{"id":85854,"date":"2026-10-15T10:30:24","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T09:30:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/library\/?p=85854"},"modified":"2026-10-15T10:30:24","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T09:30:24","slug":"read-relax-authors-coming-to-the-canterbury-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/library\/read-relax-authors-coming-to-the-canterbury-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"Read & Relax Authors coming to The Canterbury Festival\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Canterbury Festival<\/strong><\/a> is Kents biggest arts festival taking place from 16 \u2013 31 October with over 130 events taking place in and around Canterbury. Many of the \u2018The Books & Ideas\u2019 talks taking place in Augustine House Main Hall, feature authors you can discover through our Read & Relax collection. A great opportunity to try a new author and maybe come and see them discuss their work and creative process.\u00a0\u00a0 A limited number of \u00a310 tickets are available through the Festival Under-30’s Scheme<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to own your own copy of a book you can purchase one on the day from the University Bookshop stand you\u2019ll find at most of the talks. Alternatively pick up copies at the Bookshop on campus or on-line Bookshop<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sathnam Sanghera, Thu 22 Oct, 7:45 pm, Augustine Hall<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n
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Whether Whamageddon is the extent of your knowledge or you can sing along to every song he wrote, \u2018Tonight the Music Seems so Loud\u2019<\/em> offers a unique and personal biography of George Michael.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Canterbury Festival event website<\/a><\/strong> – \u2018In conversation about his unconventional and enthralling new book,\u00a0Tonight The Music Seems So Loud<\/em>, Sathnam explores the connection between music and politics and exposes what secrecy does to the soul, all while capturing, joyfully and poignantly, one of Britain\u2019s greatest artists in all his musical glory.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll find a selection of biographies and autobiographies in the non-fiction section of the Read & Relax collection. Highlights include the rags to riches life of Coco Chanel by Axel Madsen, Godfather of Metal, Ozzy Osbourne\u2019s \u2018Last Rites\u2019<\/em>, outrageously funny Miriam Margolies and a truly unique autobiography by Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker structured around the contents of his attic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Elif Shafak, Tuesday 20 October, 7:45 pm, Augustine Hall<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n
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Read & Relax fiction is arranged alphabetically by author; the collection includes Shafak\u2019s two previous best-selling books: \u2018There are Rivers in the Sky\u2019<\/em> a magical realism time shift story connecting characters with a single ancient raindrop. And the poetically beautiful \u2018The Island of Missing Trees\u2019,<\/em> in which a daughter in present day London uncovers her parents forbidden love story during the partition of Cyprus. This title is also available on Libby<\/a> as an e-book and audio book.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Canterbury Festival event website<\/a><\/strong> – \u2018Join multi-award-winning British-Turkish novelist and storyteller Elif Shafak as she discusses her new novel,\u00a0\u2018In One Brief Moment All Eternity\u2019<\/em>, a meditation on creativity in the darkest of times.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In this boldly rendered novel, Elif Shafak imagines in vivid colour the life of legendary French writer Gustave Flaubert and all the women who possessed him\u2014the fictional ones he conjured and the real ones who shaped him\u2014particularly Madame Bovary.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Agatha Christie on Screen, Stage and Page \u2013 Sunday 25 October, 2pm, Augustine Hall<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n
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We have a selection of crime fiction books within the Read & Relax fiction section under the F\/CM classmark. With over 2 billion copies of her works sold Agatha Christie is only beaten to first place in the list of best-selling authors of all time by William Shakespeare and we obviously had to include her in our selection. You\u2019ll find \u2018The ABC murders<\/em>\u2019 and \u2018And then there were none\u2019<\/em> by the F\/CM CHR classmark. If these inspire you to read more of her work, we have plenty of her other titles in our main collection and on Libby e-books and audio books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Canterbury Festival event website<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 \u2018Christie super-fan and author Cathy Rentzenbrink is joined by theatre historian Julius Green and screenwriter Sarah Phelps (EastEnders<\/em>, BBC adaptations\u00a0And Then There Were None, The Witness for the Prosecution<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0The ABC Murders<\/em>) for a celebration of Agatha and her work across screen, stage and page.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Harry Baker: Tender – Sunday 25 October, 4:00 pm, Augustine Hall<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n
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Margate based poet and social media sensation Harry Baker\u2019s \u2018Tender<\/em>\u2019 is one of the poetry titles you\u2019ll find in our Read & Relax section. A moving and honest collection of poems to read or even better, hear performed by the author. If you can\u2019t get to see him at the Festival check out his events page<\/a> for his other local events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Canterbury Festival event website <\/a><\/strong> \u2013 \u2018World Poetry Slam Champion and bestselling poet Harry Baker brings his characteristic warmth, wit and wonder to new parenthood in this evening of spoken word.’<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Tender<\/em> contains poems from the first hundred days of new life and celebrates all of the euphoria, panic and vulnerability that come with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the UK\u2019s most magnetic performers, Harry is building on the last two years\u2019 40-date sellout runs of Wonderful<\/em> and Wonderful 2.0<\/em>, and will even slip in some non-baby bangers too. Expect more laughter and tears than ever.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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David Shrigley \u00a0– Tuesday 27 October, 7:45 pm, Augustine Hall<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n
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You\u2019ll find creative inspiration within the non-fiction section of Read & Relax including \u2013 \u2018Get your shit together\u2019<\/em> by David Shrigley, 741 SHR. Shrigley\u2019s darkly humorous art has been amusing fans since the 1990s and this is his first all colour collection. A nomination for The Turner Prize (the foremost contemporary art prize in the UK), a statue on Trafalgar Square\u2019s forth plinth and becoming a viral Instagram phenomenon have cemented him as one of Britain\u2019s most popular artists. Find out what he\u2019s all about with this characteristically surreal book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Canterbury Festival event website<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 \u2018Master of the inexplicable and surreal, Turner Prize nominee, and Instagram phenomenon David Shrigley takes to the stage to discuss his comic writing, presented \u2013 outrageously?! \u2013 in a big new book with no illustrations.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Enjoy an evening with a cultural icon in pure words, pure joy, pure Shrigley.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Terry Deary: History of the World in Ten Wars \u2013 Friday 30 October, 2pm, Augustine Hall<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Read & Relax titles \u2013 \u2018Actually, I\u2019m a murderer\u2019<\/em>  F\/CM DEA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018A history of Britain in ten enemies\u2019<\/em> 941 DEA<\/p>\n\n\n

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Represented in the Read & Relax non-fiction and crime fiction sections, Terry Deary is still best known for his hugely popular Horrible Histories<\/em> series. He now only writes for adults and his A History of Britain<\/em> series is Horrible Histories<\/em> for grown- ups, if you like your history funny, irreverent and thought provoking this is for you.
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Canterbury Festival event website <\/a><\/strong> \u2013\u2018 A lively, irreverent exploration of the ten wars that shaped world history and what they reveal about human nature.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

With his trademark humour, Terry Deary (author of Revolting, A History of Britain in Ten Enemies<\/em> and the Horrible Histories<\/em> series) moves from ancient Greece to the twentieth century, uncovering unexpected stories, myths and turning points often missed in traditional accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than glorifying battle, Deary asks: why do we keep fighting? How can societies justify conflict? And can anything truly be learned from it?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Other authors at Canterbury Festival in our Read & Relax collection<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n
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William Boyd<\/strong>: Cold Sunset \u2013 Thursday 29 October, 7.45pm, Augustine Hall<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read & Relax title \u2013 The Predicament: a novel<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sebastian Barry<\/strong>: – Sunday 18 October, 2pm, Augustine Hall<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read & Relax title \u2013 Days without end: a novel<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malcolm Gaskill<\/strong>: Worlds of Fear & Wonder \u2013 Saturday 24 October, 1pm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read and Relax title – How to kill a witch: a guide for the patriarchy<\/em> 133.4 MIT<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Other authors at Canterbury Festival whose work you\u2019ll find in our main collection.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

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Nicholas Orme<\/strong>: Chaucer\u2019s England – Tuesday 20 October, 5.45pm, Augustine Hall<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nikesh Shukla<\/strong>: 10 Years of The Good Immigrant – Friday 23 October, 7.45pm Augustine Hall<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simon Garfield<\/strong>: The Pen \u2013 Tuesday 27 October, 5.45pm, Augustine Hall<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simon Seabag Montiefiore<\/strong>: The Cauldron – Wednesday 28 October, 7.45pm, Augustine Hall<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jackie Eales<\/strong>: British Historic Town Atlas of Canterbury \u2013 Sat 31 October, 2pm, Augustine Hall<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jacqueline Wilson<\/strong> \u2013 Saturday 3 October, 2pm, Malthouse Theatre<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simon Armitage<\/strong>: Gilgamesh \u2013 Saturday 31 October, 6pm, Augustine Hall<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Canterbury Festival is taking place from 16 \u2013 31 October. Many of the \u2018The Books & Ideas\u2019 talks taking place in Augustine Hall, feature authors you can discover through our Read & Relax collection.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3045,"featured_media":82330,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2042,1890,1914,1,570],"tags":[2086,1346,18,2070],"class_list":["post-85854","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bookshop","category-canterbury","category-collection-highlights","category-blog","category-public-engagement","tag-book-festival","tag-bookshop","tag-canterbury","tag-read-relax"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t