MARQUEES sprang up at St Endellion for the sixth North Cornwall Book Festival held over the weekend of October 4 to 7.

The event devoted the first two of its four days to young readers with sessions for ‘Bookworms’ aged eight to 11 and ‘Book Surfers’ aged 12 to 15. Children and staff from many local schools were bussed into the site at St Endellion to enjoy interaction with authors Ross Montgomery, Laura Wood, Vivian French, John Dougherty, Natalie Haynes and Steph Haxton.

On Thursday, it was the turn of the adults with evening poetry film maker and writer Sarah Tremlett and Lucy English performance poet and novelist. The audience was moved by a series of short poetry films exploring the effects of war in the Middle East, as well as the refugee crisis and interpretations of home for those arriving as immigrants in a strange country. Before the interval Lucy read poems from her collection ‘Book of Hours’.

There were concerts on Friday and Saturday evenings in St Endellion Church with a large audience enjoying Kit and McConnell’s witty cabaret and on Saturday the music of the India Electric Co.

The first session of Saturday, entitled ‘Cream of Cornish’ was a cabaret of readings by Cornish writers Lucy Wood, Stephen Price-Brown, David Taylor and Felicity Notley. The next event on Saturday morning was a sell-out as popular novelist, Joanna Trollope, was interviewed on stage about her latest book ‘An Unsuitable Match’ by best-selling memoirist Cathy Rentzenbrink.

After lunch, award winning television journalist and intrepid author Neil Ansell talked to historian Lisa Cooper about his book ‘The Last Wilderness’. The second event of the afternoon was when the latter interviewer discussed with Aida Edemariam, that author’s book ‘The Wife’s Tale’, a memoir of her 98-year-old Ethiopian grandmother.

Children were again catered for on Saturday afternoon when Martin Brown, author and illustrator of the ‘Horrible Histories’ series, spoke about his work and engaged the children with jokes, stories and live drawings. In a day packed with interest there was a chance to hear Philip Hoare speak about his book ‘Rising Tide Falling Star’. The final day event on Saturday was a highly entertaining encounter between Patrick Gale, famous novelist and artistic director of the festival and Nina Stibbe, whose latest novel ‘Paradise Lost’ like Patrick’s latest ‘Take Nothing With You’ is set in an old people’s home.

The first event of Sunday morning before a specail service was an inspiring conversation between two short-listed Booker Prize writers, Fiona Mozley, author of ‘Elmet’ and Wyl Menmuir, writer of ‘The Many.’

Before lunch Horatio Clare spoke about his latest book ‘Icebreaker’ and in the afternoon Radio 4 comedian and novelist Natalie Haynes presented one of her classics themed stand up sessions. Again there was entertainment for children and adults when Jill Murphy, author of the ‘Worst Witch’ series, gave a talk and reading. Poets Andrew McMillan and Kate Clanchy read a selection of their poems, Laurence Rose, author of ‘The Long Spring’ gave a talk on wildlife, traditions, culture and personalities associated with spring and the day ended with a packed church delighted with an exchange between author Anne Enright and Patrick Gale.