Cheltenham festival of Literature: Weekend Highlights

BIG NAMES discussing even bigger subjects abound this weekend. Today's highlights include a rare appearance by the much-loved children's illustrator Quentin Blake, who talks about his 50-year career (10am); the controversial novelist and biographer DM Thomas lecturing on the work of the Nobel prizewinner Alexander Solzhenitsyn (10am); the writer and journalist Patrick Marnham discussing the turbulent life and art of Diego Rivera (1pm); and the editor of The Oldie, Richard Ingrams, talking to Harry Thompson, TV producer and creator of Have I Got News For You, about his old friend Peter Cook (5.30pm). Tomorrow will see, among others, the actor Steven Berkoff "perform" his latest short stories (12noon); Jeremy Paxman discuss what it means to be English (2.30pm); and Judi Dench in conversation with her biographer, John Miller (5pm).

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