A Sneak Peek at the 2010 Franschhoek Literary Festival Program

January 27th, 2010 by FLF

Muriel Barbery Press Release

The Franschhoek Literary Festival: Fourth Edition will hit the streets of this Winelands village starting on Friday 14 May, with another gathering of writers, editors, publishers, readers and assorted book fans who will be deep in various conversations – sometimes to applause and laughter, occasionally escalating to hot argument – until sunset on Sunday 16 May.

The FLF is a celebration of books and writers with the focus on promoting South African writing and reading. It is run largely by volunteers, well supported by the Franschhoek community.

The programme and the list of visiting writers have not yet been finalised, though we can disclose some of the overseas writers:

From Japan: bestselling French author Muriel Barbery (The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Gourmet Rhapsody), courtesy of the Alliance Francaise

From Spain: John Carlin who wrote Playing the Enemy / Invictus, the book about Madiba’s involvement in our 1995 Rugby World Cup win that became the Clint Eastwood starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon

From the UK: sponsored by the British Council: TV personality Tom Watt, Arsenal fanatic and author of The Beautiful Game, a book of soccer heroes with a joyous young South African player on the cover.

The starting lineup of South African authors include former FLF stars Ivan Vladislavić (Portrait With Keys, Flashback Hotel), Deon Meyer (Blood Safari, 13e Uur), John van de Ruit (the Spud books), Rian Malan (Resident Alien), Chris van Wyk (Shirley, Goodness & Mercy and the children’s Long Walk to Freedom), Niq Mhlongo (After Tears) and Imraan Coovadia (High Low In Between). This year we look forward to welcoming Jonathan Jansen (Knowledge in the Blood), Mandla Langa (The Lost Colours of the Chameleon), Jacob Dlamini (Native Nostalgia), Michiel Heyns (Bodies Politic), Véronique Tadjo (Queen Pokou), Ndumiso Ngcobo (Some of my Best Friends are White, Is it ‘Cos I’m Black?), Mark Behr (The Smell of Apples, Kings of Water), Pieter Haasbroek (Kruispunt), Aher Arop Bol (The Lost Boy) and Angela Makholwa (The 30th Candle). Of special interest will be Wessell Ebersohn, pioneer writer of SA thrillers who dropped out of sight for nearly twenty years and is now back with a new Yudel Gordon book, The October Killings.

As with FLF 2009, there will be a cookbook event on the morning of Friday 14 May with three Ms of local cuisine: Marlene van der Westhuizen (Sumptuous), Mark Dendy-Young (La Petite Ferme Cookbook) and Myrna Robins (Franschhoek Food).

The price of FLF tickets remains the same: R60 per event, with concessions for students. Regular festival participants know that the proceeds of ticket sales and donations go into the FLF Library Fund which puts books into schools and crèches, with the long-term goal of achieving a new library to serve all communities in our valley. In three years the FLF has raised over R415 000 for the Fund, attracted a full-stocked container children’s library and helped to organise school and prison writing workshops, an annual poetry competition, a spelling bee and many writer visits to local schools and the Groot Drakenstein prison.

‘The people shall read’ is our mantra, starting with children. Your enjoyment of FLF 2010 from 14 to 16 May will help us to work towards this essential objective.

Details will be up on our website soon – www.flf.co.za – with the programme due towards the end of February. Be advised to book early via Webtickets, specially for events in the smaller venues.

For accommodation bookings: www.franschhoek.org.za or email info@franschhoek.org.za

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