大象传媒

Saturday 20 March, 10.30am

The Truth About Lies: Why We Love A Liar

The cheque’s in the post. I’m stuck in traffic. You look great in that. We tell lies all the time and hope nobody notices. But every time we lie, we give little clues away. What are those signs and how can we spot them? And why can’t we get enough of liars and unreliable narrators in our favourite stories?

Three authors – one of domestic thrillers, one of crime fiction and the other a criminal barrister - discuss the art of deception, the differences between personal and professional lying, and how to spot a liar yourself.

• Adele Parks (Lies, Lies, Lies; Just My Luck)
• Ian Rankin (Detective Inspector Rebus novels)
• Alexandra Wilson (In Black and White: Race and Class in a Broken Justice System)
• Chair: Alex Clark

Saturday 20 March, 12 noon

Is It Time To Bin The Books On Parenting?

Dr Spock, Gina Ford, Philippa Perry… every new parent is bombarded with wisdom on the dos and don’ts of parenthood – with each expert contradicting the next. In a world glutted with books, blogs and Instagram posts about how to be a perfect parent, how do we learn from others’ experience and expertise without becoming overwhelmed, insecure and disconnected from our own instincts?

Three authors of parenting books confront the question: have we reached peak parenting advice?

• Candice Brathwaite (I Am Not Your Baby Mother)
• Gill Sims (Why Mummy Drinks; Why Mummy is Sloshed)
• Matt Coyne (Dummy: The Comedy and Chaos of Real-Life Parenting; Man versus Toddler)
• Chair: Ace

Saturday 20 March, 1.30pm

New Heroes: A Search For Role Models In Difficult Times

In an age of fallen heroes where can we look for new role models? Author Irenosen Okojie and 大象传媒 war correspondent Frank Gardner talk with Shahidha Bari about the characters – both real and fictional – that have inspired them, and discuss who they think should be held up as the inspiring icons of our troubled times.

• Irenosen Okojie (Nudibranch)
• Frank Gardner (Luke Carlton thrillers)
• Chair: Shahidha Bari

Saturday 20 March, 3pm

How To Be A Man

With gender roles collapsing, gender identities exploding and toxic masculinity being called out on social media daily, what does it mean nowadays to ‘be a man’?

Best-selling author Alex Wheatle - the focus of Steve McQueen's 大象传媒 drama series Small Axe - explore the challenges of modern masculinity with comedian Russell Kane and rapper Guvna B. Together they discuss the men who have shaped their lives, the values they live by, and the fictional and real role models they believe should inspire a new generation of boys.

• Alex Wheatle (Home Girl, Straight Outta Crongton, Cane Warriors)
• Russell Kane (Son of a Silverback: Growing up in the Shadow of an Alpha Male)
• Guvna B (Unspoken: Toxic Masculinity)
• Chair: Ace

Saturday 20 March, 4.30pm

The Secrets Of Good Sex

Sex in books is notoriously tricky. For every delicious climax, there is a cringe-worthy disaster waiting; whether it’s overblown, mired in gender cliches or just plain… yuck. So who gets it right? What are the must-read sex scenes guaranteed to turn new readers on to great books? And what exactly is it that distinguishes a steamy success from a hot mess?

Three authors discuss the challenges and joys of writing good sex - and which authors make them swipe right… or left.

• Bolu Babalola (Love in Colour)
• Naoise Dolan (Exciting Times)
• Kate Davies (In at the Deep End)
• Chair: Shahidha Bari

Alex Clark talks to the queen of crime Val McDermid about the enduring appeal of crime fiction, her passion for reading and why she thinks we all need stories that get under our skin.

Val will be speaking to journalist Alex Clark.

Sunday 21 March, 12 noon

British Country Life: Heaven Or Hell?

The global pandemic has seen many urbanites flee from our cities in search of a country idyll. But does country life live up to the hype? Is it a truly green and pleasant land where happy families raise prize-winning organic veg - or a hotbed of petty resentments populated by small-minded racists in wellington boots?

Ayisha Malik, Julie Ma and Amanda Craig, all of whom have written novels set in rural Britain, discuss the realities of modern country living.

• Ayisha Malik (This Green and Pleasant Land)
• Julie Ma (Happy Families)
• Amanda Craig (The Lie of the Land; The Golden Rule)
• Chair: Alex Clark

Sunday 21 March, 1.30pm

Digging In: How Our Food Shapes Our Lives

What does the food we eat tell us about ourselves, our roots, and our society? Three brilliant food writers talk about their personal relationship to food - and how, whether we like it or not, what we put on our plate has become a political act.

• Grace Dent (Hungry)
• Ruby Tandoh (Eat Up, Eat What You Love)
• Jack Monroe (Good Food for Bad Days: Self Care Suppers and other Recipes, A Girl called Jack)
• Chair: Shahidha Bari

The 2020 Booker prize winner Douglas Stuart explains what it was like to grow up gay in a hard man’s world, explores why working-class stories matter, and discusses the power of a good teacher to save a lost kid’s life.

Douglas will be speaking to journalist Alex Clark.

Sunday 21 March, 4pm

These Books Might Save Your Life: Brilliant Reads For Bleak Times

Ella Berthoud’s The Novel Cure offers reading remedies for all life’s aches and pains. She offers bibliotherapy to actor and comedian Greg Davies and with the help of Big Book Weekend co-founder Molly Flatt asked viewers to share their problems and prescribes some novels to help navigate the dark days of lockdown.

• Ella Berthoud (The Novel Cure)
• Greg Davies (Star of The InBetweeners and 大象传媒 Three's Cuckoo)
• Chair: Author and Big Book Weekend co-founder Molly Flatt

Legendary comedian and author Sir Lenny Henry discusses the books that have made him, the stories that he still wants to tell, and why we all have to get angry – and active – in improving the diversity in TV, films, books and beyond.

Sir Lenny will be talking to author and Big Book Weekend co-founder Kit de Waal.