The Lit & Phil and Newcastle Libraries23rd ~ 30th November 2019

The partnership between Newcastle Libraries and the Lit & Phil continues with the ninth year of Books on Tyne: The Newcastle Book Festival. Both venues will stage a remarkably varied programme of events.From a dramatic celebration of the 300th anniversary of Robinson Crusoe, a consideration of Friedrich Nietzsche and a packed family day (and much more) at the Lit & Phil, to a wide range of events at City Library including renowned Rock journalist and broadcaster David Hepworth; popular science writer Steve Jones; bestselling thriller writer Paula Daly, as well as many of your favourite local authors and personalities. We hope that once again we are offering something for everyone. Enjoy Books on Tyne 2019!The Books on Tyne Team

How to Book

www.booksontyne.co.ukPhone: 0191 277 4100 for City Library events0191 232 0192 for Lit & Phil eventsIn person at City Library or The Lit & Phil.Eventbrite: tiny.cc/booksontyne2019

City Library on New Bridge Street, is a welcoming modern building open to everyone. We provide contemporary and easily accessible services as well as historic collections. www.newcastle.gov.uk/libraries Twitter @toonlibrariesFacebook: NewcastleLibraries

Please book to avoid disappointment.*

Shima Banks Graphic DesignMarianne Abbott MarketingJohn Stafford Website

We also wish to thank all Lit & Phil and Newcastle Libraries staffLycetts: Insurance BrokersStatex

The Lit & Phil, on Westgate Road, is the largest independent library outside London. Opened in 1825, the building houses contemporary and historic collections of more than 160,000 books, and an important collection of recorded music and scores.www.litandphil.org.ukTwitter: @litandphil Facebook: The-Lit-and-Phil

Welcome to Books on Tyne 2019

*If the event you have booked for is cancelled, rescheduled or has changed location, you are entitled to a refund. You’re not entitled to a refund if you can no longer attend an event.

Acknowledgments:

Kay Easson Programme: Lit & Phil

Derek Tree Programme: Newcastle Libraries

11am ~FREE 50 - Not Out!Novelist Helen Bridgett and poet Vicky Arthurs discuss how turning fifty kickstarted their careers as authors and reveal why they write about older characters. From grandchildren to grand tours, cardigans to karaoke, their books explore the trappings of mid-life with humour and affection. They’ll also share their personal stories about starting a writing career later in life.

Saturday 23rd November CITY LIBRARY LIT & PHIL

2pm ~ £3 Mary and Bryan Talbot RainMary and Bryan Talbot will be talking about their latest graphic novel, Rain. Set against the backdrop of disastrous floods in the North of England, Rain dramatically chronicles the developing relationship between two young women, one of whom is a committed environmental campaigner. Their previous work includes Sally Heathcote: Suffragette and Alice in Sunderland.

0191 232 0192 | www.booksontyne.co.uk 0191 277 4100 | www.booksontyne.co.uk

7pm ~ £8 (under 18s ~ £5)Crusoe’s IslandFell-Foss Theatre presents Crusoe’s Island Adapted for stage by Mark Cronfield In a dynamic one man performance Defoe’s classic novel is brought to the stage for its 300th anniversary. Rediscover Crusoe’s Island and the strange story of Yorkshire’s world-famous castaway.

There is another chance to see this production on Sunday 24th November at 2pm

One man’s story of shipwreck, solitude and salvation.

4pm ~ £3 Richard Shepherd Unnatural CausesDr Shepherd is the UK’s foremost forensic pathologist. His 25-year career has been driven by his passion to discover the truth that a body leaves behind in the wake of their death. During his career he has worked on over 23,000 cases; including the disasters of 9/11, the Bali Bombings and the Hungerford shootings of 1987, as well as headline-making investigations such as the death of Princess Diana and the murder of Stephen Lawrence.

7pm ~ £3 Bob Smeaton From Benwell Boy to 46th Beatle and Beyond Benwell-born Bob Smeaton has written about his adventures in the music industry from playing with Newcastle hopefuls White Heat to working with Jimi Hendrix, Elton John, The Who and becoming the series director on The Beatles’ Anthology documentary series. Bob will share his unbelievable journey from the shipyards to working with the greatest band of all time. You can expect down to earth honesty and humour, infused with a healthy dose of ‘I can’t believe this is happening to me’.

11am ~ Free Angels of the North Joyce Quin and Moira KilkennyThe authors will explain the origins of their book, which outlines the lives of forty outstanding women from the North East, they will then highlight some of the women with special emphasis on those who were writers. They will include for example, Mary Astell (born 1666) and Githa Sowerby.

Monday 25th NovemberLIT & PHIL CITY LIBRARY

0191 232 0192 www.booksontyne.co.uk 0191 277 4100 | www.booksontyne.co.uk

1pm ~ FREEDr. Deborah Smith The James Losh Diaries, 1802-1833: Life and Weather in Early Nineteenth Century Newcastle upon Tyne The name “James Losh” may not be familiar to many in the Newcastle area, yet in the early 19th century he was a leading figure in the political and social life of his adopted city. A close friend of Earl Grey, he was active in the Reform Bill of 1832, contributed to moves towards Catholic toleration and slave emancipation, and was also instrumental in developing the Lit & Phil. Dr. Debbie Smith has transcribed the diaries and added a commentary and a detailed summary of his observations to shed a more informative light on Losh’s writings and on the climate of his age.

2pm ~ Free Mike Pratt with Emily Willis and Robin Moss Poetry EventSelf taught naturalist and career conservationist Mike has worked with many environmental organisations over the last thirty four years. He is a North Easterner and is Chief Executive of the Northumberland Wildlife Trust. His obsession with all things natural is life long and his personal mission is to open people’s eyes to the wonders and value of Nature. The event will also feature poetry from Emily Willis and Robin Moss.

4pm ~ Free The Princess and the PianoJoin Mike Waller and Elaine Cusack for songs inspired by Felling on Tyne...with a few well-known cover versions. Come prepared to sing and clap along!

6pm ~ £3 Dr John Blewitt Reappraising John Ruskin’s influence on William MorrisFor William Morris, John Ruskin’s writings on architecture and painting were ‘a revelation’. Late in life he wrote that Ruskin’s chapter ‘The Nature of the Gothic’ from The Stones of Venice  was one of the few ‘necessary’ pieces of literature of the whole of the nineteenth century. Ruskin’s political and social criticism, he said, gave form to his own discontent and throughout his life he recommended others to read the great man. However, Ruskin’s ideas were set within a profoundly conservative and paternalist philosophical framework. He valued obedience, reverence and wise mastership arguing that only the foolish, or the wicked, delight in a world

with no masters. Morris, however, came to believe that Art and Humanity could only be saved if there were ‘neither rich nor poor, neither master nor master’s man’.

7.30pm ~ FREE IRON PRESS This Cullercoats - Work from Six Village Writers Six working writers who live in the village were asked to respond in verse or short fiction to their place of residence. Launched at the IRON OR festival in Cullercoats, this anthology contains poetry, prose and mythology from Carole Clewlow, Kitty Fitzgerald, Peter Mortimer, Harry Gallagher, Josephine Scott and Pauline Plummer.

7pm ~ £3Kirsty FerryNorth East born Kirsty Ferry won the English Heritage/Belsay Hall National Creative Writing competition in 2009. She is author of the best-selling timeslip novels in the Rossetti Mysteries series and the Hartsford Mysteries series, along with several contemporary and paranormal novellas.

CITY LIBRARY LIT & PHIL

Tuesday 26th November

7pm ~ £3Jeremy Dronfield The Boy who Followed his Father into Auschwitz is a remarkable story of hope, family and survival that demands to be read, and is a reminder of the very worst and the very best of humanity. Jeremy Dronfield vividly brings this nearly forgotten, astonishing story to life.

0191 232 0192 | www.booksontyne.co.uk 0191 277 4100 | www.booksontyne.co.uk

12.30pm ~ FREEKeith Jewitt Novels of University LifeOver the past 150 years, hundreds of novels have been written about university life. Some are near-autobiographical, others are comic or fantastic. Keith Jewitt re-examines favourites and blows the dust off forgotten former best-sellers, to ask: Are these books worth reading? And do we need more of them?

11am ~ £3Catherine Belsey Tales of the Troubled DeadCatherine will be discussing her book Tales of the Troubled Dead and the ways ghost stories appeal to our uneasy relationship with conventional good sense.

2pm ~ £3Helen Steadman Tales of Newcastle’s witch trials Sunwise is the sequel to Widdershins, which was inspired by the Newcastle witch trials. Helen will talk about her research into this superstitious world.

4pm ~FreePip Harrison Look at Me Now!Pip will be talking about her journey to writing Look at me Now which has as one of its main themes the cultural diversity and vibrancy of Newcastle.

Winner of the 2019 Hawthornden PrizeFriedrich Nietzsche’s work forms the bedrock of our contemporary thought. The death of God, the Übermensch and the slave morality permeate our culture, high and low, and yet he is one of history’s most misunderstood philosophers.Sue Prideaux brings readers into the world of a brilliant, ecentric and deeply troubled man, illuminating the events and people that shaped his life and work. I am Dynamite! is the essential biography for anyone seeking to understand the philosopher who foresaw - and sought solutions to - our own troubled times.

6pm ~ £3 Sue PrideauxI am Dynamite! A Life of Nietzsche

4pm ~ £3 Ra Page ResistRa will be discussing ‘Whatever happened to British protest?’ For a nation that brought the world Chartism, the Suffragettes, the Tolpuddle Martyrs, and so many other grassroots social movements, Britain rarely celebrates its long, great tradition of people power. In this timely and evocative collection, twenty authors have assembled to re-imagine key moments of British protest, from the Peasant’s Revolt of 1381 to the anti-Iraq War demo of 2003. In the age of fake news and post-truth politics this book fights fiction with (well researched, historically accurate) fiction.

Wednesday 27th NovemberLIT & PHIL CITY LIBRARY

0191 232 0192 | www.booksontyne.co.uk 0191 277 4100 | www.booksontyne.co.uk

2pm ~ £3John Grundy The Trouble with Sequels“It’s hard writing books. I wrote one about the history of Newcastle which I quite liked and other people seemed ok with, so I thought it would be easy to move on and do a follow up about the history of Northumberland. I already know all the places and thought I knew lots about the things that happened in them so I expected to whip through it all in record time but no... I am moving at glacial pace (pre-global warming glacial pace in fact). The reason for that is that there are just so many things I need to find out.” Join John as he discusses many of these interesting questions.

6pm ~ £3Tim Clayton Blackening Buonaparte: the invention of Napoleon the murderous despot 1797-1803When Napoleon – or Buonaparte as he was then known – first impinged on the British consciousness he was generally regarded as a hero: the liberator of Italy from Papish superstition and foreign domination. However, within a few years writers and artists in British government pay invented a new persona for him as a diminutive megalomaniac, a murderous, scheming Jacobin bent on military despotism and eternal war. Tim Clayton will talk about some of the designers of British propaganda and consider some of their more amusing products, and throw open the question of who was the real aggressor in the revolutionary and Napoleonic wars.

7pm ~ £3Gathering the Evidence: Contemporary Crime FictionWith the power to take us on nail-biting journeys near or far, crime fiction is perhaps today’s most popular fiction read. Yet the most exciting aspect of Noir is it’s tremendous flexibility, as our authors here demonstrate. Join Johana Gustawsson, Michael J. Malone, Matt Wesolowski and Will Carver for a criminally fine investigation into contemporary crime writing.

7.30pm £3 D.J. TaylorLost Girls: Love, War and Literature 1939-1951D.J Taylor will be talking about his latest book Lost Girls. This was the name given to the rackety young women at large in Blitz era literary London. Lost Girls concentrates on just four: Lys Lubbock, Sonia Brownell, Barbara Skelto and Janetta Woolley. Chic, glamourous and bohemian, they cut a swathe through English cultural life in the 1940s.

Thursday 28th NovemberCITY LIBRARY LIT & PHIL

0191 277 4100 | www.booksontyne.co.uk 0191 232 0192 | www.booksontyne.co.uk

4pm ~ £3 Steve Jones Here Comes the SunSteve Jones is a geneticist and leading science communicator on evolution and genetics as well as being a highly successful broadcaster and writer. Professor Jones has written his most personal book to date as he explores how our Sun drives the weather, forms the landscape, feeds and fuels - but sometimes destroys - the creatures that live upon the Earth.

11am ~ FREE Patricia Riley Serpent ChildAuthor Patricia Riley will talk about the damage done to children if they are used as weapons in a parental war. This is the major theme of her new memoir.

2pm ~ FREE Yvonne Young Cobbled Streets & Penny SweetsYvonne will share memories of a Geordie childhood as featured in her new book. Born in the 1950s, she grew up in the Industrial heartland. It will be an affectionate portrait of life in a city that has changed beyond recognition.

Music journalist and broadcaster David is coming to talk about the importance of rock ‘n’ roll in his life. Drawing on his experience of working in a London record shop in the 70s; writing for and editing magazines such as Smash Hits, Q, Empire and Mojo during the 80s and 90s, David has written a series of books celebrating the popular music of the 20th century.

6pm ~ £3 Professor Helen BerryOrphans of Empire Helen Berry will be talking about the amazing story at the heart of her new book, Orphans of Empire: the Fate of Lon-don’s Foundlings, the life of George King, a foundling boy who fought at the Battle of Trafalgar. George’s untold story is set within the wider history of what happened to nearly 6,000 children who survived being raised at the London Foundling Hospital, the great-est charitable enterprise of the eighteenth century, that was sponsored by royalty and men and women of fashion. Helen will be speaking about what she discovered from the perspectives of the children themselves - and about George’s remarkable autobiography, that provides a unique ‘below-decks’ view of the momentous sea battle that changed the course of history.

7.30pm ~ FREE Red Squirrel Press: Poetry LaunchRed Squirrel Press invites you to the launch of two pamphlets, Faiake by well-known poet Jo Reed Turner and the debut pamphlet, My Dark Angels by Lindsay Reid.

7pm ~ £3 David Hepworth A Fabulous Creation

Friday 29th NovemberCITY LIBRARY

0191 277 4100 | www.booksontyne.co.uk 0191 232 0192 | www.booksontyne.co.uk

LIT & PHIL

In association with deCoubertin Books.Born in Liverpool, Andy Grant joined the Royal Marines aged 17. Three years later in February 2009, he was blown up during a foot patrol in Sangin, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. In spite of his horrific injuries, he went on to win two gold medals and a bronze at the Invictus Games for injured servicemen and women in London in 2014. He learned to ski, surf, and climbed the highest mountain in South America. After failing to make the Paralympics, as “he wasn’t much of a sprinter”, Andy instead decided to set his sights on breaking a world record. ITV followed his successful attempt to become the fastest man with one leg over 10km. He is an ambassador for charities such as Help for Heroes and School of Hard Knocks. In September 2016, he was honoured with the Outstanding Achievement prize at the Pride of Liverpool Awards. You’ll Never Walk was longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2018.

11am ~ £3 Henrietta Heald Magnificent WomenHenrietta Heald is the author of Magnificent Women and their Revolutionary Machines - a meticulously researched and affectionately written tribute to the pioneers who paved the way for modern Britain. She will tell the fascinating stories of fearless women who did what they wanted when few were on their side.

4pm ~ £3 Write it OutFiction allows us the freedom to create characters whose voices are often silenced or go unheard. When authors offer us LGBT protagonists, we have a chance to hear those voices and appreciate a wealth of lived experiences. Louise Beech is an exceptional literary talent, whose perceptive novels have been shortlisted for multiple awards. Her gay love story The Lion Tamer who Lost was shortlisted for the RNA’s Most Popular Romantic Novel.West Camel is an editor at Orenda Books and the Riveter Magazine. He was longlisted for the Old Vic’s 12 playwrights project. His first novel, Attend was shortlisted for the Polari First Novel.Sarah Stovell’s critically acclaimed debut thriller Exquisite was one of the Telegraph’s Books of the Year. She teaches creative writing at Lincoln University. Her latest psychological thriller is The Home.

6pm~ £3 Andy Grant You’ll Never Walk

2pm ~ £3 Miriam Stoppard Local HeroMiriam will be talking about her life and work. She has had a career in television

which spanned over 18 years, and since that time she has become well known to millions all over the world as a leading authority on parenting, child care, women’s health, and many other crucial health issues. She is the UK’s best selling family expert, providing aspirational healthcare, information and services designed to support women and their families through every stage of their lives.

7pm~ £3 Paula Daly | Clear My Name

Paula Daly is the critically acclaimed author of six novels. She has been shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger for Crime Novel of the Year award, and her books have been

developed for the new ITV television series, Deep Water. Paula will be in conversation with Professor Jackie Collins.

10am -11.30am ~ £6 Whirlwind Story-Making with Julia StaffordFor ages 7-9. (Places limited to 8 children plus their parents/carers, booking essential) Tidy handwriting not required! Perfect pictures unnecessary! This will be a fun, fast and furious workshop aimed at reluctant readers but open to all.We are looking for a young team to be led by Julia Stafford to create a story for the Lit & Phil! There will be a short tour of the library’s most interesting nooks and crannies to inspire budding story-makers, then a workshop to brainstorm words and pictures. Guidance from the word go means that no one will be anxiously staring at a blank sheet of paper. Children will be encouraged, coaxed and bribed! They’ll surprise themselves as ideas pop and a story comes together. Grown-up guardians will be encouraged to participate, absolutely no experience necessary!

12.30pm -1.30pm ~ £2 Chris Bostock the Storyteller - StarlightFor listeners between 2 and 6 and their adult friends and familyStarlight is the charming story of little possum who collects starlight from the night sky. When his mother is ill, he is sent out alone into the big wide world to find his own food. He is helped on his journey by other animals who become his friends and show him many things, but lost in the dark he has to find his own way home again by starlight. “ A delightful tale for small children at this time of year…” Audience Member.

 3pm - 4pm ~ £2 Chris Bostock the Storyteller shares Hearthside Tales East of the Sun and West of the Moon This ancient story from Norway tells of a hard working family trying to survive in the deep chill of winter. A large white bear comes to their poor house and asks if he can take away the youngest daughter, in return for making the family rich. She doesn’t want to go, but the rest of the family….well what do you think? To find out more you’ll just have to come and join us on our story journey.

Saturday 30th November CITY LIBRARY

0191 277 4100 | www.booksontyne.co.uk

LIT & PHIL

11am ~ £3 Dan Jackson The Northumbrians

Dan will be talking about his new book, a stirring account of the Northumbrians and their

astonishing contribution to British and global history. Dan is author of Popular Opposition to Irish Home Rule in Edwardian Britain and he has written for the New Statesman and appeared on Who Do You Think You Are?

2pm ~ £3 Colin Butcher Molly & Me

Following careers with the Royal Navy and Surrey Police, Colin Butcher established The UK Pet

Detectives in 2005. It has since become the market leader in the investigation of crimes against animals, and each year recovers hundreds of lost and stolen pets. An expert in the field of pet detection, Colin’s vast experience as a criminal investigator has given him an unrivalled insight into the behaviour of missing dogs and cats.

Family Day!

0191 232 0192 | www.booksontyne.co.uk

4pm~ £3 Tessa McWatt Shame on Me

Tessa will discuss the nature of personal and ethnic identity. Is she English, Scottish,

British, Caribbean, Portuguese, Indian, Amerindian, French, African, Chinese, Canadian? Her identity is steeped in myth and the anecdotes of grandparents and parents who view their histories through the lens of desire, aspiration, loss, and shame.

7pm~ £3 Paul Ferris The Boy on the Shed Ex-Newcastle United footballer and physio, Paul will talk about his bestselling autobiography. It is a story of love and fate. At 16, he was United’s youngest ever first-teamer. As a member of the Magpie’s managerial team, Paul’s career acquaints him not only with Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, Bobby Robson, Paul Gascoigne and Alan Shearer but also with injury, insecurity and disappointment.

The Festival at a glance23rd NovemberCITY LIBRARY 11am ~ Free Helen Bridgett and Vicky Arthurs 50 Not Out! 2pm ~ £3 Mary and Bryan Talbot Rain4pm ~ £3 Richard Shepherd Unnatural Causes7pm ~ £3 Bob Smeaton From Benwell Boy to 46th Beatle and Beyond

LIT & PHIL 7pm ~ £8/5 (under 18s) Fell-Foss Theatre presents Crusoe’s Island

24th NovemberLIT & PHIL 2pm ~ £8/5 (under 18s) Fell-Foss Theatre presents Crusoe’s Island

25th NovemberCITY LIBRARY11am ~ Free Angels of the North2pm ~ Free Mike Pratt with Emily Willis and Robin Moss4pm ~ Free Mike Waller and Elaine Cusack The Princess and the Piano7pm ~ £3 Kirsty Ferry

LIT & PHIL 1pm ~ Free Dr Deborah Smith James Losh Diaries

6pm ~ £3 John Blewitt John Ruskin and William Morris7.30pm ~ Free IRON Press This Cullercoats

26th NovemberCITY LIBRARY11am ~ £3 Catherine Belsey Tales of the Troubled Dead

LIT & PHIL12.30pm ~ Free Keith Jewitt Novels of University Life

CITY LIBRARY 2pm ~ £3 Helen Steadman Sunwise4pm ~ Free Pip Harrison Look at Me Now!7pm ~ £3 Jeremy Dronfield The Boy who Followed his Father into Auschwitz

LIT & PHIL 6pm ~ £3 Sue Prideaux I am Dynamite! A Life of Nietzsche

27th NovemberCITY LIBRARY2pm ~ £3 John Grundy4pm ~ £3 Ra Page Resist

LIT & PHIL6pm ~ £3 Tim Clayton Blackening Buonaparte

CITY LIBRARY7pm ~ £3 Crime Panel

LIT & PHIL7.30pm ~ £3 D.J Taylor Lost Girls: Love, War and Literature

28th NovemberCITY LIBRARY 11am ~ Free Patricia Riley Serpent Child2pm ~ Free Yvonne Young Cobbled Streets & Penny Sweets4pm ~ £3 Steve Jones Here Comes the Sun

LIT & PHIL 6pm ~ £3 Helen Berry Orphans of Empire

CITY LIBRARY 7pm ~ £3 David Hepworth A Fabulous Creation

LIT & PHIL 7.30pm ~ Free Red Squirrel Press

29th NovemberCITY LIBRARY11am ~ £3 Henrietta Heald Magnificent Women and their Revolutionary Machines

FREE GUIDED TOURS OF THE LIT & PHIL (45 mins) Places limited. Please book. 0191 232 0192Saturday 23rd November 10.30am | 11.30am Saturday 30th November * 10.30am | 11.30am | 12.30pm 1.30pm | 2.30pm * The library will be open until 4pm today

2pm ~ £3 Miriam Stoppard Local Hero4pm ~ £3 LGBT Panel Write it Out

LIT & PHIL 6pm ~ £3 Andy Grant You’ll Never Walk

CITY LIBRARY 7pm ~ £3 Paula Daly Clear My Name

30th NovemberLIT & PHIL 10am ~ £6 Family Day Whirlwind Story Making 12.30pm ~ £2 Family Day Colin Bostock Starlight3pm ~ £2 Family Day Colin Bostock Hearthside Tales East of the Sun and West of the Moon

CITY LIBRARY11am ~ £3 Dan Jackson The Northumbrians2pm ~£3 Colin Butcher Molly & Me4pm ~£3 Tessa McWatt Shame on Me7pm ~ £3 Paul Ferris The Boy on the Shed

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SPECIAL OFFER ON MEMBERSHIP 23rd November – 21st December 2019

0191 232 0192 www.litandphil.org.uk

Borrow from our collection of more than 170,000 volumes, no fines for overdue booksPriority booking for high profile events, such as The Creative Series with Alexander McCall Smith, David Olusoga and Andrew Graham-DixonReceive the Lit & Phil newsletter three times a yearMembers-only social events and activitiesFREE wi-fiThis includes all membership options including a gift membership. This could be the perfect present, and includes a gift card.