Guildford Book Festival 2011

Guildford Book Festival 2011

Guildford Book Festival 2011

Guildford Book Festival is an annual book event in Guildford that takes place over a period or around ten days sometime mid-October.

It used to be the programme that was eagerly looked forward to, spolit for choice with events to go to.

Sadly not last year, a big disappointment compared with previous years.

– Guildford Book Festival 2010

Hopefully a blip, better things this year. Sadly not, as with last year, another disappointment. Everyone I spoke to felt the same,

But, as with last year, one can always find something to go to, and as it was this year.

Amnesty International can always be relied upon to put on something worth attending and this year was no exemption. The ricin terror plot that never was.

– Ricin the terror plot that never was

The other excellent event was Spies in the sky at the Guildford Institute, a look at photo-reconnaissance.

– Spies in the sky

But why were there women with Guildford Book Festival sashes at the Guildford Institute event but not at the AI event? I asked. Apparently AI can be relied upon to do their own thing, which implies Guildford Institute cannot.

One Tree Books had an excellent book display at the Electric Theatre, though a pity no Aleph on special offer as I would have bought a couple of copies.

Waterstone’s were once again not chosen as the official bookseller. Though apparently they were asked and declined. Usual sour grapes from Waterstone’s, no mention of the book festival.

Better use was made of twitter, but too much gushing crap which bordered on spam.

Please can we have a better book festival next year? I even suggested authors and could have invited them but the festival organisers did not have the courtesy to respond.

The best book event was not part of the official programme and happened the week before the book festival. This was Sarah Foot talking about Medieval translations of the Bible that led to the King James Bible.

– Medieval translations of the Bible before King James

Maybe the best way forward is an Alternative Guildford Book Festival or a Festival Fringe.

Tags: books, Guildford, Guildford Book Festival, Guildford Book Festival 2011