The Braemar Literary Festival 2024, staged by The Fife Arms in collaboration with The Queen’s Reading Room, will take place from Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd September and features renowned novelists, historians, artists, food writers and actors in celebration of the written and spoken word and the creative use of text across all artforms.
This year’s lineup includes Ken Follett, Jon Sopel, Alan Cumming, Kate Mosse, Tom Parker Bowles, Jessie Burton, Simon Armitage and many more.
Tickets available via the link below:
Saturday, 21st September
10am – 10.45am Tom Parker Bowles in conversation with Matthew Fort
St Margaret’s
Enter the fascinating world of Royal recipes in the company of celebrated British food writer and critic, Tom Parker Bowles as we explore his latest book Cooking and the Crown: Royal Recipes from Queen Victoria to King Charles III.
Drawn from extensive historical research, contemporary contributions and personal insights, Cooking and the Crown weaves together history, gastronomy and tradition, detailing the lives, reigns and eating habits of our country’s monarchs spanning extraordinary State banquets to everyday food favourites that we can all cook and enjoy at home.
Tom will be joined by food columnist, author and former judge on the Great British Menu series, Matthew Fort, in what promises to be an educational and entertaining glimpse into food and the British Monarchy.
A book signing will follow the event.
Tom Parker Bowles in conversation with Matthew Fort - Fife Arms (thefifearms.com)
12.45pm - 1.30pm Jessie Burton in conversation with Vicki Perrin, CEO of
The Queen’s Reading Room
St Margaret’s
Jessie Burton is the multimillion best-selling author of The Miniaturist, The Muse, The Confession and The House of Fortune, all instant Sunday Times best sellers. The Miniaturist was the fastest selling debut of 2010s and was adapted for the BBC as a mini-series starring Anya Taylor-Joy.
Jessie’s books for children include Medusa, which was shortlisted for the Carnegie medal for writing, and her novels have been published in 40 languages.
Jessie will be joined in conversation with Vicki Perrin, to explore her extraordinary literary career and the central female characters that inhabit the highly detailed worlds of her novels.
A book signing will follow the event.
3.30pm - 4.15pm Jon Sopel
St Margaret’s
Renowned British journalist, bestselling author, political insider and presenter of the chart-topping podcast The News Agents, Jon Sopel joins us in Braemar to discuss his new book Strangeland, which chronicles his experience of returning to the UK after eight years of political reporting in the US, and the changed homeland he encountered.
Jon will examine the political upheavals, societal and cultural shifts that have changed our country, and explore the key question of what it now means to be British in a rapidly changing, politically-charged world, and how his own experiences of working at the highest level of political journalism have changed him.
Don’t miss what promises to be a highly-informed, witty and engaging analysis of today’s Britain from one of the world’s most respected political journalists.
A book signing will follow the event.
In conversation with Jon Sopel - Renowned British Journalist - Fife Arms (thefifearms.com)
5pm – 5.45pm Ken Follett in conversation with Vicki Perrin, CEO of
The Queen’s Reading Room
St Margaret’s
Ken Follett is one of the world’s most successful authors. More than 195 million copies of the 37 books he has written have been sold in over 80 countries and in 40 languages. In 1989, Ken’s epic novel about the building of a medieval cathedral, The Pillars of the Earth, was published and reached number one on bestseller lists everywhere.
His latest book, The Armour of Light, is set in his fictional town of Kingsbridge, and completes an eight-volume cycle of books which together chronicle the last 1,000 years of Western civilization.
Ken will be joined by Vicki Perrin of The Queen’s Reading Room to discuss his astonishing literary career, spanning spy stories such as Eye of the Needle, to political thrillers, including Never, and his historical fiction works.
A book signing will follow the event.
Sunday, 22nd September
10am – 10.45am Alan Cumming in conversation with Fiona Kennedy
St Margaret’s
Alan Cumming has enjoyed a hugely successful career on international stage and screen, most recently playing Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns in BURN, a solo dance theatre piece for the National Theatre of Scotland, as well as hosting the phenomenally successful TV series, The Traitors. Cumming has written several autobiographical works, a novel, and two children’s books.
Alan will be joined by actress, broadcaster and singer Fiona Kennedy to discuss the many and wide-ranging ways in which words and literature have shaped his life and career, in what promises to be a hugely entertaining, personal and insightful talk.
A book signing will follow the event.
Alan Cumming in conversation with Fiona Kennedy - Fife Arms (thefifearms.com)
