Join us for a book bonanza at Henley

THIS month’s Henley Literary Festival, supported by the Daily Mail, is the biggest yet with 170 talks, performances and workshops.

The line-up for September 28 to October 4 includes Ben Fogle, Virginia McKenna, Ralph Steadman and Princess Michael of Kent.

Barry Cryer, Eleanor Bron and Jonathan Coe will be among those taking part in a special event on October 3 celebrating the life and work of Reginald Perrin creator David Nobbs, who had been due to appear at the festival. Another late addition to the programme will see Richard E. Grant discuss his book of film diaries With Nails, now re-issued as a Picador Classic. Cardinal Cormac MurphyO’Connor will be in conversation with Anne Robinson while the Daily Mail’s Robin Esser will look back on his long Fleet Street career with Sir Michael Parkinson. Hollywood art director Alan Tomkins will discuss working with Steven Spielberg, and on the Bond and Batman franchises.

General Sir Barney White Spunner will speak on the Battle of Waterloo and we’ll be joined by The Kamikaze Hunters author Will Iredale, accompanied by two World War II airmen. There are also more than 40 events for children aged two and up, and the town’s historic Kenton Theatre hosts the Famous Five, Alice in Wonderland (pictured) and Hugless Douglas.

Plus, food will be on the menu with Celebrity MasterChef winner Lisa Faulkner and cook-turned-novelist Prue Leith among others, while Henley’s Hotel du Vin hosts the festival’s first literary lunch.

For more information visit henleyliteraryfestival.co.uk or call 01491 575 948.