Sixth Lichfield Literature Festival details announced

The sixth Lichfield Literature Festival is set to be the biggest yet, with events stretching over two weekends, as the breadth of topics and the range of visiting authors increases.

This year's festival runs from Saturday October 1, 2011, to Sunday, October 9, 2011.

Authors confirmed to appear so far include the former Conservative Cabinet Minister Douglas Hurd, the popular TV science presenter Adam Hart-Davis, the political sketch-writer Simon Hoggart, the best-selling writer of psychological thrillers Sophie Hannah, the journalist Martin Bell and the brilliant satirist Craig Brown.

There will be a Samuel Johnson Young Writers' Scheme, charity bookshop events, a literary quiz night and special events for National Poetry Day. The Storyteller Laureate Taffy Thomas will be in attendance, working in schools and other events.

There is a strong theme of exploration running through the week, with Tim Jeal talking about the explorers who sought the source of the Nile, Sara Wheeler explaining what has drawn her to the extremely cold and extremely hot places on earth, Robin Hanbury-Tenison plotting the lives of the great explorers, and Robert Penn explaining how he travelled the world to assemble the perfect bicycle.

Subjects of biographies include the pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones and the famous castrato singer Giusto Ferdinando Tenducci, while other topics include the English language of the King James Bible, the code-breakers of Bletchley Park, the Welsh Guards fighting in Afghanistan, the women in Samuel Johnson's life and the sad but hilarious stories of the world's heroic failures.

Lichfield Literature events are held in association with The George Hotel, and most of them are held in the elegant Garrick Room at the hotel.

Over 25 authors will be taking part in readings, discussions and workshops across a range of themes from biography and history to exploration and science. Family and education events will also feature in the wide programme.

Tickets go on sale from early September. For more information call 01543 306270 or visit www.lichfieldfestival.org and www.thegeorgelichfield.co.uk