“A book, too, can be a star, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe.” - Madeleine L’Engle
Galle Literary Festival, 18-22 January, 2012
Sri Lanka, an eclectic array of writers, books and inevitable conversation – Galle Literary Festival was established in 2007 and looks set to reprise the success of its previous years. Hosting authors including D.B.C. Pierre, Joanna Trollope, Shashi Tharoor and Richard Dawkins it certainly seems en route to being a destination for lovers of the written word.
Galle Literary Festival, Sri Lanka. Pic: www.galleliteraryfestival.com.
Jaipur International Literary Festival, 21-25 January, 2012
The Jaipur Festival is Asia’s largest lit fest and among the world’s largest free event in the world of books – the festival isn’t ticketed providing a welcome respite for students and other perpetually impoverished bibliophiles. With authors like Pamuk, Rushdie, Pico Iyer and Vikram Seth gracing it in the past and a 2012 list of writers which includes Amy Chua, Hari Kunzru and Ben Okri, attendees are expected in the region of 60,000 with many times that number logging in to view events online. There’s not much that can be said about it that it doesn’t say for itself.
Shanghai International Literary Festival, 29 February-18 March, 2012
How many literary festivals can claim their origins to martinis? Proof positive that alcohol consumption (in moderation of course! For the most part, anyway) can lead to great things, the Shanghai Festival is set to celebrate a decade of existence in 2012. The 2012 writers’ list includes Edward P. Jones, Cheryl Tan and Paco Ignacio Taibo II, the 2012 festival looks set to be as eclectic as its predecessors.
Shanghai at night. Pic: AP.
The Emirates Airlines Festival of Literature, 6-10 March, 2012
As the largest literature festival in the Middle East, the EAFL is held in the vibrant city of Dubai and has consistently attracted a wonderful range of writers including Yann Martel, Margaret Atwood and Marjane Satrapi. The 2012 edition includes Nicholas Sparks, Patrik French, Chan Koonchung and Darren Shan. Residents of, and travelers to, Dubai, mark your calendars.
Sydney Writer’s Festival, 14-20 May, 2012
From its beginnings in 1997, the Sydney Festival has attracted names such as Kazuo Ishiguro, Anthony Maya Angelou, Jonathan Franzen and Anthony Bourdain. The 2012 programme is being released in April, and judging from the rate that this festival has been growing, is unlikely to disappoint.
Sydney Opera House. Pic: AP.
The Hong Kong International Literary Festival, 5-14 October, 2012
This festival is almost a year away, allowing plenty of time for scheduling and itinerary planning. Past authors at the HK Lit Fest include Margaret Atwood, Amitav Ghosh, Monica Ali and Alexander McCall Smith, so it’s not unreasonable to hope for an equally fantastic event in the next edition as well.
Article by Shalini Iyengar
