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Welcome
WELCOME
We are delighted to welcome you to the 2009 Sunday
Times Oxford Literary Festival - our biggest yet,
spread over eight days with more than 430 speakers.
We have an unprecedented and stimulating series
of prestige events in the magnificent surroundings
of Christ Church, the Sheldonian Theatre and
Bodleian Library. But much also to amuse and divert.
Ticket prices have been held to 2008 levels, offering
outstanding value for money, so that everyone
can enjoy a host of national and international
speakers, talking, conversing and debating
throughout the week on every conceivable topic.
The Sunday Times Oxford Festival is dedicated
to the pursuit of excellence in a friendly and
welcoming environment, reflecting the outstanding
traditions of creative discourse and scholarship
for which the University of Oxford and its Colleges
are famous throughout the world. When Thomas
Bodley established his great library, he envisaged
a ‘Republic of Learning’, a concept that inspires
us all still, and constitutes a remarkable heritage.
We are very pleased to welcome Corpus Christi,
Jesus, Oriel and Pembroke Colleges to the Festival
this year and honoured to stage the first Bodleian
Library Programme.
Particular thanks this year to our partners at
The Sunday Times for their tremendous coverage
and support of the Festival, and to all our very
generous sponsors, donors and supporters,
especially our friends at Cox and Kings Travel.
We have enlarged and enhanced public facilities
in the marquees at Christ Church Meadow and
in the Master’s Garden, which we hope you will
enjoy. We are very grateful to the Dean, the
Governing Body and the staff at Christ Church for
their help and support.
Hitherto, the Festival has been a ‘Not for Profit’
Company, but during 2009 we will move to establish
a new Charitable Trust.
One of the enduring pleasures of the Festival for
many of our writers and festival goers is the
opportunity to spend a few days or a week
at Christ Church, eating in the Great Hall, with
good food, wine, company and conversation;
walking through the college cloisters, gardens
and meadows, the perfect backdrop to a
celebration of books and their authors.
SALLY DUNSMORE
Festival Chief Executive
CONTENTS
3 Welcome
4 Sponsors, Patrons
and Festival Team
6 Christ Church
For your copy of the
programme for Young People’s
and Children’s Events
contact: 01865 286 074
EVENTS CALENDAR
10 Sunday 29 March
11 Monday 30 March
16 Tuesday 31 March
30 Wednesday 1 April
52 Thursday 2 April
68 Friday 3 April
88 Saturday 4 April
103 Sunday 5 April
116 Walking Tours
EVENT INFORMATION
120 The Bodleian Library
122 Venues
124 Accessibility & Safety
127 Exhibitions
128 Booking form
132 Index of Events by Subject
3