Stanfords Travel Writers Festival – Page 4

Walking in the Footsteps Of… : Stanfords Travel Writers Festival

How often have you read a travel book and thought about how you would love to recreate that journey? Well these three authors did just that and even turned those journeys into books of their own. Join us as Paul Blezard talks to Jacki Hill-Murphy who has followed the footsteps of a number of early female explorers and adventurers, Alastair Humphreys who busked his way around Spain with a violin he could barely play inspired by Laurie Lee’s As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning and Ben Aitken who retraced Bill Bryson’s journey from Notes from a Small Island.

The authors also read extracts from their books.

The Extraordinary Tale of Kate Marsden and my Journey Across Siberia in her Footsteps by Jacki Hill-Murphy

Adventuresses Rediscovering Daring Voyages into the Unknown by Jacki Hill-Murphy

My Midsummer Morning by Alastair Humphreys

Dear Bill Bryson by Ben Aitken

Ned Palmer: A Cheesemonger’s Tour of the British Isles: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

Cheesemonger Ned Palmer takes us on a delicious journey across Britain and Ireland and through time to uncover the histories of beloved old favourites like Cheddar and Wensleydale and fresh innovations like the Irish Cashel Blue or the rambunctious Renegade Monk. Along the way we learn the craft and culture of cheesemaking and we get to know the major cheese styles – the blues, washed rinds, semi-softs and, unique to the British Isles, the territorials. Chaired by Julia Wheeler.

A Cheesemonger’s History of The British Isles by Ned Palmer is available now.

Adrian Hayes: Trauma, Tragedy and Triumph on K2: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

Adrian Hayes talks to Paul Blezard about his attempts to climb K2 – the notorious second highest mountain in the world – in 2013 and again in 2014. During these expeditions his thoughts often turned to his guilt and struggles as a father amid tumultuous personal circumstances; the profound events on K2 and the powerful lessons for our lives in the world below. His is a deeply moving story of the beauty and brutality of life, and death, on the world’s most unpredictable and perilous mountain.

One Man’s Climb: A Journey of Trauma, Tragedy and Triumph on K2 by Adrian Hayes.

William Atkins: Journeys in Desert Places: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

Winner of the Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year at the 2019 Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards, William Atkins talks to Julia Wheeler about his experiences in eight deserts: the Empty Quarter of Oman, the Gobi Desert and Taklamakan deserts of northwest China, the Great Victoria Desert of Australia, the man-made desert of the Aral Sea in Kazakhstan, the Black Rock and Sonoran Deserts of the American Southwest, and Egypt’s Eastern Desert. Hear all about the timeless allure of these remote and forbidding places.

The Immeasurable World: Journeys in Desert Places by William Atkins.

Christopher Somerville: The Private Life of Britain’s Cathedrals: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

Christopher Somerville talks to Paul Blezard, as he takes us behind the scenes of Britain’s Cathedrals, delving deep into the private life and the uncertain future of these ever-voyaging Ships of Heaven. Nowadays these great stone ships seem solid and unshakeable, but they are leaky old vessels in uncharted waters, tossed on waves of power and glory, scandal and mayhem for a thousand years. Theirs is a thrilling saga of crisis and boldness, of ruin and revival.

Ships Of Heaven: The Private Life of Britain’s Cathedrals by Christopher Somerville.

Diana Darke: The Last Sanctuary in Aleppo: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

Diana Darke talks to Julia Wheeler about her new book, The Last Sanctuary in Aleppo. It’s an incredible true story, seeing war-torn Aleppo from the view of an ambulance driver who cares for the people and animals caught in the crossfire and goes on, amidst the chaos and ruin, to create a cat sanctuary.

The Last Sanctuary in Aleppo by Diana Darke.

Ainsley Harriott: Tales from a Caribbean Kitchen: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

In his recent ITV series, Ainsley’s Caribbean Kitchen, Ainsley Harriott went back to his roots to uncover the best-kept secrets and simple dishes of Caribbean home cooking. Join us as he talks to Julia Wheeler about the diverse culture and the rich food heritage of these much-loved islands. His tales of traditional recipes and local ingredients will inspire dishes that will transport you to the real Caribbean from your own kitchen.

Ainsley’s Caribbean Kitchen by Ainsley Harriott.

Tim Marshall: The Inside Story of Europe’s Last War: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

The shattering of Yugoslavia in the 1990s showed that, after nearly 50 years of peace, war could return to Europe. It came to its bloody conclusion in Kosovo in 1999. Tim Marshall, then diplomatic editor at Sky News, was on the ground covering the Kosovo War. He gives an illuminating account of how events unfolded, drawing on personal experience, eyewitness accounts, and interviews with intelligence officials from five countries.

Shadowplay by Tim Marshall

Tony Juniper: Rainforest: Dispatches from Earth’s Most Vital Frontlines: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

Rainforests are the lungs of our planet – regulators of the earth’s temperature and weather. We’ve all heard of their systematic destruction but do we know the implications arising from their continuous decline? Tony Juniper talks about his experience at the frontline of the fight to save the rainforests, explaining the science and history of the campaigns, and what it has felt like to be there, amid the conflicts and dilemmas.

Japan 2020: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

Kicking off the 2020 Stanfords Travel Writers Festival at Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show, we welcome our team of experts on Japan. Find out just why you should be visiting there in 2020.

From history, art and cultural quirks, to how to plan your trip, Robin Moul (Be More Japan), Matt Spiller and Kylie Clark tell all to Paul Blezard.