Acclaimed author to deliver talk

Cloud Atlas author David Mitchell will appear at an international conference on his works in St Andrews tomorrow.

The conference, to be held in the university’s School of English, brings together 20 speakers from 10 countries to discuss the author’s fiction, which include novels, short stories, operas and film adaptations.

The event, which sold out nearly three months in advance, will also include a visit to the university’s special collections to see the new collection of his rare works held there, as well as a reading from the author.

Conference organiser Dr Rose Harris-Birtill said: “It’s brilliant that so many people are coming together to take part from across the globe, and that the author has generously given up his time to come along.

“For me, the day is about bringing together a wider community that includes both contemporary literature experts and readers who simply want to know more.

“This isn’t just about discussing books.

“These works open up some of the most difficult problems of the 21st Century, including the effects of globalisation, climate change and the aftermath of the Iraq war.

“Of course, reading is about enjoyment too.

“But the stories that we read and share can also give us another way to confront some of the greatest difficulties that we face as a species,” she added.