We are sure lockdown has given everyone the opportunity to read more, and equally sure that many local book groups have been holding virtual meetings to discuss what they have read. Now with the easing of lockdown there is something else to look forward to! Wells Festival of Literature is going ahead and will hold its Book Group event on Sunday 18 October 2020.

Max Porter will be coming to Wells for this event to discuss his novel 'Lanny'. This is his second novel and was longlisted for the 2019 Booker Prize. It combines myth and modern life in the poetic tale of an imaginative childhood. Max is looking forward to talking about his novel and receiving feedback on it, as well as answering questions from his audience. Max's debut novel, 'Grief Is The Thing With Feathers', was a Sunday Times List best-seller and won the Dylan Thomas Prize.

We are also very excited to welcome Michael Eavis to the Wells Festival of Literature. This year's Glastonbury Festival should have celebrated 50 years in June this year. Michael will be regaling us with tales as he relates the story of his own festival, from free milk and £1 tickets to the festival as we know it today, which draws people from all over the world to our little corner of England.

For those interested in politics, Rachel Johnson, younger sister to Prime Minister Boris, will be coming to talk about her latest book. 'Rake's Progress: My Political Midlife Crisis' documents her experience when she decided to enter politics in 2019. She stood as a candidate for Change UK in the European elections, just a few months before her brother became Prime Minister. This witty book charts her disastrous quest to transform herself from journalist to politician and become an MEP, which she failed to do.

At the moment, the format of this year's festival is not certain. However the organisers are continuing to work hard whilst keeping their plans flexible. There are a variety of options: the usual live audience, albeit socially distanced, in Cedars Hall, a fully virtual event (as was provided by the Hay Festival earlier in the year) or a mixture of the two.

The situation will be monitored closely by the organisers, following Government guidelines and taking advice from experts and stakeholders. These include the Cedars Hall staff, the festival's loyal supporters and potential audience members. Once there is clarity on the situation, the organisers will be able to give further details, including booking instructions and the timings of events. To keep up to date with events please refer to our website: wellsfestivalofliterature.org.uk