: this week’s book events
Our regular weekly roundup of the best books events around the UK and Ireland.
Literature at large: this week’s books events
Our regular weekly roundup of the best books events around the UK and Ireland.
Keeping it real
Stuck in a Texan airport, halfway between here and there en route to Mexico's Letras del Mundo literary festival, questions of authenticity and identity come to the surface.
Theatre of dreams
Accepting an invitation to perform at a benefit show for a Palestinian children's theatre shouldn't be an invitation for abuse.
My governor is (not) a Jewish cowboy
An Austin resident on how novelist and country singer Kinky Friedman fought and lost his campaign to become governor of Texas.
Why Capote’s genuis is in the detail
I never understood what motivates people to spend vast sums on celebrity memorabilia - until the pull of owning Truman Capote's pen proved irresistible.