London Literature Festival - 2010 tba

What's it all about? International writers, prize-winning-authors and prize-giving. Comic books, comedy, music and architecture are just some of the arts weaving their way into this diverse and edgy literature festival

When? July 2 -16th July, 2009

Where? Southbank Centre, London- AA Route Planner | multimap

How much? Past - £7 -£12

Festival Website: www.southbankcentre.co.uk/

London Literature Festival returns to the Southbank Centre 2009

Buzz Aldrin (video) and Arundhati Roy headline London's third Literature Festival at the Southbank Centre, featuring some of the world's best writers.

With music, writing, poetry, debate and live performances, the 2009 London Literature Festival promises to be bigger and better than ever.

From debates on democracy with Arundhati Roy to the epic memoirs of Buzz Aldrin, you can expect an entertaining and engaging programme of events

Budding writers can get involved at the Creative Writing Summer School, and there will also be discussion sessions with the Southbank Centre Book Club.

So if you like to lose yourself in a good book, let your imagination run wild as the London Literature Festival takes you on an exciting adventure this summer!

Highlights of the London Literature Festival

The packed programme features exciting firsts and rare appearances by some of the world's best writers, thinkers and poets. 

Who? Highlights include:

• Arundhati Roy: 7.30pm, 2 Jul
  The Booker prize-winner opens the London Literature Festival with a fascinating conversation on democracy with Director of Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti. 
• The Rime of the Ancient Mariner: 12 noon & 3pm, 4 Jul
  A fabulous, free outdoor production based on Coleridge's famous poem, featuring a cast of 150 children from local primary schools. 
• Buzz Aldrin:. 7.30pm, 4 Jul
  The astronaut launches his memoir Magnificent Desolation in his only UK appearance to mark the 40th anniversary of the first lunar landing in July 1969. Forty years ago, Buzz Aldrin became the second human - minutes after Neil Armstrong - to set foot on a celestial body other than the Earth. The event remains... More
• Benjamin Zephaniah: 7.30pm, 10 Jul
  A reading of new work and old favourites by one of the UK's best loved poets, in his first solo show at the Southbank Centre for more than 10 years.
• Ugly Shy Girls: From 4pm, 11 Jul
  Poet and illustrator Laura Dockrill joins singer-songwriter Kate Nash and special guests for an evening of words and music to launch her new book.
• Aravind Adiga: 7.45pm, 12 Jul
  The 2008 Man Booker Prize-winner gives the first London reading from his widely-anticipated second book, Between the Assassinations.
• The Canterbury Tales: 7.30pm, 13 Jul
  Historian and writer Peter Ackroyd presents his lively re-telling of Chaucer's classic text.

Queen Elizabeth Hall, Wed 15 Jul, 7.30pm, £10

Hanif Kureishi, DBC Pierre, Kamila Shamsie and Jeanette Winterson: Four top writers read original stories written for Oxfam’s new fiction collections, Ox-Tales.

Others appearing: A.L. Kennedy, China Melville, Vikram Seth, Will Self, Adam Thirwell, Sarah Dunant, Fred D' Aguiar, Sara Maitland, Jake Arnott, Clare Mulley, Alexander Masters, Brina Chikwava, Petina Gappah, Mark Gevisser, Gavin Bryars, V, Sam Miller, Helen Habila, Cameron Duodu, Sarah Waters, Karen Armstrong, Andrew o' Hagan,

Previous festivals: George Monbiot, Simon Armitage, Wendy Cope, Andre Klimowski, Alan Moore

Visitor Information

London looks huge as you gracefully climb the sky in your London Eye pod but many of the best attractions cluster in the centre.

Head for South Kensington's cultural mile, home to dinosaur fossils at the Natural History Museum, technical wizardry at the Science Museum and samurai swords and centuries of style at the Victoria & Albert Museum.

Along the silver Thames, you can find the Tate Modern and the turreted Tower of London. You can spend a whole day with the Elgin marbles, mummies and ancient treasures of the British Museum (near café-lined Covent Garden) or pick your favourite Old Master at the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square.

Permanent collections at the major museums are free – from the stylish Victoria & Albert Museum to the British Museum and National Gallery. Many museums open late on some nights, including the British Museum, Tate Modern and the National Gallery. Check their opening hours if you're a night owl.