Events

Event Information:

  • Sun
    10
    Feb
    2019
    Sun
    10
    Mar
    2019

    AN ABUNDANCE OF AUTHORS: GLADSTONE’S LIBRARY PLAYS HOST TO TWO WRITERS IN RESIDENCE THIS FEBRUARY

    Gladstone's Library, Church Lane, Hawarden, Flintshire CH5 3DF

    Writers Sophie Mackintosh and Susanna Forrest are set to wow audiences as Writers in Residence at North Wales’ unique Gladstone’s Library. Three events are scheduled with tickets for all selling extremely fast

    Gladstone’s Library is delighted that this February two spectacular women will be taking up their places as Writers in Residence, and will deliver three not-to-be-missed events!

     

    Sophie Mackintosh’s residency runs 10th February – 10th March. At her evening event, ‘Utopias and Dystopias’, on Tuesday, 12th February, she will ruminate on why both critics and audiences seem to love speculative fiction so much and will tackle some tough questions including why we are so drawn to it, what speculative fiction helps us to come to terms with, and what it can tell us about ourselves. Sophie also leads an exciting day-long masterclass on ‘The Art of the Short Story’. During the day, participants will learn how novels and stories inform one another, as well as how to work within (and learn from) the limitations of short fiction.

    Susanna Forrest’s residency runs 10th – 24th February. On Tuesday, 19th February, she will present an evening talk on ‘Writing Animals’ and will explore the challenges of doing animals justice in contemporary non-fiction. As a scholar of equine culture and history and the author of the The Age of the Horse (2016), Susanna has much to teach us about history, literature, anthropology, philosophy, and even food!

    Sophie and Susanna join us in February as the Library’s first and second Writers in Residence of 2019. Whilst staying with us they will be reflecting on and engaging with social, moral and ethical questions through their creative writing, and sharing their expertise with residents, visitors and event audiences. They will also submit a blog post to the Library’s blog, Volume.

    Tickets for ‘Utopias and Dystopias: The Water Cure - An Evening with Writer in Residence Sophie Mackintosh’ are priced at £15 or £25.95 with dinner (a copy of The Water Cure included). Tickets for ‘The Art of the Short Story - A Masterclass with Writer in Residence Sophie Mackintosh’ are now SOLD OUT.

    Tickets for ‘Writing Animals - An Evening with Writer in Residence Susanna Forrest’ are priced at £15 or £25.95 with dinner (a copy of The Age of the Horse included).

    For more information or to book tickets to any of these events, please call 01244 532350 or email enquiries@gladlib.org. You can also book tickets online at www.gladstoneslibrary.org.

    NOTES TO EDITORS:

    Sophie Mackintosh is an award-winning author of award-winning short stories; her work can be found in The White Review, Five Dials, Granta and elsewhere. Her first novel, The Water Cure (2018), has found huge success both commercially and critically. Shortly after her nomination for Gladstone’s Library’s Writer in Residence programme The Water Cure was longlisted for the Booker Prize. Sophie was born in Wales and is currently based in London.

    Susanna Forrest is an author, journalist, essayist and teacher. Susanna writes creative non-fiction on equine culture, a subject that took her across the world, including Mongolia. She published her first book, If Wishes Were Horses, in 2012, following with The Age of the Horse: An Equine Journey Through Human History (2016), an extraordinary achievement of research, travel, and writing which uses horses to tell the story of our own human history. The Times called her ‘the outstanding writer at the erudite end of horse madness’ and Waterstone’s named her book one of the Best Countryside and Nature books in 2016.

    Gladstone’s Library is situated just six miles outside Chester and is Britain’s only Prime Ministerial library and the national memorial to William E. Gladstone. Home to a unique collection of more than 150,000 printed items, it offers a comfortable, sociable and stimulating environment together with resources for creative study including renowned collections of theological, historical, cultural and political materials.

    Gladstone’s Library’s competitive Writer in Residence programme provides space and resources for four writers whose work engages with liberal values. Through reflection and writing during their stay, Writers in Residence help us redefine liberal values for the 21st Century. The Residency programme is designed to share the Library’s benefits with as many people as we can, broadening the Library’s audience and benefiting from their perspectives in turn. The Library welcomes all, regardless of gender, race, class, sexual orientation or religious affiliation. All Writers in Residence will be at ease with this inclusive ethos.

     To request individual comment, interviews or photographs, please email amy.sumner@gladlib.org.

    www.gladstoneslibrary.org | @gladlib