Top literary talent to head to Stoke Newington next week

A stellar line-up of more than 100 high-profile and emerging writers will speak at the Stoke Newington literary fair next week.

Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh, journalist, writer and feminist Caitlin Moran and Turkey’s bestselling female writer Elif Shafak are some of the names that will grace leafy Stoke Newington from June 3 to 9.

The festival, which has been running for the last four years, was set up to celebrate the area’s literary heritage. Authors Joseph Conrad, Daniel Defoe, Mary Wollstonecraft and Edgar Allan Poe all lived in the area.

Festival director Liz Vater, who has been a resident of the area for 25 years and originally founded the festival, said: “It will be bigger and better than ever.

“I think there’s nothing more invigorating than listening to clever people talk about ideas.

“For the price of a pint, you can have a whole new world open up to you. It’s a great way to discover new writers and try something new. We’ve much got a much more international range of speakers this year, as well.

“However, it’s also inspired by the community and community always runs through our programme.”

The festival will also be launching its first new-writing anthology.

Ms Vater added: “We’ve got so many communities living side by side and the anthology captures their stories.”

n For more information and to buy tickets, visit www.stokenewingtonliterary festival.com