About This Event

When did people start reading for pleasure — and what happens if we stop? Two of our most incisive cultural commentators, Philip Hensher and James Marriott , join the novelist Clare Clark to explore the past, present and possible future of reading. In A History of the Novel in Britain , Hensher tells the story of the creative and commercial forces that shaped the novel over three centuries, from Daniel Defoe to Zadie Smith, showing how a growing appetite for stories helped create one of our most adaptable and democratic art forms. Marriott’s The New Dark Ages picks up that story at a moment of crisis, arguing that the printed book, and the habits of deep attention it fostered, are being eroded by screens, distraction and a culture increasingly hostile to sustained thought. Together, their books form a powerful conversation about why reading mattered, how it built modern public life, and what may be lost if the page gives way entirely to the feed. There will be a book signing after this event. Get ahead of your Festival reading and visit the Waterstones Cheltenham Literature Festival bookshop and support Cheltenham Festivals with every purchase.

Staying overnight?

Hotels within walking distance of The Hive.

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