What’s On

Adam Sisman’s biography of John le Carré, published in 2015, provided a revealing portrait of this fascinating man; yet some aspects of his subject remained hidden. Nowhere was this more so than in his private life. Apparently content in his marriage, the novelist conducted a string of love affairs over five decades. To these relationships ... Adam Sisman – The Secret Life of John Le Carré

In 1642, William Waller and his Parliamentarian army came to Winchester with destruction on their minds. They forced entry to the magnificent cathedral that had stood on the site for over 600 years and began to smash things. In the cathedral’s holiest place, ten beautiful mortuary chests rested as they’d done since the 7th century. ... Cat Jarman – The Bone Chests

For the past decade, Lemn Sissay has composed a short poem as dawn breaks each morning. Life-affirming, witty and full of wonder, these poems chronicle his own battle with the dark and are fuelled by resilience and defiant joy. Let the Light Pour In is a collection of the best of these poems, and a ... Lemn Sissay – Let The Light Pour In

An open mic event for local writers and poets Join us to hear local poets and writers read and perform their work. To sign up to participate please contact us directly via contact@dorchesterliteraryfestival.com or just come along to listen. Angie Porter is a local poet, performer and painter who brings creativity to the fore in ... Poetry Slam with Angie Porter

How do you welcome someone new into your home and heart? A week before Christmas 2022, former BBC journalist and award-nominated podcaster Rory Cellan-Jones received a special delivery that changed the course of his life. This is the story of #SophieFromRomania, told in full for the first time.In January 2022, the Cellan-Jones-Coyle family said goodbye ... Rory Cellan-Jones – Sophie From Romania

John Suchet, previously well-known TV news reporter and newscaster and now regular presenter on Classic FM, is an acknowledged authority on Ludwig van Beethoven. He has written seven books on the subject and sold over 23,000 copies of Beethoven: The Man Revealed. His latest release, In Search of Beethoven, stands apart as a deeply personal ... John Suchet – In Search of Beethoven: A Personal Journey

The legendary ‘Red Devils’ were among the finest combat troops of the Second World War. Created at Churchill’s instigation in June 1940, they began as a single parachute battalion of 500 men and grew into three 10,000-strong airborne divisions: the 1st, 6th and 44th Indian, each composed of parachutists and glider-borne troops. Wearing their distinctive ... Saul David – Sky Warriors

A sweeping and epic story of adventure and courage, injustice and triumph, The Map of Bones by Kate Mosse is the sequel to the number one bestselling The Ghost Ship.Olifantshoek, Southern Africa, 1688. When the violent Cape wind blows from the south-east, they say the voices of the unquiet dead can be heard whispering through ... Kate Mosse – The Map of Bones

Britain’s best-selling historian writes the first definitive account of the famous televised SAS storming of the Iranian embassy in London in 1980 On April 30, 1980, six heavily armed gunmen burst into the Iranian embassy on Princes Gate, overlooking Hyde Park in London. There they took 26 hostages, including embassy staff, visitors, and three British ... Ben Macintyre – The Siege

12 Midday Sunday 13 October 2024 During this walk the Chairman and Academic Director of the Thomas Hardy Society, Mark Damon Chutter, will guide you through Dorchester and Fordington to explore the world of architect, writer and poet Thomas Hardy (1840–1928), the  Dorset dialect poet and philologist, William Barnes (1801–1886), and the LGBT pioneer Sylvia ... Wessex Writers – A Literary Walk

In the words of the late Gillian Ayres, this is a book about “what can be done with painting.” Drawing on decades of conversations with practicing painters, acclaimed author Martin Gayford offers intimate insight into the practice, meaning, and potential of this timeless medium. As a way of making images, pigment applied to any surface ... Martin Gayford – How Painting Happens (and why it matters)